#bollihope

Great Climb but battery anxiety looming

Route: Stanhope Ford (N  side), Crawleyside, Horseshoe Hill, Hisehope Head, Stanhope Ford (S side), Unthank Bank, Brackenbridge Moss, Bollihope bridge, Bollihope Common, Candlesieve Syke, Stanhope.

Also includes climbs 43, Crawleyside to Horseshoe Hill & 44 Unthank Bank to Brackenridge

This Climb

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I can remember that this was an excellent climb albeit spoiled by two things. The conditions turning decidedly driech, and the battery indicator dropped worryingly quickly,  oh and losing all  my pics!

This climb continues to follow the B6278 along the Roman road route. Dropping down to the low point of Harnisha Bridge for the start.

This then becomes a combination of two classic climb profiles, the constant gradient and the gradual wind up, but not before a 12%  switchback, a familiar theme of the day. The first section settles into a steady 7% give or take before leveling out on Low then High Black Hills which are really spurs from the higher Harnisha Hill off to the west. Then a slight dip before crossing the Black Burn before the steady increase in gradient leading to the high point just 25m below the peak of Long man to the east. And being a distinct col,  the top has a definite high point, unlike many N Pennine climbs.