Mapping Mountains – Hill Reclassifications – The Fours – The 400m Hills of England

Crook (SD 664 935) – 400m Sub-Four addition

There has been an addition to the listing of the The Fours – The 400m Hills of England, with the summit height, col height and their locations, the drop and status of the hill derived by Joe Nuttall who produced a summit analysis programme using LIDAR, and then by LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips. 

LIDAR image of Crook (SD 664 935)

The criteria for the list that this addition applies to are:

The Fours – The 400m Hills of England.  English hills at or above 400m and below 500m in height that have 30m minimum drop, accompanying the main listing of The Fours are three categories of sub hills, with this hill being added to the 400m Sub-Four category, the criteria for which are all English hills at or above 400m and below 500m in height that have 20m or more and below 30m of drop.  The list is co-authored by Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams and the 2^nd edition of the booklet containing this list was published by Mapping Mountains Publications on the 24^th April 2018.

The Fours - The 400m Hills of England by Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams

The name the hill is listed by is Crook, and it is adjoined to the The Calf group of hills, which are situated in the Howgill Fells (Region 35, Section 35A: The Northern Pennines), and it is positioned with the B6257 road to its west, the A684 road to its south and the A683 road to its east, and has the town of Sedbergh towards the south south-west.

When the 2^nd edition of the The Fours – The 400m Hills of England was published by Mapping Mountains Publications in April 2018, this hill was not included in the accompanying sub list, as it was considered not to meet the criteria used for this sub category. 

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

However, during the updating of this list for the 2^nd edition this hill was noted and listed with an estimated c 17m of drop, based on the 462m summit spot height that appears on the Harvey 1:25,000 Superwalker map to the Howgill Fells and an estimated c 445m col height based on interpolation of 10m contouring between 440m – 450m that appear on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map. 

Extract from the Harvey 1:25,000 Superwalker map to the Howgill Fells

However, it was not until LIDAR became available that the details for this hill could be accurately re-assessed.  The LIDAR (Light Detection & Ranging) technique produced highly accurate height data that is now freely available for much of England and Wales.

Therefore, the addition of this hill to 400m Sub-Four status is due to LIDAR analysis, resulting in a 464.7m summit height and a 444.4m col height, with these values giving this hill 20.3m of drop, which is sufficient for it to be classified as a 400m Sub-Four.

 

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  The Calf

Name:  Crook

OS 1:50,000 map:  98

Summit Height:  464.7m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference:  SD 66458 93550 (LIDAR)

Col Height:  444.4m (LIDAR)

Col Grid Reference:  SD 66410 93726 (LIDAR)

Drop:  20.3m (LIDAR)

 

Our thanks to Ronnie Bowron for bringing the details of this hill to our attention.

For the additions, deletions and reclassifications to The Fours – The 400m Hills of England reported on Mapping Mountains since the December 2013 publication of the 1^st edition of this list by Europeaklist please consult the following Change Registers:

 

The Fours

 

The Fours – 400m Sub-Four

 

The Fours – 390m Sub-Four

 

The Fours – 390m Double Sub-Four

 

Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams (August 2022)

  

Mapping Mountains – Hill Reclassifications – The Fours - The 400m Hills of England

Dow Low (SK 098 678) – 400m Sub-Four addition

There has been an addition to the listing of The Fours due to analysis of data on the OS Maps website, which is the recent replacement for OS Get-a-map, with confirmation from subsequent LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.  The Fours is the title for the list of 400m hills of England and takes in all English hills at or above 400m and below 500m in height that have a minimum 30m of drop, the list is co-authored by Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams and the 2^nd edition of the booklet containing this list was published by Mapping Mountains Publications on the 24^th April 2018.

Accompanying the main list of The Fours are three categories of sub hills, with this hill being added to the 400m Sub-Fours.  The criteria for 400m Sub-Four status are all English hills at or above 400m and below 500m in height that have 20m or more and below 30m of drop.  

Prior to analysis of data on OS Maps this hill was not classified as its present construction is the result of mining activity from the Hindlow Quarry; therefore it does not possess any upper ring contours on the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger or 1:25,000 Explorer maps.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

The land where the summit of this hill is situated is positioned on that associated with Dow Low (SK 093 675) and therefore it is listed by the same name.  The hill is situated in the Southern Pennines and is placed in Region 36, with its Cardinal Hill being Axe Edge (SK 035 706).  The hill is positioned between the B 5053 road which is to its west and the A 515 road to its north-east and has the town of Buxton to its north north-west.

