Rucksack Club Journal Vol. VI, No. 3, 337-344 (1929)

 

Original Optical Character Read with corrections, not necessarily complete. Names of mountains have not been corrected.

 

TWENTY-FIVES

By .J. Rooke CORBETT

 

Minor was the first to take up the idea of ascending every mountain top in England and Wales over 2500 ft. in altitude, and when his task was approaching completion it occurred to some of the younger members of the Rucksack Club to make sure that he did it properly. We spent quite a lot of time searching the map for fresh tops, and if any point was above the 2500 ft. line contour and was marked on some reputable map such as Bartholomew’s or the one inch Ordnance Map down it went on the list. If it afterwards turned out to be only a shoulder or even a hollow we could console ourselves with the thought that we and Minor had spent a pleasant weekend investigating the facts. In this way was compiled the list of ‘twenty-fives’ which was printed in the Rucksack Club Journal in 1911.

Much has happened since then. Several other members of the Club besides Minor have visited every top on the list and quite a lot of members have been up most of them. The tops which were not tops have been duly reviled and on the other hand the ridges in Wales and the Lake District where there was room for unrecorded tops in the 250 ft. intervals between the contour lines have been traversed again and again.

A good opportunity for revising the list is now given by the completion throughout England and Wales of the new Popular edition of the One Inch Ordnance Map, with contour lines at intervals of only 50 feet. In the following tables I have included every top which I have found indicated by a separate contour ring on this map and retained a few others where I remember the summit as a distinct top although it is not honoured with a separate contour. The number in brackets after the name of each top is the number of 50 ft. contour rings within which the top is the highest point.

 

THE CHEVIOT. One of the greatest surprises to me on the new map was that the 2656 top above Bellyside Crag has a separate contour line while Cairn Hill, 2545, has not. I remember the former as a flat point or a plateau and the latter as a distinct peak. The only time I found the top of the Cheviot in a mist I first walked up-hill to the cairn on Cairn Hill, and then made a careful approach from there by compass. Of course a contour ring round a 2656 ft. top does not necessitate a rise of much more than 6 ft. while the absence of a ring round a 2545 ft. top is not inconsistent with a rise of nearly 45 ft. The tops are—

               The Cheviot (38)      ...       ...     2676

               Bellyside Crag (1)    ...       ...     2656

(Not named on new map.)

               Cairn Hill (0) ...        ...       ...     2545

The 2547 point on the older maps is rightly ignored on the new one. It is only a spot level on a sloping plateau.

 

THE CROSS FELL or Northern Pennine group consists of a large plateau of Millstone Grit and is responsible for most of the high level points which are not really tops. The only summits worthy of retention in the list are

  Cross Fell (43)                    ...       ...       2930

*Little Dun Fell (4)                .,.       ...       2761

*Great Dun Fell (5)               ...       ...       2780

Knock Fell (4)...                   ...       ...       2604

Mickle Fell (13)                   ...       ...       2591

*(Otherwise called Milburn Forest.)

THE LAKE DISTRICT with its pointed hills forms a great contrast to the Cross Fell plateau and here the improved map gives additional tops instead of reducing the number.

The Skiddaw group contains

                Skiddaw (47) ...    ...       ...        3053

                Little Man (4) ...    ...       ...        2837

                Saddleback (30)   ...       ...        2847

  Knowe Crags (1)                 ...       ...        2600+ (new top)

The group of hills between Bassenthwaite Lake and Buttermere contains

           Grizedale Pike (14) ...        ...     2593

           Sand Hill (5)                              2525

           Crag Hill (7)                              2749

           Grassmoor (32)                         2791

           Wandope (2)                             2533

           Sail (1)                                        2530 (six-inch map)

Eel Crag 2649 is hardly a top.

     The summits in the area to the West of Sty Head are

High Stile (24)                              2643

Green Gable (4)                           2603

Great Gable (27)                          2949

Kirk Fell, E. Top (2)                    *2579 (new top)

Kirk Fell, W. Top (12)                 2631

Pillar (22)                                     2927

Pillar Rock (1)                             2500+

*Black Crag (2)                           *2689 (new top)

*Little Scoat Fell (6)                    2760

Steeple (2)                                   2687

*Great Scoat Fell (2)                   2750+

Red Pike, N. Top (5)                   2707

Red Pike, S. Top (0)                    2629

Haycock (7)                                2619

The names and heights marked * are only given on the six-inch map.

