Gragareth

Infobox Mountain
Name = Gragareth
Photo = Gragareth trig point.jpg
Caption = Gragareth trig point
Elevation = 627m
Location = Lancashire, England
Range = Yorkshire Dales (but summit is 200m outside border of county and national park)
Prominence = 30m
Parent peak = Great Coum
Coordinates =
Topographic
OS OL2
Type =
Volcanic_Arc/Belt=
Age =
Last eruption =
First ascent =
Easiest route =
Grid_ref_UK = SD687793
Grid_ref_Ireland =
Listing = Hewitt, county top (debatable)
Translation =
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Pronunciation =

Gragareth is a mountain in Lancashire, England. At convert|627|m|ft|0 it is claimed [ [http://bubl.ac.uk/org/tacit/marilyns/chapter6.htm The County Tops from "Relative Hills" website] ] to be the highest point in Lancashire, although Green Hill (convert|628|m|ft|0), 2km north and on the Lancashire-Cumbria border, takes this title in List of English counties by highest point. The summit of Gragareth lies about 200m west of the boundary between Lancashire and North Yorkshire, and thus lies just outside the Yorkshire Dales National Park (whose boundary follows the county boundary at this point). The south eastern slopes are known as Leck Fell and the southern slopes form Ireby Fell.

The summit has a trig point and extensive views towards Morecambe Bay, the Lake District fells, the Howgill Fells, Ingleborough, and the Forest of Bowland. The county boundary wall running along the ridge is believed to be "one of the highest dry stone walls in the country." [cite book
last = Wright
first = Nick
title = English Mountain Summits
year = 1974
publisher = Robert Hale
location = London
isbn = 0-7091-4560-8
pages = p.70 ] It previously formed the boundary between Yorkshire and Westmorland. The "Three Men of Gragareth" are a group of tall cairns on the western side of the hill above Leck Fell House.

The fell contains several caves including Lost John's Cave, Rumbling Hole and Ireby Fell Cavern.

Wainwright includes "The ascent of Gragareth via Leck Fell returning via Ireby Fell" in his "Walks in Limestone Country". [cite book
last = Wainwright
first = Alfred
title = Walks in limestone country
origdate = 1970
publisher = Westmorland Gazette
location = Kendal
chapter = Walk 4 ] His route begins at Ireby village, following a lane from Todgill farm on the Leck road to the tarmac road which leads to Leck Fell House, then "a steep scramble" up past the Three Men. His descent route is down a long enclosure formed by the county boundary to the east and the almost-parallel boundary between Leck and Ireby parishes, dropping down Ireby Fell past the opening of Ireby Fell Cavern, to return to Ireby.

References