Chapter 21: Hellgill 1980-2014
Hellgill. Paradise Found!
This huge renovation was different. It was a place for us to use... rather than to rent out. So many memories with friends and family, plus hair-raising adventures down 'the gorge' or 'the ravine'
Paradise Found
We had saved the best for the last. After years of working in superb locations, we thought it would be wonderful to own a cottage that we didn't rent out. Somewhere we could just chill out.
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On 16 June 1980 we attended an Auction at the Pennine hotel, Kirkby Stephen, and purchased Hellgill Farm, Mallerstang.
We had prearranged with two local farmers that if the land and buildings were purchased as one lot, then we would take the property and they would take the land.
The Location of Hellgill is Unique​
Situated in the Upper Eden Valley, in the area known locally as Mallerstang, the farmhouse is on the watershed of two rivers, and overlooks the head of both Upper Wensleydale and the Eden Valley.
It sits on the Western Pennine slopes, at around 1250ft above sea level, and faces the Howgill Mountains with Wild Boar Fell and Swarth Fell prominently in view.
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Mallerstang is the name given to the valley of the infant River Eden, as it runs from Kirkby Stephen to Hellgill. It is reported that Mallerstang was not part of England until 1092 when William Rufus conquered Carlisle and the North.
It's difficult to know where to start. Perhaps a copy of the Auction Notice for the purchase, and then, I think, extracts from the “Sale” Brochure.
Our share of the cost was £20,100 and it was to prove a good investment.
For the next 34 years it was to be a focal point for ourselves and our family.
Dozens of our friends would join us here, and many New Years parties would be held here.We would find ourselves here at least once a month.
Hellgill Farm. Aisgill Moor. Mallerstang. Kirkby Stephen. Cumbria. CA17 4JY. Ordnance Survey Grid Reference. Sheet 90. 786968
The property is exactly on the Cumbria/Yorkshire Dales National Park boundary and is the last and highest property on the banks of the River Eden.
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Cattle Drovers rested here whilst local ladies provided refreshment and Blacksmiths attended to their horses needs. The busiest time of year was at Brough Fair when Scottish Drovers brought herds of slow moving cattle to markets at Gearstones and Malham Moor.
Musicians played here, some walking over the fells from neighbouring valleys. The High Road was the main route through the valley until around 1829 when the valley floor was drained and a new road introduced.
Although termed a “road” the better term would be “track” as there is no paving. Some refer to it as the “Roman Road”.
Certainly it was well used by the raiding Scots, and Mary Queen of Scots passed here on her way to the Tower of London.
The Romans used this route between their various camps, (Roman coins have been located by metal detector), and raiding Scots were frequent visitors.
Lady Ann Clifford used the High Road regularly whilst renovating her various castles (including Penrith, Pendragon, Skipton).
A Property with History. Reportedly visited by Drovers, Romans, Two Famous Ladies and according to the sale particulars above, Dick Turpin!
Hellgill, a farm house, is believed to date from around 1780. At one time it was reputedly an Inn, and was conveniently located on the old Turnpike 'High Road' precisely half way between Hawes and Kirby Stephen.
It was remote. But we already knew the nearest neighbours because that was ourselves... and local farmers!
From the summit of the B6259, at Aisgill Moor Cottages, (the border of Cumbria and North Yorkshire) take the unmade road over the railway and head for Hellgill, the white walled property on the hill ahead.
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Our nearest neighbour was at Aisgill Moor, about half a mile down the track.
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​​We did of course renovate two of the Aisgill properties ourselves. No 3 and No 4 had already been beautifully converted by Chris and May Alderson who farmed Aisgill and who had just purchased the land around Hellgill at the recent auction.
May was a great cook and always had several tins of goodies to hand. We enjoyed a number of evenings with them, usually with a small “tot”.
Chris was a strong character and well known as a “Sheep Judge”. His book shelves contained the pedigree of thousands of sheep.
As you cross the railway bridge you have two wheels in Cumbria and two in the North Riding of Yorkshire. Also, this railway bridge marks the summit of the famous Settle-Carlisle Railway Line”. (Steam Trains operate fairly frequently).
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The track soon turns uphill, past a ford over the river, at the point where the river dives over Hellgill Force, the highest waterfall on the Eden.
