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Cotterdale, Great Shunner Fell, Yorkshire. Wed 25 Jan 2006

The other week I was walking over Gregory Band and Hugh Seat above Mallerstang when the mist cleared briefly and I was able to look down into Cotterdale. It's a valley I'd never visited before so today's objective was to put that right. Between Sedbergh and Hawes is a narrow branch road running up to the small Hamlet of Cotterdale. The road ends here so not many people visit. However, I was surprised by the number of occupied houses for such a remote location. Unfortunately many were holiday cottages and lying empty.


Old Quarry building above Cotterdale

I left my car on a patch of grass by the river and set off over a footbridge and along a path by East Gill river. Crossing a couple of fields I joined the main path running SE at the base of High Abbotside. I didn't stick with it too long as I wanted to take a more direct route up the fell side to look at some old quarry workings.
 
I continued up to Hearney Top and the green road. A signpost nearby pointed to a lesser track, which was the 'Pennine Way' and the way I was heading.


Stone slabs prevent the
walker sinking into the bog.

The going was good but later on some sections of track had been stabilised with large stone flags. Unfortunately I couldn't walk safely on them due to ground frost. Their surfaces were like glass. I could see a couple of tall cairns in the distance and I suppose these could date back to the time when the fells in the area were industrialised. The map indicated that there were several coal pits nearby. I was glad to reach the substantial seat and shelter on the summit of Great Shunner Fell. Instead of just cold rock platforms to sit on there were timber benches. It was still early but I decided to make use of the shelter to have my lunch. I left the main path and headed west towards Knoutberry Currack.


From Great Shunner Fell the profile of
Ingleborough can be seen 25km (15.5 miles) away

The descent was quite wet in places but as I reached the ridge the going became more solid and pleasant underfoot. One area on the map was described as Market Place, which seemed a mystery, as there was nothing other that the fell top to be seen. At Knoutberry Currack (small cairn) I took a SW compass bearing towards the Shooting House shown on the map. The going was lumpy and wet in places but the house soon came into view. I was expecting an old wooden hut or ruin but was pleasantly surprised to find a substantial stone building with roof beams in place except for the stone roof slates which had been removed and stacked by the outer walls.


Shooting House above Cotterdale.

The track shown on the map wasn't very evident and again the going was quite wet in places. The map showed a point called Cotterdale House cave by East Gill. I decided to investigate but could only find a shallow cave a few metres above the river. It looked as though a small cave continued further in but I didn't bother to investigate. I walked down the riverbank to find a substantial path had been constructed and this lead to a forest road. It looks as though the area is used for grouse shooting. I climbed the bank and re-joined the track back to Cotterdale.