The final schuss - new snow
skier - Andy Waddington; main hazard: the black collie cross used to like to
grab a ski tip and run off to the side with it...
The final schuss - new snow
skier - Andy Waddington; main hazard: the black collie cross used to like to
grab a ski tip and run off to the side with it...
The ideal starting place is the top car park at 475m, but if the road is too slippery to drive from the north, this point can be reached by skiing up the road (steep enough to need herringbone in places) or the verge. 150m SSW of the car park, a path leads off SE between trees. Unlike the forest tracks, this is just a ride and the terrain is a little bumpier. After 275m, the public bridleway is joined by crossing a small bridge over a deep gully. The bridle way is of much the same quality:- plenty wide enough, but an uneven path underneath. It is level or gently undulating for a kilometre to a viewpoint through a gap in the trees on Hope Scar to the left. The next 300m are gently descending, hardly enough to schuss in new or wet snow; quite fun in more consolidated snow. Officially the bridleway turns left, but this is not signposted and would enter a recently felled area, so head straight on, still downhill. The gradient increases, and a sharp left turn (care here if on hard snow!) leads onto a steeper slope which soon crosses a small stream to a few metres reascent. The next 200m is narrow, boggy ground on the right and a firm base of needles under overhanging branches on the left, so care is required, but this is soon over and a right turn leads to a more open ride, still downhill, and soon reaching the forest wall. From here the path is quite narrow, following the wall, though the odd tree trunks and branches which kept things interesting a few years ago have mostly gone now. If the snow is fast or patchy, it may be easier to hop over the gate and ski down the open fellside to Black Hill Gate
From Black Hill Gate, an easy track heads back sharp left (WNW) towards West Hope. Many of the tracks shown on the OS 1:25000 map don't show up on the ground, so routefinding is easier than it might seem from this map. After 400m, the track runs alongside a wall. This ends after 300m, and a junction appears about 100m later. It is possible to return to the Stang road by continuing here, but better to turn left, up the hill. After 300m is another junction, and the best choice here depends on the snow. In good snow, a better run is available by heading left again, further uphill. However, to the south of this track is a felled area, so the track gets the sun and loses snow more quickly than the lower alternative, which has trees of 4-5m to its south, and so remains in shade. The upper track rejoins the lower by a pleasant schuss (see photos) to a T-junction about 800m further along, then the route continues west for another half kilometre to the parking at 380m on the Stang road.
From the gate where the forest edge is first reached, it is possible to ski south up a path (no right of way - see the Access page) over gentle slopes to reach Cocker Hill, where there is a radio mast in a small enclosure. By returning further from the forest wall, a shallow gully can be followed which often holds snow quite well. Ski on down to Black Hill Gate and rejoin the loop.
In good snow, all the tracks low down are good, and the bottom half of the main tour (above) is worthwhile, avoiding any steep bits on the full circuit. Park at the 380m parking place and ski to Black Hill Gate and back. Most fun is to ski there direct, and return via the higher variation, which gives a nice schuss just before the end. This seems to have been the most popular tour on our last visit at a weekend (Jan 4/5 1997), skied by several parties, including one tourer towing a two-year-old in a pulk.
Stang Forest overview