Dales 30
Personal Journey

Randygill Top

Route Options
Height

624m (2,047ft)

Location

The Howgills

Neighbours

Yarlside

Height

624m (2,047ft)

Location

The Howgills

Neighbours

Yarlside

Gallery of Randygill Top

Randygill Top looking north
Randygill Top looking north
Near Ravenstonedale
Near Ravenstonedale
Green bell looking NW
Green bell looking NW
Green Bell trig
Green Bell trig
Randygill Top looking south
Randygill Top looking south
The col with Wandope Hill
The col with Wandope Hill
Baugh Fell from Randygill Top
Baugh Fell from Randygill Top
Yarlside summit
Yarlside summit

Jonathan’s View

"Randygill Top is one of a number of rounded pointy summits reminiscent of an upturned eggshell box that dominate the area known as the Northern Howgills. Each summit has steep sides in most directions leading to deep river valleys. Only the summits to the north have long grassy ridges heading towards the A685. The valley of Bowderdale separates the Northern Howgills to the Southern area..never the twain should meet.

Within the Northern Howgills, Randygill Top can be accessed from either Hooksey to the North, Green Bell to the NNE and Kensgriff (and Yarlside) to the South. To the East the deep and rough Bowderdale curtails any thoughts of heading that way. The summit is typical, small and rounded with an insignificant cairn. However like all the 'small summits' of the Northern Highlands the views are superb in all direction, Great Gable standing prominent to the West.

The Northern Highlands is a unique area and also an empty area. It is very unlikely that you will meet anyone on my preferred walk from the North. Most though will climb Randygill Top from the Cross Keys Inn along with Yarlside which is an excellent walk but with a number of steep sections. My suggestion for Randygill Top is to complete both walks, they are excellent "

Routes up Randygill Top

There is a choice of routes up Randygill Top . They are shown on the map and described below. The GPX file describes my favourite route.

click the image to see a larger version of the mao

My Favourite Route

From Bowderdale

Height to Climb

485m (1,590ft)

O/S Explorer Map
Parking

NY 679046. Near the cluster of buildings at Bowderdale.

  1. Park on the roadside near Bowderdale. Bowderdale is accessed from the Wath turn off on the A685. Walk down to the junction of minor roads at Brow Foot and head South/uphill. After 500m the road stops at a farm but continue South on to the open fellside on a farm track. After a further 500m the track splits, take the left fork. The right leads in to the ‘dreaded’ Bowderdale valley. Avoid!
  2. The track continues South over the wonderfully named Hooksey at 586m. A small summit marked by a cairn. The track continues South but drops to a col that separates Hooksey from Randygill Top. A short sharp climb brings you to a summit on a faint path.
  3. From the summit of Randygill Top a good track heads NE towards Green Bell. Take this route if you do not want to include Yarlside on this walk. You will arrive in 1.5km to the trig point marking the summit.
  4. For those heading for Yarlside head steeply SE downhill on a trackless slope to a col where there is now a path heading SSW to climb Kensgriff, an inconvenient fell separating the two Dales 30 mountains. At the next col leave the path and climb the steep slopes SSW to the finely perched summit of Yarlside. Return to Kensgriff and then follow the path NE (missing out Randygill Top) towards the trig point at Green Bell.
  5. At Green Bell the obvious track heads due South for nearly 2km forking NNW to the dry stone wall. Then follow the track alongside the wall to a minor road at Weasdale. Turn left. The farm road becomes a farm track as it heads South towards the A685 and the start at Brow Foot at Bowderdale.

The col with Wandope Hill

Alternative Routes

From The Cross Keys Inn

11.5 km/6.5 miles

690m/2,265ft 

  1. This is the most popular way to approach Randygill Top, via Yarlside from the Cross Keys pub. It is also the best if you want to tick both mountains in one go.
  2. There is some limited parking on the A683 at the Cross Keys Inn but if this is full, some more extensive parking exists 1 km north. From the Cross Keys drop steeply down to the River Rawthey, cross the footbridge and join the bridleway initially heading south west. A footpath heads north west after 300 metres and in to the valley of Cautley Beck. The great waterfall of Cautley Spout is now in view, the largest of its kind in England and a constant companion on your walk to the col at Bowderdale Head.
  3. As Cautley Spout is approached the path splits, take the right hand fork that goes due north up a steep path heading away from Cautley Spout. When the gradient flattens out at Bowderdale Haed look for a path skirting the hillside and then climbing steeply on the south side of a stream. This is a steep 250m climb but unavoidable. A col is reached, turn north and a further 50ms brings the lovely summit of Yarlside.
  4. If you are adding Randygill Top head north. Kensgriff is a steep sided hill between Yarlside and Randygill Top. From the col which lies to the north east of Kensgriff head north west to the summit of Randygill Top, returning to the col for the descent.
  5. From the col head steeply downhill west (no track) before crossing a stream. Climb 40 ms till you meet a path (it circles Wandale Hill). Follow this to the farm at Narthwaite. If conditions are dry take the path steeply down to cross Backside Beck (no footbridge) and rejoin the bridleway leading to the Cross Keys but if the conditions are wet follow the farm track east to where it meets the A683 1km north of the Cross Keys.

 

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High quality, colour photography

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Facts and anecdotes about the mountain and the nearby area

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