Unless in a 4 x 4, care was required driving up the farm track.
Laurie catches breakfast
More wonderful things regarding Hellgill's environmental attractions...​
No less than four long distance walks and the Cumbria Cycleway pass near the property. Despite this, the area is still little frequented.
It’s the perfect place for peace and quiet and a log fire, with spectacular views of Fells and Valley from its upstairs lounge windows. (The views from the upstairs bedroom and the loo also tempt you to linger).
Wild flowers, wild birds and wild animals abound, and the area around is a particular joy at lambing time. A small pond is fed by an emergent stream.
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The River Eden rises behind Hellgill and passes within 100metres of the front door.
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At its source the Eden is, strangely, known as Red Gill, and rises at Eden Springs between the hills called High Seat and Hugh Seat.
As it enters the Hellgill Ravine it changes its name to Hell Gill, and as it drops over the Hellgill Force Waterfall it becomes the Eden.
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Hellgill is the first property the river passes on its way down Mallerstang valley to Kirkby Stephen and Appleby en route for the Solway Firth and the Irish Sea.
The Eden is possibly the only river in England that actually flows northward for much of its journey.
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The Ravine or Gorge
The ravine by which the property is situated is an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) and the far Bank of the river is within the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
Plans to extend the National Park incorporate Hellgill, and a photo from the property is included in the Consultation Document.
A Highwayman (Dick Turpin or Will Nevin?) is reputed to have leaped the ravine on horseback whilst being pursued.
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Hellgill Gorge is about half a mile long, up to 60ft deep and varies from between 5ft and 20ft in width. After heavy rain it should not be entered, as, once entered, it cannot be left until much further downstream.
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It can be followed with care when the water flow is not too great. A helmet should be worn. It contains a deep pool into which you must jump, and a Grotto through which you must swim.
An interesting place to entertain adventuresome guests !!!
At the exit of the Ravine a decent sized natural swimming pool, (in the River Eden), lies less than 100 yards from our front door, at the point where a small waterfall marks the end of the ravine.
Paul Marshall & Wendy Rutter brave the ravine
It Was Derelict- Some Work To Do!
Renovations Begin
A downstairs toilet was added, with appropriate drains. A car parking area was flattened and surfaced with flattish river stones. Gates were replaced.
The Old Peat House was emptied, the interior wall demolished, and a new floor installed, with an exterior double door fitted, to create a playroom for Table Tennis etc.
Another new staircase initially gave access to the new playroom but was later made redundant when access was made from bedroom to playroom.
Two upstairs bedrooms were knocked through to create a 23ft upstairs lounge. The kitchen was gutted, an extra window added, panelling all round, and the ceiling stripped revealing the original... along with a pair of underpants pinched from some now long dead farmer by some now long dead rat!
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Where to Start?!​
The priorities were to put a new roof on, rewire, and to put in a private water supply and collection tank.
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The water supply had to come across country from a mountain spring about half a mile from the property.
The cost of the new roof was similar to the purchase price of the whole property.
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We put surface drainage all round. Then we installed a dozen new Double Glazed windows thanks to Dave Hutch negotiating a deal with a windows company. I think we got 12 new double glazed windows for about £1000.
The property had been left seriously neglected for many years. The pictures show an old fireplace in one of the bedrooms. Sheep fleeces stored on an old bed and the old kitchen Aga, unfortunately in too poor condition to restore.
Sheep fleece left on bed
Dave Hutchinson- framed!
Improving access up a tricky slope and half a mile of road improvements was in itself a mammoth task. New gates were fitted here too and fallen walls repaired.
All interior walls needed replastering. We built a new fireplace in the upstairs lounge, and knocked out a large hole in the end wall to install a large picture window.
Initially the whole property had to be gutted, and there was work to be done in prodigious amounts.
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Stone Flags were replaced with concrete floors. Most of the staircase was replaced, and Newel Posts added. A room was plumbed as a bathroom.
We knocked through on the ground floor to the lower Peat House to create a coal cellar/wood store and utility room.
We also treated for woodworm and dry rot, and then we built and fitted new interior doors and casings (my first real carpentry experience).
We re-routed a public footpath than ran through the grounds. The rear wall was rendered and painted several times.
