St Boniface Down: Isle Of Wight High Point

Significance: Highest peak on the Isle of Wight (Present Day County Top), Isle of Wight National Landscape High Point
Member of: Marilyn, Hardy
Parent Peak: n/a.
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Butser Hill
Historic County: Hampshire (of which Pilot Hill is the County Top)
Elevation: 241m
Date climbed: 6th July 2014
Coordinates: 50° 36' 13'' N, 1° 11' 51'' W
OS Trig Pillar: TP0352 - Wroxall Down
Map: OS Explorer OL29 Isle of Wight
Guidebook: Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
Links: Wikipedia (Isle of Wight), Wikipedia (St Boniface Down), Peakbagger, Hillbagging, National Trust

This was another drive-by County Top bagging for us. We were on a weekend trip for my mum's birthday and I convinced her that the diversion to the top of a hill to see a radar station was a good thing to do. As it turned out the views to the south coast of the island were fantastic that day.

Having seen David Bathurst's book since that trip, I've been inspired to go back one day and try a longer circular route to the top. I also completely missed bagging the Trig Pillar so I definitely have some unfinished business up there.

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Coast, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England, National Trust, Island High PointsComment
Black Mountain: Herefordshire County Top

Also Known As: Twyn Llech (Welsh)
Significance: Highest peak in Herefordshire (Historic CT).
Member of: Marilyn, Hewitt, Nuttall
Parent Peak: Waun Fach. NHN = Rhos Dirion
Elevation: 703m
Date climbed: April 20th 2014
Coordinates: 52°00′30″N 3°05′05″W
Route Start / End: Gospel Pass Car Park, Capel-y-ffin, Abergavenny, NP7 7NP
Route Distance: 8 km (5 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 196m
Subsidiary tops on route: Hay Bluff (677m)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: Offa’s Dyke Path
OS Trig Pillar: TP5402 - Pen-Y-Beacon
Map: OS Explorer OL13 Brecon Beacons National Park
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
Links: Wikipedia (Herefordshire), Wikipedia (Black Mountain), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

If I had known that I’d be returning to the Ewyas valley many times in the future I probably wouldn’t have attempted this on on such a rainy day. As it happened we were on the last day of a long weekend in the Brecon Beacons and I was eager to bag this one.

Although Black Mountain is the high point of Herefordshire, an English County, much of the walk is in Wales. The obvious starting point is the car park at the top of Gospel Pass. From here there’s a well trodden path up the side of the valley to the Hay Bluff Trig Pillar. From the pillar, take the south-easterly path to join Offa’s Dyke. Continue for ~1.2k until you get to the high point. There’s nothing here except for a small group of stones. As visibility was very poor and it was raining a lot, we quickly retraced our steps back to the parking spot.

In the following years a good friend of ours would move to the valley and we have done a lot more walks near there. With better weather and more time I would plan a different walk that includes both Twmpa and Black Mountain.

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Mountain, Trig Pillar, Herefordshire, Brecknockshire, Brecon Beacons, England, Wales, National Park Comment
Worcestershire Beacon: Worcestershire County Top
Summit of Worcestershire Beacon

Summit of Worcestershire Beacon

Significance: Highest peak in Worcestershire (Historic County Top), Malvern Hills National Landscape
Member of: Marilyn, Hardy
Parent Peak: Hergest Ridge.
Nearest higher Neighbour: Titterstone Clee Hill
Elevation: 425m
Date climbed: 19th April 2014
Coordinates: 52°06′17″N 2°20′25″W


Route Start / End: Beacon Road Car Park, Beacon Rd, Malvern, WR14 4EH
Route Distance: 2.8 km (1.7 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 110m
Subsidiary tops on route: Summer Hill (383m)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Geopark Way, Three Choirs Way
Other routes touched (cycle): none
OS Trig Pillar: TP0724 - Malvern
Map: OS Explorer Map (190) Malvern Hills & Bredon Hill
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
Links: Wikipedia (Worcestershire), Wikipedia (Worcestershire Beacon), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

elevation_profile.jpg

OTHER HIGH POINT IN Worcesterhire

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Mountain, Trig PillarComment
Boring Field: Huntingdonshire County Top

