Dufton Pike and Backstone Edge

[andy63]

These are two hills in the North Pennines which don't make the Walkhighlands lists.Dufton Pike is a 481m Marilyn, while the Nuttall top of Backstone Edge (not to be confused with Blackstone Edge which is in the South Pennines) is over 2000 feet high but not prominent enough to be a Hewitt.

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I parked in the small village of Dufton and followed a track which goes north east, making a detour over the Pike.

Dufton Pike

This looked like a path but turned out to be a loose scree slope.

Dufton from Dufton Pike

Dufton Pike summit

Eden Valley and Lake District hills

Descent

The track goes up through the steep valley as far as the shooting hut near Great Rundale Tarn, and then half a kilometre of pathless bog trotting leads to the small summit cairn.Fortunately the bog was mostly dry.

Looking down at Dufton Pike

Great Rundale Tarn

It's not the most impressive summit, just a small bump on the long flat ridge which leads up to Cross Fell and beyond.

Backstone Edge summit

Lake District hills

I then went down to the beaten-up trig point, and followed a path around the edge of the plateau as far as Narrowcove Beacon, where there's a large cairn overlooking High Cup Nick.

Narrowgate Beacon

I could see the Pennine Way path a short distance below, but the drop down to it was a bit steep and bouldery.

Once you're on the Pennine Way it's an easy walk back to Dufton.

Pennine Way

Dufton Pike again

[dav2930]

Nice walk. I like Backstone Edge as a link between High Cup Nick and Knock Fell. Dufton Pike is a fine little summit in its own right, too. You certainly picked a cracking day for it!

[trailmasher]

Good walk and photos and it's always a good scene looking across the Eden Valley towards the LD from Dufton Pike Can concur with dav on the walk between Knock Fell and Backstone Edge as being a good way to go. Well done on a fine walk