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United Kingdom
England
North West England
Greater Manchester

The Rain Stone (Stanza Stone) at Cow’s Mouth Quarry

Discover
Places to see

Natural Monuments

United Kingdom
England
North West England
Greater Manchester

The Rain Stone (Stanza Stone) at Cow’s Mouth Quarry

Highlight • Monument

The Rain Stone (Stanza Stone) at Cow’s Mouth Quarry

Recommended by 53 hikers out of 54

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    Location: Greater Manchester, North West England, England, United Kingdom

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    Best Hikes to The Rain Stone (Stanza Stone) at Cow’s Mouth Quarry

    4.8

    (6)

    69

    hikers

    1. Blackstone Edge Reservoir – Warland Reservoir Tower loop from Timbercliffe

    9.59km

    02:28

    50m

    50m

    Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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    Moderate

    3.5

    (2)

    38

    hikers

    2. Blackstone Edge Reservoir – Stone Bridge Over Stream loop from Timbercliffe

    4.68km

    01:11

    10m

    10m

    Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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    Easy

    4.5

    (4)

    43

    hikers

    3. The White House Inn – Blackstone Edge Reservoir loop from Timbercliffe

    5.53km

    01:29

    70m

    70m

    Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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    Easy

    Tips

    November 1, 2020

    Inscribed with the poetry of Simon Armitage, the Rain Stone can be found at Cow’s Mouth Quarry along the Pennine Way. The poem 'Rain' reads:

    Be glad of these freshwater tears,
    Each pearled droplet some salty old sea-bullet
    Air-lifted out of the waves, then laundered and sieved, recast as a soft bead and returned.
    And no matter how much it strafes or sheets, it is no mean feat to catch one raindrop clean in the mouth,
    To take one drop on the tongue, tasting cloud pollen, grain of the heavens, raw sky.
    Let it teem, up here where the front of the mind distils the brunt of the world.

      June 15, 2022

      The Rain Stone inscribed with the poetry of Simon Armitage, is part of the Stanza Stones collaboration between imove, IIkley Literature Festival, Simon Armitage and Pennine Prospects, as part of the wider Stanza Stones Walk.

      As you approach the quarry from the White House, watch for a small stone arched bridge spanning the catch water drain on your right about 75 yards before the crags. The path from the bridge affords a close up view of the face carrying the carving.

      There are six "Stanza Poems" all carved on rock, and all bearing poetry written by Yorkshire poet, Simon Armitage, and chiselled by artist, Pip Hall and her apprentice, Wayne Hart.

      The six ‘Stanza Stones’ poems celebrate water in all its forms: snow, rain, mist, dew, puddle and beck and were commissioned in 2010 by the Ilkley Literature Festival in the run up to the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

        February 25, 2024

        Now I know it's called the rain stone...

          September 19, 2024

          This is really only a highlight if you have any interest in the Stanza Stones project.

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            Details

            Informations

            Elevation 410 m

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            Thursday 13 November

            12°C

            6°C

            10 %

            If you start your activity now...

            Max wind speed: 21.0 km/h

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            Location: Greater Manchester, North West England, England, United Kingdom

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