Rylstone Cross and the War Memorial.
Most days you get a fine view from the twin bedroom across to the cross on the ridge high up on the fell.
The original Rylstone Cross was built out of wood in 1815 to mark the Treaty of Paris that ended the Napoleonic Wars. Having been replaced several times the current stone version was built in 1995.
Further north along the ridge is the obelsik, a War Memorial dedicated to the local men who died fighting in the First World War. Their names are carved in to the Yorkshire stone.
Thanks to the many paths and tracks on the fell there are a variety of ways to reach the landmarks. One of the popular routes is up from Cracoe to the War Memorial across to Rylstone Cross and back down to Rylstone. It is a fantastic circular walk of approximately six miles which climbs and descends the approximate 370 metres (1,200 feet) to the ridge.
You could start the walk right from the cottage. Past Angel Inn take a left onto ‘Fairy Lane’ the bridle way to Rylstone, crossing Hetton Beck and then heading towards the railway line and onto The Duck Pond at Rylstone.
Cross over and take the lane up towards St Peters Church, continue straight ahead at the church, ignoring the route off to the right which is your return path.
At the farm, head through the gateway, just to the right of the farmyard, and walk along the track to the left of the pond. You now follow this track for three quarters of a mile. It soon becomes a walled lane.
The track curves back to the B6265 but just before you get to the road, turn right on to Back Lane which is a pretty lane into Cracoe. Follow it through the village and round a 90° right turn.
Turn left at the next junction and after 100 yards, arrive at a ‘T’ junction where you are faced with an information board about Barden Moor and Barden Fell Access Areas. Turn right here.
Follow this walled lane past two distinct copses of trees. 100 yards or so after the second, the walled lane ends at a series of sheep pens. Go through the farm gate on the left.
A faint path starts, following the wall and as you progress starts to very gradually move away from it. There are a couple of places where you might be tempted by tracks going off to the right but my advice would be to ignore these.
This is where describing a route becomes difficult. You may notice what I can only describe as a “knobbly bit” of hillside ahead of you, with a number of deep gullies/furrows leading in its direction.If you go right and uphill here, you should see a reasonable way up.
Not far above this, follow faint quad bike marks uphill. As an aiming point, if you look up the hill you should be able to see what at first glance looks like a ruin but is actually a rocky outcrop. You are aiming to pass just to the right of this.
Once you get to this outcrop, just continue uphill and you will soon see the wall which runs along the ridge. Turn right at the wall.
At the war memorial you need to climb over the wall via the ladder stile, then, turn right to follow the wall all the way along the ridge to head south towards Rylstone Cross.
When you reach Rylstone Cross if you want a closer look and to see the view, there is another ladder stile but otherwise, follow the wall down until you meet a clear path at a ‘T’ junction, just by a gate. Turn right, through the gate.
As you go through a depression, the track becomes wider and the correct route is now crystal clear.
Follow the track down to another ‘T’ junction by a three way fingerpost. Turn right here for ”Rylstone” and you make your way back down to the church.
Thank you to Happyhiker.co.uk for the route guidance.
