I met Mike, the Go4awalk website editor at Cow Green for this walk - its a go4awalk, walk (if you catch my drift) , but is very old and needed some GPS references and, generally a checking-over.
The first challenge was that various bits of the North pennines access areas are currently closed due to a fire hazard. Other bits are also closed "at the discretion of the landowner" (grrrrrrrrr , I feel a rant coming on here.....)
Anyway, we determined to try to complete this walk without treading on any landowner toes.
We started off by following the Cow Green nature trail which goes to cauldron Snout (still a few spring gentians flowering by the way) - and, following a quick visit to cauldron Snout itself, we followed the Pennine Way to High Cup Nick - It was all a bit misty and drizzly and not the best weather to visit this spectacular chasm.
From HCN, we followed the old PW flood route back to the little limestone gorge and footbridge over the Maize beck which we followed uphill for a bit - and then shadowed Stake beck un till high on the tops. We did trespass just a little bit to the summit of Meldon Hill - a nice, green top who's trig point seems to have been destroyed by weather - probably lightening.
After that, we returned to the Moorhouse nature reserve which has no grouse shooting and, therefore remains open and followed Force Beck, down through some remarkable Whin Sill "tanks" to the River Tees, which we crossed to get back to the start. (No grouse on Meldon Hill as it's limestone and has no heather)
This is a very wild walk with a remote feel to it. The place is absolutely heaving with bird life - and there's the steady drumming of the artillery and machine guns of Warcop range for added entertainment.
Anybody intending to try this walk should take careful note of the water levels in Maize Beck because if they're anythin other than normal or low, you wont be able to cross the River Tees safely, and you'd need to descend to the Cow Green dam from Meldon Hill to return to the car park
14 miles and 1600 feet of uphill