Maiden Castle and Harkerside

The weather's been a bit uninspring of late, or at least at the times I've been able to get out in it. Frustrating. So, today, with the mountain leaders' motto "If it aint raining, it aint training" in mind, I decided to visit Swaledale.

I was keen to visit Maiden Castle and take in Harkerside, a modest hill near Reeth.

Maiden Castle is thought to be an Iron Age hill fort but its position is so defensively weak, with dead and rising ground in the vicinity, that its function remains enigmatic.  The misty, damp conditions heightened, for me, the sense of history and mystery. Notes from Julian Cope's Modern Antiquarian website here.

Ditch and banking of Maiden Castle overlooking Swaledale

Harkerside, in common with much of the local moorland, has been historically worked for galena, lead ore. This activity, together with modern grouse shooting, has resulted in a network of cycleable tracks through picturesque heather moor and sometimes strange industrial landscapes.

I must come back with my bike someday and visit Dales Bike Centre. Closed (winter opening hours) when I turned up for coffee and cake. :-(

A couple more photos here.