Visit the highest point of each county in GB

I’ve been getting behind on this.

But it’s now at 66, with 66 to go.

50 percent complete! Woo!

#54 Swindon – 277m Liddington Castle

An old iron-age fort close to the Ridgeway path. Looking at the maps, it didn’t look like we could park close to this one, but fortunately there was a layby on the Ridgeway road close to the start of the trail up the hill.

Access is by permissive path from the Ridgeway long-distance path, and views were magnificent across Swindon (yuck) and surrounding countryside (nice!).

#53 Dorset – 279m Lewesdon Hill

A lovely walk up from Broadwindsor in good weather to the wooded summit of Lewesdon Hill. The trip down was a little interesting – the path vanished completely and we did a little bushwhacking and bog hopping to find our way back to the original path.

A great top!

#52 Plymouth – 160m Woolwell Hill

A fantastic top! The highest point of Plymouth is a roundabout leading to the Tesco supermarket. It was a fun drive-by as evening set in.

#51 Torbay – 196m Beacon Hill

This top is inaccessible due to the presence a TV transmitter. We went as close as possible.

#50 Bristol – 160m east of Dundry Hill

This top is inaccessible, due to being in the middle of some private land. It’s also difficult to find the exact spot because it’s one of those where the side of a hill goes out of the county area.

So, a drive over East Dundry Lane which borders the field containing the top was the order of the day.

A very narrow lane which, at one point was blocked by a tractor clearing fly-tipped waste from his gateway. We helped him clear the waste so he could get the tractor through the gap and then we could proceed.

Not a lovely top, but ticked off the list anyway!

#49 South Gloucestershire – 237m Hanging Hill

The road goes almost to the summit, with the site of the Battle of Lansdown on the east and Hanging Hill on the west. So a short trip out from the car to visit both.

The summit itself is actually a fire service building, but there is a trig point 500m beyond for that feeling of achievement!

#48 Blackburn with Darwen – 456m Winter Hill

A lovely area, we parked in a country park and took the path out of it before climbing a smaller peak of “Two Lads” before making the easy ascent to Winter Hill TV transmitter and the summit trig point.

Then on to Rivington pike via an interesting walk through the scariest bogs I’ve visited yet – the sort where the part you’re walking on drops by 30cm when you stand on it, and a place 2m to your side rises by the same amount – very thin ground on top of very wet peat!

Then through the terraced gardens of Rivington country park and back to the car. A great walk!

#47 Stoke on Trent – 250m Meir Heath

We’ve driven close to the highest point of Stoke on Trent numerous times while doing other county tops but always forget to bring the details.

Well, this time, on the way up north, we remembered to bring our information. It was very close to our route and a lovely place. The actual highest point is in someone’s back garden, so we used the honorary point of the old windmill at the Windmill pub.

A 250m drive-by, but very pleasant indeed.

#46 Norfolk – 105m Beacon Hill

The unassuming Beacon Hill was a short stop before a day at the seaside in Cromer and a visit to the country’s easternmost point at Ness Point, Lowestoft.