I purchased a Dumper Truck to help move materials the half mile from the track end to the house, and, in 1981, invested in a Cement Mixer which has just made it to 2021.
Friend Laurie with the new mixer
1000 trees... and 2 Amazing Daves!
Early in 2000 we decided to plant about 1000 trees. I placed an order with a Nursery near Ravenstonedale for collection in early May. When the day arrived there had been deep overnight snow so we couldn't get down the valley.
Eventually, a week or so later, I managed to get down with my trailer, but it wasn't required, as the 1000 trees fitted, with room to spare, in my car boot.
We had taken advice about planting at the height of 1250ft and had mixed reports. As it happened everything took really well. We erected fencing and added rabbit wire, enlarging the small pond and small stream in the rear field. I applied for a grant for trees and labour and, by providing the labour, the job cost nothing.
Picture shows Ray bravely holding a fencing post whilst I try to hit it. Limestone just below the surface needed excavating to allow posts to be inserted, a slow job.
It was whilst we were working on Hellgill that fag rolling Dave Hutchinson (All right mi duck!”) “Hutch” started to work for us.
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He was a Badminton Member at SSLTC (South Shore Lawn Tennis Club) where we all played, and he was to become a good friend. He was a Jack of all Trades and these skills were invaluable for the work in hand.
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He worked at Hellgill for many years from 1980, and also worked for us at Ambleside and Meadow Road, not to mention 605.
Dave H. loved Hellgill and always left his slippers there so “he would have to go again”. Cheese was his favourite food whatever the meal.
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He was a big fan of the Detective Series “Columbo” and in many ways he was a Columbo lookalike.
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One day, when we had friend Geraldine (Bean) Newlyn staying at the farm, Dave spent an hour and a half narrating to her just one Columbo 30 minute story.​​
Geraldine Newlyn (Bean) helps tree planting
​​​​​​​Dave could weigh up a job by eye, and, with apparently, just an axe and saw, provide a professional finish time after time. Dave “Kirk” worked on most of our cottages, with his brother Ronnie doing the major electrical jobs.
We eventually had a partnership with him on property in Hawes. Both Davids had the frustrating habit of never knowing where their tools were. They were usually stood on them.
After many years we finally managed to get a telephone line installed. This involved underground cable being laid for the half mile from the farm to the main road.
Up till then, if I was working alone, I had to drive down the road to the old schoolhouse near the Moorcock (Pub) to a Public Phone Box.
Eventually we did a deal with an internet provider. They could have an aerial on our roof in exchange for free internet.
“Hutch” spend the best part of a year on Andy's new purchase at 1 New Hall Ave., and he left a hole in our hearts when he died around 2018.
Another stalwart of our cottage days and Hellgill was Dave Kirkham (“When I nod my head, you hit it”) who had been a good friend from shortly after marriage after he did some work at Lytham Rd. And is a close family friend to this day.
Dave Kirkham and my son Dave renovating Playbarn doors
The Champions
Local railway worker, Ivan Champion did many jobs around the place, such as exterior pointing, building a new fireplace in the lounge, plumbing etc.
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In between there was lots of fun.
We had became close to him and his family who lived at one of the Garsdale cottages.
We attended the wedding of one of his daughters.
Friends, Friends... and More Friends!​
Andrew and friend Laurence from Aisgill Moor explored the area and Sue spent much time with Linda (Laurence's mother) and her goats at the road end.​
​Dog visitors included Sooty. Barney. Kim. Sally.
Party games featured largely, with old favourites such as Newspaper Tearing, Charades, Post Card Quiz's, Wallpaper Racing, Carpet Bowls, Balloons, Aeroplanes, Dressing up etc etc.
Many of the New Year parties featured Fancy Dress.
David and friends Travis and Christian enjoyed many exploits including camping, Bonfire Night and Halloween.
Kim loved the River, and even Marjorie went paddling
Over the years we had dozens of visitors.
These included the Lancashire Junior Badminton Squad with Rosemary Shipley and husband.
​​​Numerous New Years found us with the Earlys and the Taits.
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Christian and Margaret Holt were regulars, as were Mal Newlyn & Geraldine, the Pickerings, Hazel Shaw, Les and friends.
