A moderate route in Northern Pennines. Check the GPS track on Outdooractive for full details of the route, waypoints, and terrain.
Starting Point: Limited parking at Gilderdale Bridge (NY 698 484)
Terrain: Pennine Way, wild walking across moorland, bog and peat hags (avoidable with careful route choice), quad bike track, Roman fort site IMPORTANT: Wild walking from and to the Pennine Way requires good navigation skills.
This is an excellent Pennine moorland walk combining a Hewitt summit with Roman history. The route requires good navigation skills as it involves extensive wild walking with little to no defined path across Whitley Common and through challenging terrain of bog and peat hags, though careful route choice can avoid the worst sections. Grey Nag Hewitt provides views to Black Fell and Watch Fell that would be amazing on a clear day. For me the quad bike track I found on the return made navigation easier across Whitley Common, where a Merlin sighting added a wonderful wildlife dimension to the walk. The highlight at the end is Epiacum (Whitley Castle) Roman Fort, a fascinating archaeological site well worth exploring. A rewarding walk combining genuine Pennine moorland character with significant Roman heritage.