The possible cairn on High Willhays summit. The becairned summit of Cosdon Hill can be seen on the skyline.
Image credit: A. Brookes (27.8.2011)
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Unfortunate that there's not more left to be a bit more definitive and more than a 'possible'. Good walk, however, I bet.
Point of order, tho'.... I've always taken Black Mountains' Black Hill to be the highest in southern England? Guess it depends how you define 'southern England'.......
You're right about Black Hill being the highest point (by quite a long way in fact). I think technically High Willhays is the highest "mountain" in Southern England, as Black Hill forms part of Black Mountain, the summit of which is in Wales. Helpful, eh?
Good walk, yep. Around about 10 miles, maybe a bit less, walking up from Okehampton town centre.
No, Black Hill is eastern-most of the Black Mountains range and is most certainly an individual mountain by any criterion I'd accept. Whomever is drawing up these lists needs a reality check!
Two brilliant places to choose from there. We had hoped to visit Nine Stones cairn circle (Belstone) as well, but that would have been too far. Good excuse for another trip though.
Black Hill isn't listed as a separate 2,000 footer in the Nuttals lists. As they work on the basis that there needs to be more than 15m difference between top and col, it doesn't qualify on its own (summit is 640m, col is 630m) but as a ridge of Black Mountain. Not been up there yet myself, but it's on the list...
Having said that, the summit of Black Mountain itself (702m) is on the England-Wales border, so I guess it could actually qualify as the highest mountain in southern England.
We'll have to agree to disagree re Black Hill. Suffice to say the Nuttals have made some rather questionnable additions/deletions to/from their list contradicting some very experienced authors (Terry Marsh, Peter Hermon etc). I go with the latter.
Ha ha! I only use the Nuttals list because it keeps things manageable, there's enough on their list without adding any more! Black Hill/Cat's Back is definitely on the list - your comments echo others I've heard before. Black Mountain summit (and the even more ridiculous Black Mountain South Top) are on the Offa's Dyke path, so when we get that far we'll be visiting them anyway.
Mmm. Quite a few cairns en route to visit. Do try and weave to the eastern edge of the ridge, however (the western needs too much of a detour if you're not looking to simply hang because of the topography The Offas Dyke path heads straight down the centre... not much to see, otherwise.
I think the Longtown "stone circle" is pretty close to the path. It'll be a while before we get that far anyway (only got to Montgomery so far)!