Rutland

Walk Details:
Date: 23/7/2005
Total ascent: 12m/ 39ft
Total distance walked: 0.87 miles
Walk difficulty: 2/10
Enjoyment rating: 3/10
Best bits: First trig point of the day
Worst bits: I hope we didn’t annoy the farmer…
Walkers: Anth, Jim
Car Parking: You can just about squeeze a car onto the grass verge of the minor road to Barleythorpe at SK 830 089. You might also be able to get a car up the track to the radio mast (SK 830 087) but be careful not to block any gates or access points

Top details:
Name: Cold Overton Park
County top number: 88 of 204
Grid reference: SK 82708 08533
Height above sea level: 197m/ 646ft
How nice was the top? 3/10
Views: 3.5/10
Description/Notes: The highest point in Rutland is marked by a trig point

The Walk:

After the low-lying counties we’d travelled through earlier today, we were looking forward to a county top prominent enough to warrant a trig point. We had some trouble finding anywhere to park, and eventually and with some trepidation we squeezed the car onto a narrow grass verge between the road and a ditch. I was even more nervous when a moment later a farmer came rattling round the corner in his tractor. I indicated I would move my car but he just smiled and waved me away as his wheels passed inches from my car.

It was a short and easy walk from here to the top. We headed up the track opposite, which led past a radio mast. Where it ended, we continued on a footpath into a field of sheep. They did the typical sheep thing – belligerently standing their ground in the middle of the path and glaring threateningly at you until you get within, say, a few dozen metres, and then losing their nerve and bolting in panic. Frankly, they deserve their reputation of stupidity – I’ve seen greater cognitive ability in a floret of broccoli.

We only had a 1:50,000 scale map printout on us for this one, and it showed the trig point as being a little to the right of the footpath. Without field boundaries shown we couldn’t be sure exactly where it would be, but it was obviously in one of the series of fields over a fence and hedgerow to our right. We wondered if, like some trigs, it would be hidden in a hedgerow and peered carefully into each field we passed. When we found it though, it was easily visible, standing proud a few yards out from the far side of a hedgerow a couple of fields along.

Although the trig was on private land we didn’t think it would do any harm if we carefully climbed over the fence into the uncultivated field and paid a visit. We did so, but as we gazed at the distant view of Knossington church and took the standard “here we are at the trig point” photo, the farmer came over the brow of the hill in his tractor. We belligerently stood our ground until he was within a few dozen metres, and then bolted in panic. Seriously though, I think he was just doing agricultural stuff and only came near us out of chance – he didn’t pursue us and I don’t think he was bothered by us for one moment – next time we’ll stop for a chat…

That was our 6th top of the day, but it wasn’t nearly enough for our liking and so we headed on to Leicester.