It’s not a rarity for Yorkshire to be a source of inspiration. Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘Shire’, Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The list could go on. And it does, all thanks to the incredibly varied landscape known as God’s Own Country. But there’s one landscape here, in particular, that caught Sherlock Holmes’ attention (or, should I say, author Arthur Conan Doyle’s).
Hidden away in the South side of the Yorkshire Dales, Trollers Gill is a limestone gorge that rips through the countryside, leaving behind a rocky ravine that houses a dark past.
There’s numerous myths surrounding this particular ravine, including a history of trolls who supposedly lived here, which is how the place got its name. But it’s the existence of ‘Barghest’ that is considered the inspiration behind The Hound of the Baskervilles (the third instalment in the Sherlock Holmes book series).
So, who’s Barghest when he’s at home? It’s said that Barghest was a monstrous black dog who would turn people to stone with just one look. He had large teeth and claws, and became a local folklore symbol for death, so as you can imagine, Barghest was a pretty scary fella.
The legend bears a resemblance to The Hound of the Baskervilles, where a demonic hound wreaks havoc on Dartmoor, killing members of the Baskerville family.
In addition to being home to the frightful hound, Trollers Gill was (apparently) also home to a group of trolls, who legend says used to push large rocks from the top of the gorge at people travelling below. So, be it a big black dog or a troll, this place spelled trouble for the locals.
Today, there doesn’t seem to be any trolls or big, scary hounds living there, and it’s become a popular hiking spot for the curious.
Boasting caves, streams and, of course, the huge ravine, Trollers Gill isn’t the easiest walk in the Yorkshire Dales, but it’s certainly a rewarding one. After climbing over the rocks along the dry beck (which, who knows, could be remnants from those pesky trolls!), eagle-eyed hikers might spot a cave known as Hell Hole – a 55 metre deep cave with 210 metres of passages, before being greeted with the appearance of the beautiful beck which is great for the dogs to paddle in.
The walk begins and ends in the quaint village of Skyreholme, which is home to the beautiful Parcevall Hall alongside Stump Cross Caverns, which is just a few minutes out of the village.
Read more: This Yorkshire Dales Waterfall Is The Highest Cascading Waterfall In England
