Hartlepool Unitary Authority

Walk Details:
Date: 8/7/2006
Total ascent: 13m/ 43ft
Total distance walked: 0.84 miles
Walk difficulty: ?/10
Enjoyment rating: 0/10
Best bits: None
Worst bits: I don’t want too talk about it. Not happy at all. We didn’t even need the footwear that the hill’s name suggested.
Walkers: Anth, Jim
Car Parking: There’s a layby on the eastbound A179 at NZ 448 343

Top details:
Name: Whelley Hill
County top number: 131 of 205
Grid reference: NZ 45285 34250 (from www.hill-bagging.co.uk)
Height above sea level: 142m/ 466ft
How nice was the top? ?/10
Views: ?/10
Description/Notes: The highest point in Hartlepool Unitary Authority is on a prominent rise in a field – access may be difficult due to crops.

The Walk:

We were pretty buoyed up having enjoyed our previous two tops at Gisborough Moor and Quarry Hill, but Whelley Hill would change our mood entirely. From the map it looked an awkward customer – a prominent rise slap bang in the middle of a field – there would be no sneaking round field boundaries on this one. Simon Edwardes also appeared to have had trouble accessing it due to crops.

At least parking was not a problem – there was a decent layby a few hundred metres away from the summit, littered with dozens of those silly little car-top England flags, presumably ditched following England’s miserable performance in the World Cup. Leaving the car here, we made our way awkwardly up the grass verge of the busy A179 until we came to the entrance to Whelley Hill Farm. The field containing the top was immediately left of the farm drive, and unbounded from the driveway. It looked larger then on the map. It was also completely covered with a healthy crop of wheat. Being of country upbringing, there was no way be were going to trample over the wheat to reach the summit. There was no sign of life at the farm, but even if we had been able to ask someone for permission, I suspect the quite reasonable answer would have been “no – come back after the harvest”.

Depressed we continued to walk along the A179 to see if there was a viable approach from the far side of the hill. There wasn’t, but the road took us a frustrating 300 feet in distance and 7 metres in altitude from the summit. We returned slowly and miserably to the car.

We’ll count this one for now – we did after all make the effort to get as close as possible. If we’re ever in the area again, after harvest time, we’ll return for another crack. In the meantime we knew that this one would niggle away at us.