View of Dow Low (SK 098 678)

As the summit of the hill is not a part of designated open access land and a part of a working quarry permission to visit should be sought, for those wishing to do so an ascent from the north-east may prove the easiest.

The initial addition of this hill to 400m Sub-Four status is due to the analysis of data on the OS Maps website coupled with analysis of imagery on Google Maps and Google Earth concluding that the hill is solid and stable.  The mapping on the OS Maps website gives contour intervals at 5m which has enabled the height of the summit and col to be estimated when compared to the lack of detail on the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger and 1:25,000 Explorer maps.  Therefore with an estimated summit height of c 416m based on an uppermost 415m ring contour on OS Maps and an estimated col height of c 388m, based on col contouring on OS Maps between 385m – 390m, these values give this hill an estimated c 28m of drop, which is sufficient for it to be classified as a 400m Sub-Four.

Extract from OS Maps

However, it was not until LIDAR became available that the details for this hill could be accurately re-assessed.  The LIDAR (Light Detection & Ranging) technique produced highly accurate height data that is now freely available for much of England and Wales.

LIDAR image of Dow Low (SK 098 678)

Therefore, the confirmation of the addition of this hill to 400m Sub-Four status is due to LIDAR analysis, resulting in a 419.2m summit height and a 398.0m col height, with these values giving this hill 21.2m of drop, which is sufficient for it to be classified as a 400m Sub-Four.

 

The full details for the hill are:

Cardinal Hill:  Axe Edge

Name:  Dow Low

OS 1:50,000 map:  119

Summit Height:  419.2m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference:  SK 09807 67866 (LIDAR)

Col Height:  398.0m (LIDAR)

Col Grid Reference:  SK 09828 67761 (LIDAR)

Drop:  21.2m (LIDAR)

For the additions, deletions and reclassifications to The Fours reported on Mapping Mountains since the December 2013 publication of the list by Europeaklist please consult the following Change Registers:

The Fours

The Fours – 400m Sub-Four

The Fours – 390m Sub-Four

The Fours – 390m Double Sub-Four

Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams (August 2018)

Mapping Mountains – Hill Reclassifications – The Fours

Pt. 465.1m (NT 830 141) – 400m Sub-Four reclassified to Four

There has been a reclassification to the listing of The Fours due to analysis of data on the OS Maps website, which is the recent replacement for OS Get-a-map with confirmation from subsequent LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.  The Fours is the title for the list of 400m hills of England and takes in all English hills at and above 400m and below 500m in height that have a minimum 30m of drop, the list is co-authored by Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams and the 2^nd edition of the booklet containing this list was published by Mapping Mountains Publications on the 24^th April 2018.

Pt. 465.1m (NT 830 141).  Photo: Rob Woodall

Accompanying the main list of The Fours are three categories of sub hills, with this hill being reclassified from the 400m Sub-Fours.  The criteria for 400m Sub-Four status are all English hills at and above 400m and below 500m in height that have 20m or more and below 30m of drop. 

 

Prior to analysis of data on OS Maps this hill was listed with an estimated c 28m of drop, based on the 465m summit spot height that appears on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map and an estimated c 437m col height, based on interpolation of 10m contouring between 430m – 440m that appear on the 1:50,000 Landranger and 1:25,000 Explorer map.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey Interactive Coverage Map hosted on the Geograph website

As the authors do not know an individual name for this hill it appears listed under the point (Pt. 465.1m) notation and it is situated in the Scottish Border to the River Tyne area and is placed in Region 33, with its Cardinal Hill being The Cheviot (NT 909 205).  The hill is positioned between the Westhope Burn to its west and the Easthope Burn to its east and is within 600 metres of the border with Scotland which is to its north north-west.

The summit of the hill is a part of designated open access land and can be approached from the Pennine Way that follows the course of the border hereabouts or from the stream valley to its south, with other options for access following hill ridges either side of the ridge this hill is situated on.

The summit of Pt. 465.1m (NT 830 141).  Photo: Rob Woodall

The initial reclassification of this hill from Sub-Four status is due to analysis of data on the OS Maps website.  This mapping gives contour intervals at 5m which has enabled the height of the col to be narrowed down compared to the 10m contour intervals given on the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger and 1:25,000 Explorer map.  Therefore with a 465m summit spot height on the 1:25,000 Explorer map and an estimated col height of c 433m, based on col contouring on OS Maps between 430m – 435m, this hill is now listed with an estimated c 32m of drop, which is sufficient for it to be reclassified to Four status.

