Nine Standards Rigg

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Nine Standards Rigg
Westmorland
Nine Standards 1996.jpg
The Nine Standards on the summit
Range: Pennines
Summit: 2,172 feet NY82530612
54°27’1"N, 2°16’15"W

Nine Standards Rigg is the summit of Hartley Fell in Westmorland, and amongst the Pennine Hills . It stands within a few hundred yards of the border of the North Riding of Yorkshire, and a few miles south-east of Kirkby Stephen.

The name of the summit is derived from a group of cairns, the Nine Standards, located near the summit. The fell is listed as ‘Nine Standards Rigg’, rather than ‘Hartley Fell’, in Alan Dawson's book The Hewitts and Marilyns of England.

The Nine Standards themselves, some of which were originally more than twelve feet high, are a prominent landmark of the walking route across the hills. They are on the line of the Coast to Coast Walk between Kirkby Stephen and Keld, and are just to the north of the fell's summit. Situated at a height of 2,130 feet, their original purpose is uncertain: they might be ancient, or it is possible that they were buil to mark the boundary between Westmorland and Swaledale.[1]

The Nine Standards offer a better viewpoint than the Ordnance Survey trig point that marks the actual summit of the fell. Cross Fell and Great Dun Fell can be seen to the north-west and Wild Boar Fell and the Howgills feature in the south-west. The High Street Range of the eastern Lake District can be seen further to the west. Great Shunner Fell, crossed by the Pennine Way, and Rogan's Seat lie to the south-east.

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References

  1. Walker, Stephen (2008). Nine Standards: Ancient cairns or modern folly?. Kirkby Stephen: Hayloft. ISBN 1-904524-60-5.