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On the summit of Watch Hill

Now turn south-east alongside the wall. When the wall changes direction, it’s time to leave it; but take a moment to inspect the nearby sheepfold, which proves to be a useful shelter, if needed, since there is no shelter on Thack Moor. Cross tussock moorland to a stile in a fence (NY616459), beyond which a broad quad-bike track is joined, heading for Watch Hill.

There are two summits on Watch Hill, the first occupied by a pile of stones, a currick, and the other by a ladder-stile spanning a wall, with a 602m spot height just beyond. The former is slightly higher, at 604m.

Cross the ladder-stile, which has a small gate with a formidable spring. Over the stile, now head in a south-easterly direction, keeping to the high ground, devoid of useful tracks, but not unduly difficult to cross. In the distance, a ruined sheepfold and bothy cottage stand out and serve as a useful target. Nearby, another ladder-stile crosses a trans-ridge wall (NY636457), now with the whale-back of Black Fell looming in the distance. Once over the stile, keep beside the wall to a gate, where the wall ends and a fence takes over. Pass through the gate and follow a quad-bike track beside the fence, and ever onwards, since it leads all the way to the top of Black Fell, where the Pennine watershed is joined. It is a sobering thought, but Black Fell actually marks only the half-way point of the walk; the rest, however, is almost entirely downhill.