Binsey

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For the village of the same name, see Binsey, Oxfordshire.

Binsey
Binsey from the lane which runs north-east from the A591 towards the hill
Elevation	447 m (1,467 ft)
Location	Cumbria, England
Range	Lake District
Prominence	c. 242 m
Topo map	OS Landrangers 89, 90, Explorer OL4
OS grid reference	NY225355
Listing	Marilyn, Wainwright

Binsey is a hill on the northern edge of the Lake District in Cumbria, England. It is detached from the rest of the Lakeland hills, and thus provides a good spot to look out at the northern and north-western hills of the Lake District, as well as the coastal plain and, across the Solway Firth, Scotland.

1 Topography
2 Geology
3 Ascents
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Topography

Binsey stands on the otherwise low-level watershed separating the catchments of the Ellen to the north and the Cocker to the south. A slight ridge connects it to Great Cockup in the main massif of the Northern Fells, two miles to the south east. Binsey itself has a rounded form, but somehow manages to impress the eye more than the similar Great Mell Fell and Little Mell Fell.

The "pudding basin" shape holds all around Binsey except to the north west where a ridge descends over Whitas Park to a depression containing the remains of a roman fort. Beyond is St John's Hill (950 ft) which is topped by an earthwork called "The Battery". Finally the ridge descends to the village of Bothel in the Ellen Valley.

Binsey sends out a further spur to the east, culminating in the shapely top of Latrigg (1,030 ft)— not to be confused with Latrigg near Keswick. Beneath Latrigg is Over Water, a large tarn which was raised by damming in 1920 to provide drinking water for Wigton.^[1] The ouflow of Over Water feeds the Ellen, as does the gloriously named Humble Jumble Gill which drains Binsey's northern flank.

The hill is largely grass and heather, with only one significant outcrop of rock, West Crag. Flanking the eastern slopes of the fell is a thin belt of mixed woodland and a further plantation sits below West Crag.

sketch map of Binsey

The summit is crowned by a tumulus whose stones have been raided to produce several small circular wind-shelters. There is also a modern cairn atop the tumulus and a trig point. Regarding the view, Wainwright stated "..it is a most excellent station for appraising the Northern Fells as a preliminary to their exploration...it is a viewpoint of outstanding merit."^[2]. Far to the south the Coniston Fells can be seen, almost 25 miles away, while to the north the Solway Firth and the hills of Scotland are visible.

[edit] Geology

There are several small disused quarries to the east and north. The hill is of volcanic rock, being just outside the Skiddaw slates area. The predominant type is Eycott Volcanic Group^[3], which consists of basaltic andesite, andesite and rhyolitic lavas.^[4]

[edit] Ascents

The hill can be climbed by several routes, perhaps most simply along a lane from the A591 road, just north of Bewaldeth. From the top of the lane a loop to the left and behind a disused pit will enable the track across the summit to be picked up. An alternative is to begin in the south east at Binsey Lodge, following a track to the summit. Wainwright also lists a further route from High Ireby.^[2]

Latrigg would make a fine short walk from Binsey Lodge, but the landowner does not allow public access.

[edit] References

^ Blair, Don: Exploring Lakeland Tarns: Lakeland Manor Press (2003): ISBN 0-9543-9041-5
^ ^a ^b Wainwright, Alfred: A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells,Book 5 The Northern Fells: ISBN 0-7112-2458-7
^ Birkett, Bill: Complete Lakeland Fells: Collins Willow (1994): ISBN 0-0021-8406-0
^ British Geological Survey: 1:50,000 series maps, England & Wales Sheet 29: BGS (1999)