A most unpromising start to the day as we drove over Stainmore on the A66; the mist was down and it looked set for the day.
Arrived at Dufton and no change in the weather: a couple of old farmer types did not help the mood with their comment, "You're gonna get wet up there today". Whilst part of me agreed with them another part was optomistic of better things to come. Always listen to the inner you!!
Off up the track beside the wonderfully named Pusgill and skirting past Dufton Pike, I resisted the urge to make the detour which turned out to be a shame. Camera still in bag!
Arriving at remains of old mine buildings at Threlkeld Side I sensed the mist was becoming thinner with a hint of blue so out came the camera.
- Lime Kiln: Threlkeld Side
Things were decidely improving as we ascended and at about 1500 feet (457 metres) the mist started to clear above us, but not below us. Today looked like being a good one.
- The route ahead is clear: Threlkeld Side
- Looking down Threlkeld Side into the mist
The views looking back were exrtaordinary as we could just make out the hills of the Lake District peaking out above the cloud base.
- Distant Lakeland Hills.
The day's first objective was Great Rundale Tarn, a place I had been intent on visiting but never got round to. The outflow feeds Maize Beck which is a major tributary of the River Tees. The tarn was still frozen even though we were now in bright, warm sunshine. It was after all just above freezing point with no wind.
- Great Rundale Tarn
After making a complete circuit of the tarn we headed for our next objective Backstone Edge which is an escarpment overlooking the Eden Valley and I must admit to being a bit taken aback with the views that greeted us!
- Cross Fell and the Dun Fells from Blackstone Edge
- Dufton Pike poking out of the cloud.
You can see why I was a bit "dischuffed" with myself for not ascending Dufton Pike.
And when I thought it couldn't get any better we got our own fly past!!
- Fly past!!
Backstone Edge has several large cairns
- Cairns: Backstone Edge.
If the weather had changed now I would have been quite happy even with the highlight of the trip still to come: High Cup Nick. High Cup Gill creates an almost perfect u-shaped glacial valley and the views today were ones to "dream of". I will stop writing and let the pictures take up the story.
For those of you who have been here you will know what I mean, if you haven't I hope this inspires you to go!
- From Narrowgate Beacon
- Eastern Cliffs
- The head of the gill
The actual "nick" in the name is the scree filled gap. The whole valley is called High Cup Gill.
- Western cliffs through the "nick"
The eastern cliffs looked quite menacing!
- Cliffs
The Pennine Way passes close to the edge under Narrowgate Beacon
- Pennine Way: High Cup Gill
The Western Escarpment has many rock pinnacles
- Looking across High Cup Gill form the Pennine Way
- The gill nearly filled now
The views south from here across the Eden Valley were stunning
- Looking south
- Murton Pike and the Eden Valley
But it was now time to leave and head back to Dufton so we headed south west along the pennine Way and back into the mist but time for one last picture
- Back into the mist
The rest of the walk was spent in clinging mist just as it was 6 hours earlier: it hadn't lifted in the valley at all.
A most memorable day.
This is what High Cup Nick looks like from the south, obviously taken at a different time (8th October 2009)
- The valley of High Cup Gill from the south
The End!!
from a day in a thousand, thanks for sharing.