     In the Scafell group between Sty Head Pass and Esk Hause, we have

              Slight Side (1)                               2501

              *Long Green (1)                           2750 (new top)

              Scafell (10)                                   3162

              Scafell Pike (60)                           3210

              Lingmell (6)                                  2649

              *Rough Crag, W. Top (1)            2500+ (new top)

              *Rough Crag, E. Top (1)              2500+ (new top)

              Broad Crag (3)                             *3054

              *Ill Crag (2)                                 3000+

              Great End (4)                               2984

The names and heights marked are onlv found on the six-inch map. The new maps shew a spot level 2499 Slight Side, but as it also shews a 2500 ft. contour ring it seems as though the figure 2501 given on the Bartholomew map may fairly be retained.

East of Esk Hause and between Three Shires Stone and Dunmail Raise are

Crinkle Crags, South Top (1) 2733

Crinkle Crags, Long Top (9)  2816

               Shelter Crags (2)      ...                       2667

Shelter Crags, N. Top (1)                  2544 (new top)

               Bowfell (10)                                      2960

Bowfell, N. Top (1)                           2827 (new top)

Esk Pike (7)                                      2903

Allen Crags (4)                                  2572

Glaramara, S. Top (1)                       2514 (new top)

Glaramara, N. Top (8)                       2560

High White Stones (19)                     2500

(2500.6 on six-inch map)

The North Top of Shelter Crags is only shewn on the six-inch map, on which it has a separate 2500 contour ring. Esk Pike is a guide-book name not marked on the Ordnance maps. The name Hanging Knott does not refer to this top but to the lower rocks overhanging Angle Tarn.

In the Coniston group, south of Three Shires Stone are

               Great Carrs (2)      ...       ...       2550+

               Grey Friar (5)         ...       ...       2536

               Wetherlam (10)      ...       ...       2502

               Swirl How (8) ...    ...       ...       2630

               Brim Fell (2)...        ...       ...       2611

               Old Man of Coniston (27) 2635

               Dow Crag (7) ...    ...       ...       2555

East of Dunmail Raise and between it and the Kirkstone Pass we have the range of Helvellyn and Fairfield, containing.

               Great Dodd (7)      ...       ...         2807

               Unnamed top(1)     ...       ...         2600+ (new top

               Watson’s Dodd (0) . - -     ...       2584

               Stvbarrow Dodd, N. Top (5)...   *2767 (new top)

               *Green Side (2)       ...       ...       2600+ (new top)

               Stvbarrow Dodd, S. Top (1)...     2756

               Raise (5) ...            - -.      ...         2889

               White Dodd (3)                          2832

               Lower Man(1)         ...       ...       3033

               Helvellvn (47)          ...       ...       3118

               Catstye Cam (3)      ...       ...      2917

               Striding Edge (1)      . -.                *2832

               Nethermost Pike, N. Top (2)...   *2920 (new top)

               Nethermost Pike, S. Top (1) ...   *2896 (new top)

               Dollywaggon Pike (3) ...          2810

               Fairfield (20) ...                          2863

               St. Sunday Crag (11                 2756

               Gavel Pike (0) .          ..            2577

               Great Rigg (3)        ...                   2513

               Hart Grag (2)...       .. ...            2698

               Dove Grag (4)        ... ...            2603

               Red Screes

                (or Kilnshaw Chimney) (16)    2541

Names and heights marked * are only found on the six-inch map. The name of White Dodd does not appear on either map. On the six-inch map the highest point of Striding Edge is called High Spying How. The 2819 point above Browncove Crags is only a shoulder.

East of Kirkstone Pass are

               Stony Cove Pike (12)                 2502

               Thornthwaite Crag (3)                 2569

               High Street (25)                          2718

               Harter Fell (8)                            2539

               The Knowe (0)                           2509

               Ramsgill Head (1)                       2581 (new top)

               High Raise (6)...                         2634

               Kidsty Pike (1)                           2560

There are thus 90 tops in England as compared with 80 in the original list.

