Three Howes, Rudland Rigg, Bransdale
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Three Howes on the Skyline from the Bransdale path on Shaw Ridge
Three Howes, Rudland Rigg, Coast to Coast
The Three Howes is an arrangement of four burial cairns, appearing in a straight line along the western rim of Rudland Rigg, less than 1 mile east of the Upper Bransdale hamlet of Cockayne, and 600 metres south of Cockan Cross. Farndale Valley is about 600m to the east. It is thought that the 4 burial cairns were inaptly named as the third cairn from the south does not rise to a significant height and is hard to see from a distance. The remaining 3 can be seen from each abutting valley and the moors on their opposite sides. All four of the Three Howes are Scheduled Monuments and are located on the highest part of the Rudland Plateau close to the summit, within the 400m-409m contour.
Three Howes Southmost Pair
All four of the Three Howes are Scheduled Monuments. The two most prominent, in this image are paired by Historic England. The other two are 100m and 180m NNW respectively. They are all intervisible with the Golden Heights burial cairn which is a couple of miles further SSE along the ridge, at 372m. The Three Howes are clearly visible from High Blakey Moor, several miles to the east, and Bilsdale East Moor, several miles to the west.
Three Howes Third from South
The third member of the quadruplet from the south is the smallest. Even close up it is much lower than the principle members of the cluster. This and the fourth Round Barrow have a separate scheduling with Historic England.
Four of the Three Howes
Viewed from the north at Cockan Cross the third and fourth members of the Howes are seen a little clearer. These Round Barrows date to the Late Neolithic period and are ditched earthern mounds. Most of the Round Barrows in this neighbourhood were excavated by 19th century antiquarians looking for burials and artifacts. They thus exhibit a central depression where entry was made.
Westside Road to Three Howes
The ancient track on Rudland Rigg is called Westside Road. A path from it opposite Gill Dike leads to the Three Howes, but it stops when half-way there. The Three Howes are located very close to Ouse Gill Head. Where the track stops the ground becomes very miry as it gives way to the Ouse Gill's headwaters.
Coast to Coast Trail Guide
Hiking the Coast to Coast
"Hiking the Coast to Coast" is a digitally enhanced eBook available from Apple Books for all people who have either a Mac, an iPhone or an iPad, and is designed to accompany you on your walk of the Coast to Coast path. The trail guide contains Ordnance Survey maps and other advanced mapping features, step by step directions, hundreds of colour photographs, details of the route, its conditions in different weather and research snippets relating to places of interest along the way.
