Great Coum and Gragareth are two of the ‘Dales 30’ accessed via a long and lonely walk across some remote moorland. However following the wide grassy ridge brings many rewards as does the high start. The views over the Howgills and on to the Southern Lakes are very good on a clear day.
On the first occasion I climbed Great Coum a few years ago from Dent, direct, quick and largely without interest. However I really wanted to tackle the full three and a half mile ridge from Gragareth via Great Coum to the viewpoint at Crag Hill. It looked like a classic. I have always enjoyed high ridge walking whether on flatter, grassy ridges or the rockier ones in the Lakes. The Gragareth ridge is certainly long but makes for easy walking. As a result there is plenty of time to enjoy the far reaching views.
On my first few visits I started the walk in the small village of Leck and headed up the dead end road leading to the farm at Lech Fell House. However in recent years some parking has been created high up on the road shortening the walk considerably. This results in gaining the ridge near the Three Men of Gragareth. Interestingly Gragareth is in Lancashire, in fact Lancashire’s highest point. From there the walk to Great Coum takes you in to Cumbria. However both Gragareth and Great Coum are both in the Yorkshire Dales. Something to puzzle on.
The descent initially from Crag Hill is straightforward, keep the boundary to your left. The second stage through the Leck valley is delightful with deep shake holes and caving entrances peppering the limestone at its upper end. With the new higher parking the ‘descent’ involves a 100m climb back to the car from the valley floor. Swings and roundabouts.
Gragareth and Great Coum are 2 of the Dales 30 Mountains
At least once you should complete the walk from Lech. It is 5 miles longer but the Lech valley towards the end of the valley is very enjoyable, even when you are tired.
The Route Details are the shorter walk from near Leck House Farm.
There is no public right of way off Crag Hill. Therefore keep to the north side of the wall as you descend to the valley floor. Alternatively you will become stuck behind dry stone walls with no way through Join the right of way on the valley floor.
I did this today and it was a good challenge! Very low cloud though so saw very little in the first half. Ended up walking down Forrest Ghyll which results in a very slippy 20ft drop which you can’t get down, the other option being a very tight spider filled cave with an old rope to abseil down, not for the claustrophobic!
I ran this route on Sunday morning after reading about it in your book. The panorama of surrounding peaks was outstanding, made even more so by the clear and sunny weather. The route was discernible throughout but was perfectly secluded. Indeed, I only saw one man and his dog on the ridge (and the 3 of Gragareth of course). Frustratingly, I could not find a trig point for Great Coum. I did, however, find a modest cairn but this was on the edge of the 687m contour according to the OS map.
Calf Top from Barbon next!
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