 

NORTH WALES contains five groups of mountains of which the first four, sometimes called Snowdonia, are separated one from another by the three roads running west from Capel Curig through the passes of Ogwen, Llanberis, and Aberglaslyn, and the fifth lies to the south-east of the Dolgelly, Bala, and Ruabon railway.

    To the north of Llyn Ogwen are

Drum (3)                                  2528

Llwydmor (2)                           2749

Foci Fras (3)                            3901 (sic)

Garnedd Uchaf (1)                    2950+ (new top)

Yr Aryg (1)                              2875

Bera Mawr (1)                         2587

Bera Bach (0)                           2500+

Foel Grach (2)                          3195

Carnedd Llewellyn (49)            3484

Yr Elen (4)                               3151

Pen yr Helig-du (5)                   2732

Pen Llithrig yr Wrach (8)           2621

Black Ladders (1)                     3184 (new top)

Carnedd Dafydd (6)                 3426

Pen yr Oleu Wen (3)                 3210

Pen yr Oleu Wen replaces two points marked 3184 and 3169 on the older map, which are only spot levels on the ridge.

  Between the passes of Ogwen and Llanberis are

        Carnedd y Filiast (6)                2694

Mynydd Perfedd (1)                 2664

Elidyr Fawr (13)                       3029

Elidyr Fach (0)              2564

Foel Goch (5)                           2726

Y Garn (16)                              3104

Glyder Fawr (42)                      3279

Glyder Fach (5)                        3262

Tryfan (13)                               3010

            East of Llyn Caseg-fraith (1)..2500+ (new top)

            East of Llvn Caseg-fraith (3)..2642

The height 2642 is only shewn on the six-inch map. Further east is the 2499 ft. top above Gallt yr Ogof, sometimes called Ghastly Gollywog After much discussion it was agreed that this peak might he counted as a twenty-five by any climber who, when standing on the topmost summit, leaped at least one foot into the air.

West of the passes of Llanberis and Aberglaslyn are

              Crib Goch (4)                               3023

              Crib y Ddisgl (4)                          3493

              Y Wyddfa (Snowdon) (67) 3560

              Lliwedd (9)                                  2947

              Moel Hebog (38)                         2566

South-east of the Aberglaslyn road are

              Mod Siahod (39)                         2860

              Moelwvn Mawr (25)                    2527

              Arenig Fawr, N. Top (2)              2650+ (new top)

              Arenig Fawr, S. Top (33)             2800

South-east of the Bala railway are

              Cader Bronwen (5)                      2572

              Craig Berwyn, N. Top (1)            2600+ (new top)

              Craig Berwyn, S. Top (1)             2600+ (new top)

              Cader Berwyn, N. Top (3) 2712

              Cader Berwyn. S. Top (1)            2650+ (new top)

              Mod Sych (22)                            2713

              Aran Benllyn, N. Top (4)              2901

              Aran Benllyn, S. Top (2) 2800+ (new top)

              Aran Mawddwy (44)                   2970

              Craig y Ffynon (14)                      2557

              Mynydd Moel (4)                         2804

              Cader Idris (40)                           2927

                Cyfrwy (1)                                  2600

Mynydd Pencoed (5)                   2600+

 

SOUTH WALES contains only one group of twenty-fives, the long ridge of sandstone which extends across the south of Brecknockshire from Carmarthen Van to the Black Mountain. The 2500 ft. tops on this ridge are

                 Carmarthen Van (25)                2632

                 Brecon Beacon (44)                 2906

                 Corn Du (1)                              2863

                 Duwynt (2)                               2704

                 Bryn Teg (10)                           2608

                 Waun Rhydd, N. Top (11)       2504

                 Waun Rhydd, S. Top (1)          2502

                 Waun Fach (41)                       2660

                 Pen y Gader Fawr (3)               2624

There are 58 twenty-fives in Wales and 148 lU England and Wales together.

Most of the new tops are on ridges which would be traversed by peak baggers when dealing with the old list, but the attention of those who think they have finished their twenty-fives should be directed to Green Side, near Helvellyn, and to the two tops of Rough Crag on Scawfell Pikes. I can remember being some years ago with a party which arrived unintentionally in the neighbourhood of the two latter. Perhaps some other member of the party can recollect whether we actually passed over them.