South Pennine Summits
Boulsworth Hill
Boulsworth Hill is the highest point in the South Pennines and the only summit in the area that rises above 500m above sea level. It is also one of only two Marilyns in the South Pennines.
| Height (m) | 517 |
|---|---|
| Height (ft) | 1696 |
| Grid Ref: | SD929356 |
| Classification: | Marilyn, Dewey, |
| Trig Point: | Yes |
| No. of Visits | 1 |
Boulsworth Hill Gallery: Click on the photos below to enlarge.
More about Boulsworth Hill: Standing on the Lancashire side of the main Pennine watershed it has the appearance, particularly from the Forest of Pendle, of a large upturned boat rising above the village of Trawden.
Unlike a lot of the South Pennine heights Boulsworth Hill projects quite steeply from the surrounding countryside, especially on its eastern and western flanks. This makes the hill not only fairly easy to identify from a distance but it also makes the summit, known as Lad Law, a particularly fine view point. On a clear day it is possible to identify summits nearby in the South and West Pennines as well as further afield to Pendle & Bowland, the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, and even the Lake District.
The underlying rock is millstone grit (gritstone) which results in numerous rocky outcrops including Dove Stones, Great Saucer Stones, Little Chair Stones and the summit of Lad Law. The finest selection of boulders I came across were the Weather Stones a short distance from the summit and almost equally good vantage point.
Up until the CRoW Act came into force the only access to Boulsworth Hill was from the west via a horseshoe shaped water company concession path. This is the route I took on my visit to the summit and it provides a nice short sharp ascent and descent but little time up on the top itself. Much longer options exist to climb the moor from Wycoller or even further afield.
Thanks to its extra height, gritstone outcrops and excellent all round views I would have to rate Boulsworth Hill as the finest of the South Pennine moors and I certainly aim to explore it in more detail in the future.
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