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Others included Drs Martyn and Anita Lucking and friends mentioned in the Trips with Friends section of the website.
Also several members of Stanley Badminton, including Wendy Rutter. Paul Marshall. Neil Pemberton & Family, Shirley & Derek Hill. Stewart and Jean Wade.
Marjorie's brother Les Milton & family
Lifelong friends John Early and Mal Newlyn
The Farmers
​​Chris had two sons Gordon and Steve who worked alongside him. Eventually Steve took over the Aisgill Farm operation, with grazing for sheep on Wild Boar Fell, whilst Gordon took on the Hellgill area with grazing to the Pennine slopes to the East.
We got friendly with both these sons and they always had time for a farmers typical two minute chat. You always knew when Chris had had enough when he said “Well, right ho then, I'll let you get on!”
In the early days Chris had a black horse which he used to patrol the fells. Eventually it gave way to an off road Quad Bike!
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When Chris and May retired, they moved to Kirkby Stephen, and son Gordon took over the “Hellgill” land.
Our farmer was Chris Alderson, and his wife was May. We got on well and spent quite a few evenings with them chewing the cud and sipping a Scotch. They were great, genuine, people.
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Chris was one of the two farmers with whom we entered into an agreement when we purchased Hellgill at Auction. We ended up with the property whilst they wanted, and divided, the land.
Time with Chris Junior
Farmer's son Steve also had a son called Chris, named after Chris Senior.
When young Chris got married we were delighted to be invited. Chris Jnr soon took a job away, working on a farm near to Scotch Corner. A dilapidated house came with the job.
Marjorie and I visited them one day and ended up offering to decorate the place, as it was badly in need of a face lift.
Having kitted ourselves out with the paint, paper, paste etc, we went back over our next two available weekends, in which time we decorated two bedrooms, bathroom, stairs and kitchen. It looked a whole lot better.
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Unfortunately young Chris had chosen a hard employer and his grandfather, Chris Snr, had to step in and give this other farmer a dressing down, instructing Chris Jnr to return home.
They had been working him over 100 hours per week, as it was their lambing time and they had no other staff.
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So someone else got the benefit of our labours. Nothing daunted, a month or so later, Chris Jnr took another job, somewhere just north of York, and we again went to see him.
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We took his wife and himself out for a Pub Supper. Returning to his new accommodation he admitted that this new job was not going well, and he was thinking of returning to Aisgill.
He said he had a cunning plan!. What he wanted to do was to rent Hellgill!! Needless to say, at the time we had no plans to stop going regularly and rent it out.
The Worst Hellgill Job
Perhaps the one job at Hellgill that I enjoyed the least was when we turned the kitchen tap on, and found that the water was a bit smelly and cloudy.
A half mile walk to the water tank revealed that somehow a baby lamb had managed to find its way into the water tank. It had obviously been there a while, as the whole tank and walls were covered in Maggots.
The dead carcase floated happily around, propelled by the incoming water from an underground stream. Draining the tank was difficult as the outlet valve was not very big, and water was coming in nearly as quickly as it was going out.
Steve Alderson offered to bring up his tractor and Slurry Pump so that we could drain the water off quickly enough to allow for cleaning.
With the tank slowly emptying I climbed in, knelt in the murky water and started to wire brush the walls.
It was like being in a small prison cell. With only about 3ft headroom and only 4ft wide there was not much room to manoeuvre. The only light source was the small metal entry hatch.
​As levels dropped I must have handed up a hundred bucketfuls of tank bottom water and, eventually I was able to scrape and then scrub the walls, ceiling and bottom, using several dozen litres of disinfectant.
Eventually, satisfied that the maggots were all removed, (and they are tiny things), the job was done. We allowed the tank to fill overnight then emptied it again.
Naturally we left it for a couple of months before using it domestically, even though we did have some sort of germ zapper built into the system under the kitchen sink where the water entered the building.
Other Labours of Love
Perhaps next worse incident was after a particularly heavy fall of rain. I climbed out of bed to find that I was standing in about 2” of water, and nearly all the ground floor was awash.
A witch hunt for flaws in the masonry, particularly fireplace and interior walls was carried out. We did have a three foot pit under the stairs and this was brimming.
All carpets had to be taken outside or into the playroom, and all furniture and beds moved. Fortunately this only happened twice.