The boring summit of Boring Hill

Significance: Highest peak in Huntingdonshire (Historic CT)
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Cleeve Hill. NHN = The Slipe
Elevation: 81m
Date climbed: December 13th 2013
Coordinates: 52° 19' 46'' N, 0° 27' 42'' W 
Route Start / End: Layby near water tower on B645 (NN9 6BG)
Route Distance: 2.5 km (1.6 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 10m
Subsidiary tops on route: None
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: None
Map: OS Explorer 225: Huntingdon and St.Ives, Grafham
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir)
Links: Wikipedia (Huntingdonshire), Wikipedia (Covington), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Note: Boring field is now in the Ceremonial County of Cambridgeshire

Border post

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Huntingdonshire, EnglandComment
Ebrington Hill: Warwickshire County Top

Significance: Highest peak in Warwickshire (Traditional CT)
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Cleve Hill. NHN = Bredon Hill
Elevation: 261m
Date climbed: 13th December 2013
Coordinates:  52°04′54″N 1°43′38″W 
Route Start / End: layby near radio transmitter at junction of Cotswold Link and country road between Park Lane and Nebsworth Lane
Route Distance: 0.1 km (0.1 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 0m
Subsidiary tops on route: none
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Cotswold Link
Other routes touched (cycle): none
Map: OS Explorer Map (205) Stratford-upon-Avon and Evesham
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
Links: Wikipedia (Warwickshire), Wikipedia (Ebrington Hill), Peakbagger, Hillbagger

This County Top can be done as a very quick drive-by if, as I was, you’re short on time and on the way to somewhere else. There’s parking space for a couple of cars at the transmitter station. Don’t worry too much about whether you’ll find a parking space. You’ll soon find out when you get there why this isn’t one of England’s Top Ten tourist attractions.

There’s a Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee boundary stone by the transmitter. From here, cross the road following the Cotswold Link and take a bearing using the coordinates above to reach the high point of Warwickshire. Retrace your steps to the car, get in and drive somewhere more interesting.

If you have the time a more interesting way to bag this would be as part of a long distance walk on the Cotswold Link.

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Warwickshire, EnglandComment
Cleeve Hill: Gloucestershire County Top
Cotswold Way junction near the summit.

Cotswold Way junction near the summit.

Significance: Highest peak in Gloucestershire (Historic County Top), Cotswolds National Landscape High Point
Member of: Marilyn
Parent Peak: The Wrekin.
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Herefordshire Beacon
Elevation: 330m
Date climbed: 8th December 2013
Coordinates: 51.920°N 2.007°W
   
Route Start / End: Rising Sun Hotel, Rising Sun Lane, Cleeve Hill, Cheltenham, GL52 3PX
Route Distance: 12 km (7.5 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 304m
Subsidiary tops on route: Cleeve Hill (317)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Cotswold Way, Winchcombe Way (West), Isbourne Way
Other routes touched (cycle): none
OS Trig Pillar: TP0007 - Cleeve Hill
Map: OS Explorer Map (179) Gloucester, Cheltenham and Stroud
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
Links: Wikipedia (Gloucestershire), Wikipedia (Cleeve Hill), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

OTHER HIGH POINT IN Gloucestershire

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Cotswolds, Gloucestershire, England, MountainComment
Great Wood: Suffolk County Top
DSC06145.JPG

Significance: Highest peak in Suffolk (Historic CT)
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Haddington Hill. NHN = Chrishall Common
Elevation: 128m
Date climbed: 17th November 2013
Coordinates: 51°17′18″N 0°03′26″E   
Map: OS Explorer Map (211) Bury St.Edmunds and Stowmarket
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
Links: Wikipedia (Suffolk), Wikipedia (Great Wood), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

I bagged Great Wood, the high point of the Historic County of Suffolk, in 2013 as a part of series of quick high-point drive-bys. Nothing to see here so do it on the way to much more interesting destinations in the area.

