Gragareth, Yorkshire Dales
Ancient Yorkshire and Lancashire come into play on this walk up Gragareth, where there’s much more than first meets the eye to this tale of two counties.
The most popular route up Gragareth is from Leck Fell, on the Lancashire side, but it’s fair to say there are more exciting routes out there. That’s where the age-old Yorkshire/Lancashire rivalry comes in, for the swathes of limestone pavement on the fell’s eastern slopes, part of the classic Yorkshire Three Peaks landscape, are far more interesting.
The views are there right from the off, and only get better as you climb directly above remote Kingsdale through the middle of huge limestone scars, to the famous Cheese Press stone. And with limestone comes caves, and the chance to peer into the ground as well as over it.
Lancastrians need not fear, however, as the summit is not only firmly over the border, but also the county top; and with it come even more epic views down the Lune valley to the sea, and over to Cumbria’s Leck fells, Howgills and the Lake District.
To top it all off, a mere kilometre from the end, there’s a bonus trig point for that one last dose of surprise 360˚ views to tide you over until next time.