Extract from OS Maps

However, it was not until LIDAR became available that the details for this hill could be accurately re-assessed.  The LIDAR (Light Detection & Ranging) technique produced highly accurate height data that is now freely available for much of England and Wales. 

LIDAR image of Pt. 465.1m (NT 830 141)

Therefore, the confirmation of the reclassification of this hill from Sub-Four status is due to LIDAR analysis, resulting in a 465.1m summit height and a 433.1m col height, with these values giving this hill 32.1m of drop, which is sufficient for it to be classified as a Four.

 

The full details for the hill are:

Cardinal Hill:  The Cheviot

Name:  Pt. 465.1m

OS 1:50,000 map:  80

Summit Height:  465.1m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference:  NT 83019 14191 (LIDAR)

Col Height:  433.1m (LIDAR)

Col Grid Reference:  NT 82972 14294 (LIDAR)

Drop:  32.1m (LIDAR)

For the additions, deletions and reclassifications to The Fours reported on Mapping Mountains since the December 2013 publication of the list by Europeaklist please consult the following Change Registers:

The Fours

The Fours – 400m Sub-Four

The Fours – 390m Sub-Four

The Fours – 390m Double Sub-Four

Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams (June 2018)

Mapping Mountains – Hill Reclassifications – The Fours

High Nook (NY 120 189) – 400m Sub-Four deletion

There has been a deletion from the listing of The Fours due to LIDAR analysis conducted by Aled Williams.  The Fours is the title for the list of 400m hills of England and takes in all English hills at and above 400m and below 500m in height that have a minimum 30m of drop, the list is co-authored by Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams and the 2^nd edition of the booklet containing this list was published by Mapping Mountains Publications on the 24^th April 2018.

Accompanying the main list of The Fours are three categories of sub hills, with this hill being deleted from the 400m Sub-Fours.  The criteria for 400m Sub-Four status are all English hills at and above 400m and below 500m in height that have 20m and more and below 30m of drop. 

 

Prior to LIDAR analysis this hill was listed with 21m of drop based on the 488m summit spot height that appears on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map and the 467m col spot height that appears on the Ordnance Survey Interactive Coverage Map hosted on the Geograph website.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

Extract from the Ordnance Survey Interactive Coverage Map hosted on the Geograph website

The name of the hill is High Nook and it is situated in the Central and Western Fells of the Lake District and is placed in Region 34, Section 34B, with its Cardinal Hill being Great Gable (NY 211 103).  The hill is positioned on the north-easterly ridge that descends from Gravel Fell and has the Highnook Beck to its north-west and the Whiteoak Beck to its east.

As the summit of the hill is a part of designated open access land it can be approached from a number of directions, with a public footpath leading toward the hill from the north, however this hill can easily be combined with adjacent hills to make an extended walk.

The deletion of High Nook from 400m Sub-Four status is due to LIDAR analysis conducted by Aled Williams.  The LIDAR (Light Detection & Ranging) technique produced highly accurate height data that is now freely available for much of England and Wales.

Aled’s LIDAR analysis gives the hill the following details:

High Nook

Summit Height:  486.0m

Summit Grid Reference:  NY 12033 18915

Col Height:  466.1m

Col Grid Reference:  NY 11922 18855

Drop:  19.9m

LIDAR image of High Nook

Therefore, the 486.0m LIDAR analysis for the summit position at NY 12033 18915 and the 466.1m LIDAR analysis for the col position at NY 11922 18855 gives this hill 19.9m of drop, which is insufficient for it to retain its 400m Sub-Four status.

The full details for the hill are:

Cardinal Hill:  Great Gable

Summit Height:  486.0m (LIDAR)

Name:  High Nook

OS 1:50,000 map:  89

Summit Grid Reference:  NY 12033 18915 (LIDAR)

Drop:  19.9m (LIDAR)

For the additions, deletions and reclassifications to The Fours reported on Mapping Mountains since the December 2013 publication of the list by Europeaklist please consult the following Change Registers:

The Fours

The Fours – 400m Sub-Four

The Fours – 390m Sub-Four

The Fours – 390m Double Sub-Four

Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams (May 2018)