Above the clouds: High Cup Nick
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 5:20 pm
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.
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 views looking back were exrtaordinary as we could just make out the hills of the Lake District peaking out above the cloud base.
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.
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!
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!!
Backstone Edge has several large cairns
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!
The actual "nick" in the name is the scree filled gap. The whole valley is called High Cup Gill.
The eastern cliffs looked quite menacing!
The Pennine Way passes close to the edge under Narrowgate Beacon
The Western Escarpment has many rock pinnacles
The views south from here across the Eden Valley were stunning
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
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)
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The End!!