Other High Point In Suffolk

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Suffolk, EnglandComment
Great Chishill and Chrishall Common: Cambridgeshire and Essex County Tops

The inspiring summit of Cambridgeshire

Great Chishill

Significance: Highest peak in Cambridgeshire (Historic CT)
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Haddington Hill. NHN = Chrishall Common
Elevation: 146m
Coordinates: 52° 1' 39'' N, 0° 4' 45'' E
Links: Wikipedia (Cambridgeshire), Wikipedia (Great Chishill), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Chrishall Common

Significance: Highest peak in Essex (Historic CT)
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Haddington Hill. NHN = Whitehill-Butterfield Green
Elevation: 147m
Coordinates: 52° 0' 19'' N, 0° 6' 5'' E
Links: Wikipedia (Essex), Wikipedia (Chrishall Common), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

For both peaks:
Date climbed: 17th November 2013
Route Start / End: Great Chishill Village Hall
Route Distance: 9.2 km (5.6 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 78m
Subsidiary tops on route: None
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: Harcamlow Way
Map: OS Explorer Map (209) Cambridge, Royston, Duxford & Linton
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)

Other High Points In Cambridgeshire

  • Boring Field (81m) Huntingdonshire High Point (now part of Ceremonial County of Cambridgeshire)

  • Haddenham Village (39m) Former Administrative County of the Isle of Ely High Point

Other High Points In ESSEX

GREATER LONDON BOROUGH HIGH POINTS FORMERLY WITHIN Essex

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Essex, Cambridgeshire, EnglandComment
Grand Union Half Marathon

When: November 10th 2013
Where: Cowley (Middlesex) to Watford (Hertfordshire), UK
Course: Point to point: Grand Union towpath from Cowley recreational ground, ending in Cassiobury Park
Other routes touched (walk): Grand Union Canal, London Loop, Colne Valley Trail, Hillingdon Trail
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN Route 6, 61
Finish time: 2:03

 
Richard gowerRun, Half Marathon, Canal, Colne Valley, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Middlesex, LondonComment
Betsom's Hill: Kent County Top

Significance: Highest peak in Kent (Historic CT)
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Botley Hill. NHN = Botley Hill
Elevation: 251m
Date “climbed”: 3rd November 2013
Coordinates:  51°17′18″N 0°03′26″E
Route Start / End: Parking / Bus stop on A233
Route Distance: 0.2 km (0.1 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 2m
Subsidiary tops on route: None
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: None
Map: OS Explorer Map (147) Sevenoaks and Tonbridge
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
Links: Wikipedia (Kent), Wikipedia (Betsom’s Hill), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

I bagged Betsom’s Hill, the high point of the Historic County of Kent, in 2013 as a part of series of quick high-point drive-bys. It’s just over the border with Greater London so it can bagged within a short walk with Westerham Heights, the high point of Greater London. Nothing to see at either high point so do it on the way to much more interesting destinations along the North Downs Ridge.

Red = Betsom’s Hill. Green = Westerham Heights. Actual summits not accessible

Red = Betsom’s Hill. Green = Westerham Heights.

A peak so boring we only took 1 photo

elevation_profile.jpg

OTHER HIGH POINT IN Kent

Greater London Borough High Points formerly within Kent

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Kent, London Borough High Point, London, EnglandComment
Cold Overton Park: Rutland County Top

Significance: Highest peak in Rutland (Historic CT)
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Cleeve Hill. NHN = Beacon Hill (Leicestershire)
Elevation: 197 m
Date climbed: October 14th 2014
Coordinates: 52°40′05″N 0°46′34″W 
Route Start / End: Layby near Cold Overton Road / Manor Lane junction
Route Distance: 1.4 km (0.9 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 6m
Subsidiary tops on route: None
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: None
OS Trig Pillar: TP7029 - Wood Close
Map: OS Explorer 234: Rutland Water
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
Links: Wikipedia (Rutland), Wikipedia (Cold Overton Park), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Rutland, EnglandComment
Bardon Hill: Leicestershire County Top

