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High Cup Nick via Middle Tongue from Dufton

North Pennines Walk

Region - North Pennines

County/Area - Cumbria - North Pennines

Author - Andy Chaplin

Length - 9.3 miles / 15.1 km    Ascent - 1400 feet / 424 metres

Time - 6 hours 0 minutes    Grade - moderate

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Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - High Cup Nick via Middle Tongue
Click image to see photo description.

From the car park in Dufton go east along the road and Pennine Way to Bow Hall. Just past Bow Hall take the path on the right going south east towards Keisley. This follows the stone wall until Town Head. This can be wet underfoot but most of the stream crossings have little wooden footbridges. Go around the Town Head winery with it on your right hand side then before you get to Keisey House take the farm track to the right down to the Dufton to Murton minor road.

Turn left and follow the road past Keisley Bridge then take the footpath on the left to Harbour Flatt which is just over the hill in front of you. At the Harbour Flatt farm don't go through the gate into the farmyard but bear left on the track that leads north east to open access land.

The track continues through a gate just before crossing Trundale Gill. You continue on the track uphill towards Middletongue Crag. As the stone track peters out the path goes to the right of Middletongue Crag. As the path continues to climb it is always distinguishable as what looks like a farmer's quad-bike track. There are good views to the right of Trundale and Murton Fell.

Carry on across Middle Tongue which can also be quite wet underfoot and cross the stile at grid ref. NY742252. At this point you continue on the path that follows the edge of High Cup Scar. Some way along here you may prefer to walk further away from the edge on the quad bike track that appears once more.

Continue to High Cup Nick where you turn west when you see the boundary stones and then join the Pennine Way. The view from High Cup Nick is spectacular.

The Pennine Way going back towards Dufton is well marked all the way - again there are sections of path that are not as close to the edge for anyone who prefers to take them. Continue on the Pennine Way via Narrow Gate and Dod Hill back to Bow Hall and Dufton.

Other walks nearby

Walk 1715 Dufton Pike & Duftoneasy5.0 miles
Walk 1784 Rutter Force & Hoff Beckeasy/mod8.0 miles
Walk 3071 Cross Fell & Great Dun Fell from Kirklandmod/hard12.0 miles
Walk 3274 Cronkley Scar & Cauldron Snoutmoderate8.0 miles
Walk 1683 High Cup Nick & Cow Green Reservoir moderate12.8 miles
Walk 3336 Cauldron Snouteasy3.6 miles
Walk 3593 Meldon Hill from Cow Green Reservoirmoderate9.2 miles
Walk 2453 Askham Fell from Lowther Castleeasy/mod7.4 miles
Walk 3758 Tynehead and Ashgill Force from near Garrigilleasy/mod8.2 miles
Walk 1084 Garrigill, Alston & Nentheadmoderate13.1 miles

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