Barbon Low Fell and Trig Points

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Saunterings: Walking in North-West England

Saunterings is a set of reflections based upon walks around the counties of Cumbria, Lancashire and North Yorkshire in North-West England (as defined in the Preamble). Here is a list of all Saunterings so far.
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235. Barbon Low Fell and Trig Points

Barbon was asleep. It was 9.30 but I saw and heard nobody. The only sound was of crows harshly cawing. I was reminded of those old westerns where the hero rides into town only to find it eerily empty, with some ominous black birds around and perhaps a sign squeaking in the breeze. There wasn’t even a sign outside where the Churchmouse café/shop is or was. Perhaps it has passed away.

My objective was to walk up or around Barbon Low Fell. That name doesn’t suggest much of a challenge but it is of reasonable height (438 metres). I suppose it is a low fell in comparison with Barbon High Fell, which is marked on the map to its north-east, although I’ve never seen anyone use that name for what seems to be a flank of Crag Hill.

Barbon church with Calf Top beyond

I set off east along the road, to make a change from the walk through the woods. The road was not quite as asleep as Barbon. I was passed by two cars – and saw a walker plus dog. Across the valley I had a fuller view of the white Barbon Manor than I remembered. Perhaps they have removed some of the trees to make it less secretive – and to let the sunshine in. For it was indeed a sunny morning, quite fresh with an easterly breeze.

After a couple of miles I left the road to take the bridleway that climbs over the watershed into the Leck valley. There was plenty of water running with gay abandon down the track as I plodded uphill with serious determination. Eventually the track drops down towards Bullpot, the base for Red Rose cavers, but I turned south-east on the road, leaving it after a kilometre or so to tackle Barbon Low Fell.

Barbondale from the bridleway

The OS map places the name of Barbon Low Fell on the northern part of this moorland but the highest point is to the south. There is no other name attached to the highest point so I suppose we must consider it to be of Barbon Low Fell (as the Database of British and Irish Hills agrees). I found the whole region rather strange. Everywhere seems further underfoot than it looks on the map. I think this is because there are so few features (apart from a couple of stone walls) to help you know precisely where you are. The terrain is very undulating, making the views restricted, of grass and a little heather, with few exposed rocks. If you are into bagging tops then you could bag a few score of them here but none of them are of any prominence deserving a name, apart from Hoggs Hill to the east (430 metres, with a prominence of 32 metres) and, of course, Barbon Low Fell itself.

On to the emptiness of Barbon Low Fell

The track heading for Brownthwaite Pike reaches a wall, where I turned right to seek the trig point, which I had seen nothing of so far. And I didn’t for a while yet, until it suddenly came into sight. The trig point is apparently not at the highest point, which is 80 metres south-east of it and one metre higher (438 metres). No doubt the OS surveyors had good reason to place it where it is.

The view from the Barbon Low Fell trig point, towards Calf Top

The view from the Barbon Low Fell trig point, looking up the Lune valley

I am not normally fussed about reaching trig points but I had made it a target here because there is nothing else on Barbon Low Fell to aim for. There are, inevitably, people who set out to bag trig points and they do indeed have plenty to bag! I have been inspired to look up some details about these familiar features that we take for granted, but rather than just regurgitating them here, how about a little quiz?

When was the first trig point (or trig pillar, as the OS prefers to call them) installed? 1896 or 1916 or 1936?
Where? Norfolk or Northamptonshire or Northumberland?
When was the last triangulation observation made from a trig point? 1962 or 1972 or 1982?
What are the Scottish trig points that are taller and cylindrical called? Veras or Valeries or Vanessas?
What is the height above sea level of the lowest trig point? -5.5 metres or -0.5 metres or 4.5 metres?
When a man said in 2016 that he had completed his mission to bag all British trig points, how many did he say that he had visited? 6,190 or 7,190 or 8,190?
How long did he say that it took him? 14 years or 24 years or 34 years?
What is the brass fitting (for fixing a theodolite) on top of a trig point called? A cat or a crab or a spider?
Is it illegal to demolish a trig point? Yes or no?
Would you approve of small concrete pillars being added to our hills if they weren’t already there? Yes or no?

The answers are given below.

Some time ago the OS announced that since it no longer needed the trig points they would stop maintaining them. They asked for volunteers to do so. I offered to look after the Caton Moor trig point but I never had a reply. Perhaps they changed their mind. Or perhaps the OS couldn’t be bothered to reply and left volunteers to do as they wished. There are some who take the job seriously. For example, the trig point at Calf Top above Barbondale always seems freshly decorated.

Leaving the trig point, heading north

From the trig point I headed north-west to where Barbon Low Fell is marked on the map. It is a quiet, hidden, unexciting region where, because of the surrounding humps, views in all directions come and go. Eventually, though, I reached the edge of the slope down, with a bird's-eye view of Barbon, Barbondale and the green Lune valley.

Back in Barbon, I settled right by the church tower for a peaceful sandwich – only to be startled by an enormous bong. It was one o’clock. Several following bongs soothed me. By now, a few Barbonians had stirred and after asking one of them I learned that the Churchmouse has indeed passed away.

Barbon from Barbon Low Fell

    Date: September 26th 2025
    Start: SD629824, Barbon Village Hall  (Map: OL2)
    Route: N, E on road south of Barbon Beck – bridleway – SE, S – near Bullpot – SW on road, NW, SW on footpath – wall – N – trig point – NW over Long Hill – road – W, S – Barbon
    Distance: 7 miles;   Ascent: 360 metres

Here are the answers to the trig point quiz:

When was the first trig point (or trig pillar, as the OS prefers to call them) installed? 1936. (It was the first such in the world.)
Where? Northamptonshire (at Cold Ashby).
When was the last triangulation observation made from a trig point? 1962 (at Thorny Gale, Cumbria).
What are the Scottish trig points that are taller and cylindrical called? Vanessas (after the company Vanesta that helped make them).
What is the height above sea level of the lowest trig point? -0.5 metres (at Little Ouse, Norfolk).
When a man said in 2016 that he had completed his mission to bag all British trig points, how many did he say that he had visited? 6,190. (Sceptic that I am, I am always doubtful about such 'achievements', which is why I haven't glorified his name. I doubt that there is an independent verification of his visits. Many trig points are on private land. It would be a full-time job seeking permission to visit them. Or is he admitting to multiple trespasses?)
How long did he say that it took him? 14 years. (That's an average of over eight per week-end. Does that sound plausible? Most trig points stand well apart from their siblings.)
What is the brass fitting (for fixing a theodolite) on top of a trig point called? A spider.
Is it illegal to demolish a trig point? I don’t know. About a thousand have disappeared of their own accord (by falling into the sea after erosion, say). Some are considered listed buildings, so I suppose they are protected. If, however, a farmer had a trig point in the middle of their field, unused for over sixty years, could they remove it? If only to stop those trig point baggers trespassing on their land?
Would you approve of small concrete pillars being added to our hills if they weren’t already there? No. They would be considered eyesores. We accept the ones already there because of their history and because we are fond of them for their help in way-finding but we surely wouldn't add new ones now.

The following item:
     236.   The Not-the-Lune-Valley-Ramble Ramble
The two preceding items:
     234.   What ChatGPT 'Thinks' of Saunterings
     233.   A Rivetting Tale of High Gimmerdale
Two nearby items:
       95.   Barbondale and the Dent Fault
     127.   To Calf Top Top
A list of all items so far:
               Saunterings

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