Bardon Hill, Leicestershire County Top

Significance: Highest peak in Leicestershire (Historic CT)
Member of: Marilyn
Parent Peak: Thorpe Cloud. NHN = Thorpe Cloud
Elevation: 278m
Date climbed: October 14th 2014
Coordinates: 52° 42' 52'' N, 1° 19' 14'' W
Route Start / End: On-street parking at Vercor Close, Coalville, LE67 4QS
Route Distance: 4.3 km (2.7 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 91m
Subsidiary tops on route: None
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Ivanhoe Way
Other routes touched (cycle): none
OS Trig Pillar: TP1022 - Bardon Hill
Map: OS Explorer 245: The National Forest
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
Links: Wikipedia (Leicestershire), Wikipedia (Bardon Hill), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

OTHER HIGH POINTS IN Leicestershire

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Leicestershire, EnglandComment
Dunstable Downs: Bedfordshire County Top
Hills near the Five Knolls Barrow Cemetery

Hills near the Five Knolls Barrow Cemetery

Significance: Highest peak in Bedfordshire (Traditional CT), Central Bedfordshire Unitary Authority High Point
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Haddington Hill. NHN = Pavis Wood
Elevation: 243m
Date climbed: 31st August 2013
Coordinates:  51° 51' 51'' N, 0° 32' 11'' W


Route Start / End: Chilterns Gateway Centre, Dunstable Road, Whipsnade, LU6 2GY
Route Distance: 5.2 km (3.2 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 92m
Subsidiary tops on route: none
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Chiltern Way, Icknield Way
Other routes touched (cycle): Icknield Way Trail
OS Trig Pillar: TP0379 - Dunstable Down
Map: OS Explorer Map (181) Chiltern Hills North
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
Links: Wikipedia (Bedfordshire), Wikipedia (Central Bedfordshire), Wikipedia (Dunstable Downs), Peakbagger, Hillbagging, National Trust

The County Top and Trig Point can be easily bagged on a drive-by or a 5 minute walk from the car-park. This would be a waste though as the walks and views from here are amazing. Take a picnic on a sunny day and watch the gliders taking off and landing below the hill.

elevation_profile - Dunstable Downs.jpg

Other High Points In Bedfordshire

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Chilterns, Bedfordshire, National Trust, EnglandComment
Black Down: Sussex County Top
View from Black Down on a misty day

View from Black Down on a misty day

Significance: Highest peak in Sussex (Historic CT), Highest peak in West Sussex (Present Day CT), South Downs National Park High Point, Rape of Chichester High Point
Member of: Marilyn
Parent Peak: Leith Hill.
Nearest Higher Neighbour = Leith Hill
Elevation: 280m
Date climbed: 26th August 2013
Coordinates: 51°03′30″N 0°41′24″W 


Route Start / End: National Trust - Black Down Car Park, Tennyson's Lane, Haslemere, GU27 3BJ
Route Distance: 4 km (2.5 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 57m
Subsidiary tops on route: None
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Sussex Border Path, The Serpent Trail
Other routes touched (cycle): none
OS Trig Pillar: TP1443 - Blackdown
Map: OS Explorer OL33 Haslemere & Petersfield
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
Links: Wikipedia (Sussex), Wikipedia (West Sussex), Wikipedia (Black Down), Rape of Chicester, Peakbagger, Hillbagging, National Trust

OTHER HIGH POINTS IN Sussex

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Sussex, South Downs, National Park, National Trust, EnglandComment
Milk Hill: Wiltshire County Top
The White Horse at Milk Hill

The White Horse at Milk Hill

Significance: Highest peak in Wiltshire (Historic CT)
Member of: Hardy
Parent Peak: Walbury Hill. NHN = Walbury Hill
Elevation: 295m
Date climbed: 18th May 2013
Coordinates: 51°22′40″N 1°51′07″W 
Route Start / End: Pewsey Downs Car Park, Marlborough, SN8 4JX
Route Distance: 5.8 km (3.6 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 77m
Subsidiary tops on route: None
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Mid Wilts Way, White Horse Trail, Great Stones Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 45
Map: OS Explorer Map (157) Marlborough and Savernake Forest 
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
Links: Wikipedia (Wiltshire), Wikipedia (Milk Hill), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

OTHER HIGH POINT IN Wiltshire

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Wiltshire, EnglandComment