Another day, another Marilyn! Todays target was Thorpe Fell Top, on Barden Moor. Parking wasn't the easiest, but a spot was found in Cracoe and I set off through the back lanes of the village to reach the open hill via Fell lane. Beyond the field walls all is access land and an old path zig-zaged up to reach the gritstone crags on the skyline. From Bottle Crag the summit wasn't in view, just a gentle swelling of the heather moor indicated the direction. After almost a kilometre of thrashing through the knee deep pathless terrain I arrived at the trig. The wind was coming straight from the arctic by the feel of it, so I turned roughly south-west and with the wind on my back aimed for the Cracoe war memorial, right on the edge of the crags overlooking Cracoe.
Very moving to stand here and think of the 13 men who lost there lives in the Great war from such a small community.
I continued along the edge to Rylstone Cross, I don't know anything about this other than it was rebuilt in 1995. My father visited the cross in the 1930's with his father, and in those days it was made of wood. The internet isn't much help either, I'd welcome any info on this unusual monument.
A short way to the south I picked up the bridleway which eventually led down to Rylstone church, then the walled Chapel Lane brought me back to the car. Further up Wharfedale I could see showers being driven across the Buckden Pike and Great Whernside, but fortunately it stayed dry with me.
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