Hi Guys, 

I'm off tomorrow to ride High Cup Nick from Cow Green reservoir. Just wondered if anyone had rode this and any thoughts on the best way round. 

At the moment I plan to ride Cow Green - High Cup Nick -drop to Dufton - Pennine Way climb up Knock Fell - Tynehead - Cow Green. 

Any advice or recommendations is much appreciated.

 

Cheers, Mark.

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the feedback, I wish we had taken the bridleway climb and cut across - however the pennine way was basically unrideable and we ended up on a 3hr hike a bike including a tees crossing! 

I'll give the bigger route past Gregs hut and ove cross fell go when the suns shining.

 

Cheers, Mark.

Anybody got anything to add ? Sorry no files but let me know and I will PM you.

Hi Ben,

This is the ride Pam and I did at the weekend.

:- High Cup Clockwise from Cow Green

The ride along Trout Beck requires a bit of imagination at times. The route we did included a shortcut across metal band hill but I use the term loosely since its not very pleasant going. Previously we followed the track towards tyne head and then cut back along the road to pick-up the footpath. The fp is actually a good wide track and no stiles that I remember (we did it last year with Tont on the SSR heading west).

The alternative gpx to metal band hill is.

:- Alternative to push and carry on metal band hill


The there is this is a big route that is well worth considering.

:- CowG Garigill Dufton HighC anticlockwise

The riding upto Cross Fell past Greg’s hut is a monster climb but straight forward however Tont confirms as does a post on STW that the B/W down to Kirkland is good.

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/cross-fell-this-weekend-any-pointers#post-2715089

There is indeed a short cut but it misses out High Cup Nick climb from Dufton which is up the tarmac bridleway to Great Dun Fell and then Trout Beck etc.

:- Escape route from anti clockwise loop

The only other options you have if you do the anti-clockwise version is to turn east on Cross Fell then return via Trout Beck or descend on the Tarmac B/Way from the Radar station or and this bit I cannot confirm, the Pennine Way has been paved and some guys told me they used it as a route to Dufton thus missing out Knock.


High Cup Nick when travelling south along the Pennine Way is amazing as it reveals itself in one hit so breath taking. From the other direction it kinda spoils the effect but still good.

See photos…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevesmith7461/5901336517/in/photostream

This is a wild wilderness place and it has some unique weather patterns so be warned !
http://www.dufton.org.uk/the%20helm%20wind%20dufton%20village%20cumbria.html

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It will soon be snowing again