Nine Standards

Last time we were around Kirkby Stephen area visiting Pendragon Castle and Lammerside Castle, I spied a curious place on the map called the Nine Standards. I had a quick Google and found they were nine cairns located on the Pennine Way.

The Nine Standards are large stone cairns, each varying in size and shape. Some are round and squat, while others are tall and narrow.

The cairns live on the appropriately named Nine Standards Rigg on Hartley Fell, right on the border between Cumbria and Yorkshire. Sitting at 662 meters above sea level these distinctive cairns can be seen from miles away.

Despite their name, there hasn't always been nine cairns, the number has varied over time as cairns have been damaged and rebuilt. The structures range from about 2 to 4 meters high, built in different shapes including conical and cylindrical designs. The age and original purpose of the Nine Standards also remains unknown. They appear on maps dating back to the 18th century, but they could be much older.

There are a number of ideas for what the cairns were built for including boundary markers, waypoints, or even decoys to confuse raiding Scots in the past by mimicking soldiers on the horizon.

If you fancy a visit you have a couple of options. The popular route is to park in Kirkby Stephen and follow a clear, signposted track east. However it's 6km just to get there with over 500m of ascent! If you fancy a quick, but boggy visit then I found a route coming from the south which is half the distance and a lot less climbing.

Follow the route above, or open on OS Maps. Just over 3km there and 178m of climbing. This route was a bit squelchy, so bring your wellies or some waterproof walking boots.

Nearby to the cairns is the Nine Standards Rigg Trig Point and also a toposcope.

Not bad views up here either. I believe that is High Pike Hill.