Warcop area

Tank-slapper

I am considering a short trip to look at the bridleways around the Warcop training ground. Has anyone done anything hereabouts? The map shows a nice looking loop of bridleways going more or less around the outside:

Holwick south to Lunedale
Shot Moss west across Musgrave Fell, north over Warcop Fell to Swindale and Scordale
Scordale NE to Maize Beck and then east to Birkdale
Birkdale east over Cronkley Fell to Holwick

Are any of these ways rideable? Or are they just bog-fests? Can Maize Beck be crossed at Birkdale? Would it be better in reverse? Avoid Scordale and use the Dufton to High Cup Nick bridleway instead? Any advice welcome.

There is an access weekend on 23-24th May which suits my plans.

Cheers

topsey_turvey

Maize Beck cannot be crossed at Birkdale. You have to go to the foot of Cauldron Snout reservoir where there is a good road. Coming away from Birkdale you have to stay on the N side of the beck for quite a distance on the Pennine Way which then crosses a good metal bridge at approx GR NY 766 267.

From what I can remember the route after Scordale is not good for biking. Only been there on foot, but it was tough going after the mines near Hilton Fell.

Better would be Dufton/High Cup as you suggest. Get to Cauldron Snout and follow the track to Metalband Hill. Cross a short stretch of rough stuff then go up Trout Beck to Great Dun Fell. Plenty of choices then - either down the track from the station, or over to Cross Fell with a variety of descents either over Wildboar Fell or, my favourite, down into Kirkland.

Tank-slapper

Thanks for the reply.

I imagine the ways through the training area are not well defined due to lack of use (by feet as well as wheels). Unless, the MOD maintains them to prevent the public straying. I don't know, hence the query.

Can you give more details about Scordale please? Is it not good for biking because it is rocky? Boggy? Vertical? Littered with wrecked tanks, etc?

Not sure about your suggestion to go to Cross Fell from Cauldron Snout. There seems to be no legal ride of way and even some stretches of open moor. I was planning to do a circular Cross Fell route anyway round Garrigill, Trout Beck and Kirkland and there are descriptions of this on the web.

topsey_turvey

There are not many proper tracks through the ranges, although some rights of way still exist, but are little used.

The route after Scordale is a track on the ground that can be seen quite clearly. It is through heather and you have to bash through this, then there are quite a few rocks on the ground. You will have to fight your way through it with a bike, and will be lucky to get any sort of momemtum going. You may well be off the bike more than on. There is a crossing shown just after Swarth Beck joins Maize Beck, but last time I was there this was merely a very deep ford.

The track to Cross Fell from Metalband Hill is used regularly by walkers and riders. If you are the pernickerty sort who expects gamekeepers with shotguns to be hiding behind every tussock then I suggest going on to the B6277 then via Tynehead and then up the Pennine Way past Greg's Hut. From there it might be preferable to miss out Cross Fell summit and go stright to Kirkland, depending if you've had enough climbing or not.

I've been over there many times, and have never waited for access weekends, but if I was going further south to Little Fell or Mickle Fell then I'd definitely check for shooting times. In fact I've pencilled in a visit to Dufton the week before you. Look out for my bones on Metalband Hill, if you're brave enough to go that way!

Tank-slapper

Cheers for the info.

The access times refer to the MOD land around Mickle Fell, not the open access ground. You can find out more here:

http://www.nuttalls.com/mountains/access.htm
http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/0172A69E ... 301106.pdf

Seeing as the forecast is good, I am tempted to drive up to Cross Fell this weekend. Wouldn't be able to go into Warcop though.

topsey_turvey

I once met two tanks on top of Mickle Fell. Don't know who was the more surprised, me or them. Not sure if there was a closure in force at the time. I was on foot, and it was misty so I just hurried off over some boggy stuff and left them to it.