New surface drains, blocking up an old fireplace and filling small holes between walls and floor screeding eventually did most of the job.
I also dug up the kitchen garden as 5ft fountains had appeared in it.
There appeared to be an underground stream under the house and by digging down under the foundation stones I managed to install drainage piping and create a pathway for the water to escape to the garden.
Happy days.
It Was All Worthwhile...
The roof around the chimneys was an ongoing problem, and the rear wall rendering needed renewing in parts most years. The “Lighthouse” paint which should last “100 years” lasted 3 to 4 years at most.
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But sitting in the sun with a beer, watching a young family of stoats chase around the garden, seeing sheep walk along the garden walls, and hearing pheasants croaking in the evening plus hundreds of other great memories completely swamped the few trying times.
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This last few weeks (Xmas 2020) have seen a flurry of information about our old friends at Garsdale and Aisgill. Its now 10 January 2021, Marjorie's 83rd birthday.
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News of Neighbours...​
Today, Dave received a Face Book message from Carol Champion to say her mother, Elsie, passed away last April. Elsie was our Cleaner at Garsdale Head, and wife of Ivan our odd job man.
More than that, she was a good friend and we had many a meal of egg and chips or similar at their house.
They had one son, Paul. We used to play football with him when he was early teens, They also had 4 daughters. Carol the youngest, then Fiona, and two older girls.
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Yesterday. David had a phone conversation with Chris Alderson Jnr, grandson of Chris and May who farmed Aisgill, then Hellgill, during our life up there.
Young Chris was the son of Steve Alderson and he used to come up to Hellgill regularly in his teens to see if there was a bacon sandwich going.
He loved to just hang around and watch whatever we were doing. Being a farmers son he was not used to people playing games!.
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Just after Xmas I received a phone call from Pauline Hasket who lived at No 1 Aisgill Semi, and whose husband Bill died last year.
We used to go down annually for a meal, and return the complement, and every year they ran a big charity weekend for Air Ambulance when we would go down and spend and help.
Pauline was not impressed by the new owners of Hellgill as they had near demolished the place and built a glass palace, apparently never going up there for over a year and reportedly owing builders a considerable sum.
Gordon, the other son of Chris Snr was still farming Hellgill.
We also had a Christmas Card from May Alderson, living in Kirkby Stephen for some years now. One of her daughters included a nice note to say May was managing, and we were always welcome.
So much news in so few days!!!
In November 2021 we had another note from May, enclosing photos of the “improvements” that the new owners have carried out.
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It might be great when its finished but its a real mess now.
Give us the old Hellgill.
Hellgill as we prefer to remember it
What We Liked Best
The remoteness, the location, the views, the challenge, the freedom and, despite its remoteness, its accessibility to Hawes, Sedburgh and Kirkby Stephen. It was our Utopia!!
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Our favourite memories of Hellgill include: The excitement of the approach. The walk to the secret valley, with its cave you could crawl into. Visits to the Moorcock, and to Blades Restaurant where the plates of food contained up to 30 different things.
Going down the Ravine, with Kim very reluctant at the big drop, despite loving water. The River and its Waterfalls, the Views of Wildboar, the Log Fire.
​The walks to the Monument, snow sledging, the Parties, the New Years, the quality family time...
The Playbarn Games Room saw much Table Tennis action. It was also accessed from a bedroom
...the visits from friends, the Games Room, the meals at the big table. Planting 1000 trees, Steam Trains, The Peace!!!
​​The Earlys and the Taits joining us for many New Years. (We went to Doug and Eileens Cottage near Newby Bridge in return).
Good partnerships were made between Sue & Linda who Sue enjoyed helping at Aisgill Semi, with Linda's pigs. Also between Andrew & Lawrence, Linda's son.
Later it was between David & Christian Holt who was a regular . Not to mention the bond we had with the Alderson family, and with Ivan Champion who did much of the early work until he died, and the two Davids, Hutchinson and Kirkham without whom the job would probably never have been finished.
In 1985 the “Dalesman Magazine” featured a four page article about Hellgill. This included interviews with myself, Lynda and Mike Graves from Aisgill, and Chris Alderson.
Hellgill Force picture used in Dalesway Magazine
