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Thread: Highest points

  1. #1
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    Highest points

    The highest point in a range of hills/mountains is usually a prominent feature; or at least easily located, with a cairn, trig point or other feature on top; like Scafell Pike, Cross Fell, The Cheviot, or smaller hills further south: Leith Hill, Walbury Hill, Bardon Hill.

    But the highest point in the Peak District, or indeed the whole Pennines south of the Aire Gap, is a 636m spot height on the OS map on the Kinder plateau, which probably no-one apart from the OS surveyor is likely to be able to locate accurately. But at least it is on the watershed of England; the ridge runs roughly east-west here, and rain falling to the north of the high point drains into the Irish Sea, while that falling to the south drains into the North Sea.

    Things are worse if you consider the West Pennines (which I define as the hills west of the glaciated valleys connecting Rochdale, Littleborough, Todmorden and Burnley). A thorough search on the OS 1:25000 map reveals that the highest point in this range is a 477m spot height between Whittle Hill and Top of Leach. The nearest named location is Tottington Higher End Moor, although at the other end of the summit ridge is Hail Storm Hill. Now, since the fell race up Windy Hill always lives up to its name, shouldn't there be a race up Hail Storm Hill?
    In his lifetime he suffered from unreality, as do so many Englishmen.
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  2. #2
    Moderator noel's Avatar
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    Someone should build a monument up there. I agree: I feel a bit cheated if the highest point feels like standing in a field.

    Any suggestions for a suitable monument? For the Peak, how about a knife edge stone with "North Sea" written on one side and "Irish Sea" on the other.

  3. #3
    Master Wheeze's Avatar
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    Similarly, the highest point in Radnorshire is a non descript heathery plateau called Great Rhos at 660m (shame, 6m more!!). This is just north of a hidden valley called Water-break-its-neck. If there was a race up there it would be at break neck pace!

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    Good site for heighest points but watchout, madness lies here. These guys spend 8 hours taking GPS data on summits:
    http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/
    Measure the whole Surface of the Earth with our own feet. Don Quixote

  5. #5
    Master Travs's Avatar
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    What's the biggest/highest fell with a real flat/nondescript summit?

    I've always found Grasmoor a tricky place in poor weather. Don't think High Street can challenge as there's a whacking great wall along it, which does help.

    Glyder Fawr can be really tricky to find the summit checkpoint in crap weather, but's that's rather to do with confusing terrain and not due to flatness...

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    Fairfield in the early hours of a Saturday morning after a few ‘detours’ before in the clag can be quite challenging
    Poacher turned game-keeper

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    Quote Originally Posted by Wheeze View Post
    Similarly, the highest point in Radnorshire is a non descript heathery plateau called Great Rhos at 660m (shame, 6m more!!). This is just north of a hidden valley called Water-break-its-neck. If there was a race up there it would be at break neck pace!
    A look at the OS map (on streetmap.co.uk) shows that it is near to the edge of a Danger Area. A bit more searching reveals this, to which I note a couple of forumites from here have contributed: https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/hi..._forest-694716
    In his lifetime he suffered from unreality, as do so many Englishmen.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Travs View Post
    What's the biggest/highest fell with a real flat/nondescript summit?

    I've always found Grasmoor a tricky place in poor weather. Don't think High Street can challenge as there's a whacking great wall along it, which does help.

    Glyder Fawr can be really tricky to find the summit checkpoint in crap weather, but's that's rather to do with confusing terrain and not due to flatness...
    That time I did the Half Peris, there were a load of us wandering around the Glider Fawr summit looking for the checkpoint. The marshalls were sitting some distance down from the summit.
    In his lifetime he suffered from unreality, as do so many Englishmen.
    Jorge Luis Borges

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    Master Travs's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by anthonykay View Post
    That time I did the Half Peris, there were a load of us wandering around the Glider Fawr summit looking for the checkpoint. The marshalls were sitting some distance down from the summit.
    I recall that clearly...! I was also in a group of several people, and we were on the verge of giving up finding the marshalls, but stumbled upon them at the last minute... if i recall correctly they were located on the incorrect rocky outcrop (of which there are many).

    Later in the race i was in such a state that i had trouble finding my way off the very summit of Snowdon down to the path by the railway (surely the simplest summit in the world to navigate round!)

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