Nine Standards Rigg

Nine Standards Rigg

Nine Standards Rigg is a 661.9 m Pennine fell east of Kirkby Stephen, with 159 m of prominence. It is a Marilyn, Simm, Hewitt and Nuttall. The nine drystone cairns stand on a lower skyline roughly 500 m north of the trig point. The unmarked highest ground is at NY8255906096, 20 m southeast of the trig.

Routes

Kirkby Stephen station circuit

Start and finish at the railway station. The outward line goes through Nateby and Ladthwaite, then climbs Hartley Fell and Faraday Gill to the cairns and trig. Return by Birkett Lane, Hartley Quarry, the railway viaducts, Stenkrith and Halfpenny House. Skyware’s complete station circuit is 18 km with 720 m ascent, taking 5 hours 45 minutes, and is graded strenuous. Its published itinerary visits the trig; the natural summit is a short distance southeast. Road sections, stiles and boggy fell paths require care.

Kirkby Stephen town circuit

From the market square, cross Frank’s Bridge and walk via Podgill, Ewbank Scar and Ladthwaite, beneath Birkett Hill. Join Birkett Lane, then climb beside Faraday Gill to the cairns and trig. Return down Birkett Lane past Hartley Quarry, through Hartley village and across Frank’s Bridge to the market square. This is the guide’s separate town variant. Respect farm privacy and use the signed paths.

A Coast to Coast continuation towards Keld is a separate linear journey requiring its own finish and onward travel arrangements. The Coast to Coast became a National Trail on 26 March 2026. Natural England confirms new flagstones over Nine Standards Rigg and White Mossy Hill. Minutes of the North Yorkshire Local Access Forum meeting on 24 September 2025 report that flagging had been completed and that the National Park Authority requested exclusive use of the fully flagged red route. This supersedes older seasonal red/blue/green rotation advice. Follow current waymarks and local notices.

Landscape and views

Carboniferous sedimentary rocks underlie the fell, including limestone, shale and sandstone. Deep peat covers much of the surrounding moor, while broken flagstone and sandstone litter parts of the ridge. Clear-weather views from the cairns extend across the Eden Valley towards the Howgills, Lake District and northern Pennines; Wild Boar Fell stands across Mallerstang. Visibility depends on the weather rather than a guaranteed season.

Access and facilities

Christian Head and Stoneshot offer free long-stay town parking; Christian Head has a 2.1 m height limit. The railway station is a separate start outside town. Northern lists a station car park, but check its permitted use before leaving a car for a walk. Choose parking for your intended circuit and keep farm entrances clear.

Northern trains serve Kirkby Stephen on the Settle–Carlisle line. Stagecoach 563 links Penrith with Kirkby Stephen town and station; check current journey patterns, exact stops and last returns. There are public toilets at Stoneshot and refreshments in town. The railway station has no toilets. Carry food, water and hill equipment.

Terrain and safety

The climb crosses exposed moorland with wet peat, uneven paths and little shelter. New flagstones improve the Coast to Coast crossing but do not make all approaches dry or remove the need for navigation. Mist can obscure the cairns and path junctions; carry a current map and compass and know how to use them. Allow enough daylight for the full return.

Wet weather increases mud and boggy conditions; frost, ice or snow can make paths and stone surfaces slippery. Take suitable layers and waterproofs, check the forecast and leave gates as found. Use care on the B6270 verge and narrow lanes. The viaduct return uses permissive paths managed by Northern Viaduct Trust. Check council and National Park access notices, including open-access land restrictions, before travel and follow local signs.

History and surroundings

Historic England lists the nine cairns at Grade II and records a mention in 1635. They cross the boundary between Hartley and Winton parishes, but their original purpose and construction date remain uncertain. Do not climb or dismantle the cairns.

Nearby Wild Boar Fell (708.4 m) and Great Shunner Fell (715.7 m) are separate summits requiring their own route plans. The River Eden, Stenkrith, Ewbank Scar and the former railway viaducts add interest to the lower approaches.