Author Topic: Pennine Way - Langdon Beck to Garrigill  (Read 3395 times)

johhnyp

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Pennine Way - Langdon Beck to Garrigill
« on: 15:13:19, 11/12/18 »
The official route covers just under 30 miles between these two points and involves some "challenging" walking; a bit beyond me now for a days walk, especially as part of a full PW. This is really a question for Dave (Dav) or indeed anyone who has cut the corner, to avoid going down to and up from Dufton, by going across country from anywhere between Cow Gill Reservoir and Maize Beck to hit the PW anywhere between Knock Old Man and the road just below Great Dun Fell.
I read one of Dave's trip reports and he did this a while back. What was the line you followed Dave? There seem to be a couple of options. One is to strike NW from the second footbridge over Maize Beck just before the PW loops back south to High Cup. There seems to be a couple of Tarn ends, sheepfolds and of course Knock Old Man (where you take up the PW again) as lines of sight. Another option seems to be the track above Cow Gill Reservoir which swings away gradually northwards. At one point there seems to be about a mile of trackless stuff heading roughly west from this track to pick up another series of paths and tracks that follow Trout Beck generally South West to the road below the radar station. On the trackless section there is a sike to cross just above its confluence with what looks to be the infant River Tees with no bridge at (Crookburn Foot?).
My question is of course whether what I see on the map actually exists on the ground and whether I can indeed cross this sike in this vicinity.
If possible, this route makes the walk to Garrigill a more manageable 22 miles; especially as it keeps to higher ground.
I recall Dave saying the area was tough going but any thoughts on the viability of this or any alternate way to cut the corner would be welcome.
Thinking of a third PW next May
John

johhnyp

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Re: Pennine Way - Langdon Beck to Garrigill
« Reply #1 on: 18:30:47, 11/12/18 »
Cow green, sorry :o

ninthace

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Re: Pennine Way - Langdon Beck to Garrigill
« Reply #2 on: 18:44:12, 11/12/18 »
You have 3 options.
1.  Follow Maize Beck to the PW footbridge, cross then go half right to follow the path along Backstone Edge to the path coming up Threlkeld Side then a bearing from the Shooting Box near Great Rundale to Great Dun to pick up the PW to Cross Fell.
2.  As above but follow Maize Beck to Great Rundale Tarn then as above.
3.  Go up the E side of Cow Green to the head and keep on the track to the Garrigill/Middleton road.  Use the road round the head of the beck then drop down to pick upthe S Tyne Way to Garrigill.

Option 1.  There is a path of sorts along Backstone Edge and you get to see High Cup Nick.  There is no path from the Shooting Box to the PW coming up from Dufton.  Some boggy sections and heather clumps but the remains of a crashed Meteor are still visible if you get the navigation right.

Option 2.  The side of Maize Beck is rough going.  I did not see a path but I was on snowshoes in Winter.  If there is one it will be faint.  See Option 1 for the rest of the route.

Option 3. As described would be easy going.  There is an access road from the dam to the car park and the track N from there is a doddle.  You mentioned striking off across country - I have never tried it, there is a big beck in the way and no bridge  - it may be fordable.  Either would cut out the entire loop via High Cup Nick and Cross Fell.


I have traces available which if combined would show you the line for options 1 & 2. I have a traces for S Tyne trail and up by Cowgreen but not for the gap by the road.
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johhnyp

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Re: Pennine Way - Langdon Beck to Garrigill
« Reply #3 on: 20:11:27, 11/12/18 »
Thanks Ninthace,
Will have a look later. That Beck does look fairly wide even on the map. My hope was that at that altitude it would be shallow/rocky and thus fordable in crocs. The beauty of that theoretic route was that it was mostly tracks/paths and I would end up near the Hush below the radar station so I would still have the joys of Cross Fell to contemplate ( and Greggs Hut if the weather turned).


ninthace

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Re: Pennine Way - Langdon Beck to Garrigill
« Reply #4 on: 20:39:21, 11/12/18 »
I have also been up that way and have a gps track for it but I started in Garrigill, went down the S Tyne Trail and up the hush to Great Dun to join the PW back to Garrigill.  There was a faint path up the Tees valley as I recall but the route is fairly straightforward anyway.  The Tees is wide and deep enough to need a vehicle bridge to get to Moor House at Troutbeck Foot but you would need to cross the Tees anyway to get to the road over.  You may have better luck crossing the Crook Burn at some point (Crookburn Foot?), I wouldn't attempt Troutbeck Foot myself but it may be possible after a long dry spell, after a wet spell you could end up heading back to the reservoir at a rate of knots.
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johhnyp

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Re: Pennine Way - Langdon Beck to Garrigill
« Reply #5 on: 22:08:54, 11/12/18 »
The hypothesis was to leave the track at 780337 heading west to pick up the track at 769339. This would cross (hopefully) the Crook Burn en route. The track then uses a road bridge to cross the Tees and the idea was then to follow the Trout Beck track and then the faint path along one of its tributary channels to somewhere near Dunfell Hush. It looks like just under a mile trackless and the big if is whether Crook Burn is fordable. Another benefit of the route is that I would not have to pick my way along Falcon Clints.
As you say, Option 1 from the second Maize Beck fb to Knock Old Man is less than 3 miles with less water hazards.
The South Tyne Trail would be new to me but I do fancy the Cross Fell experience once again.
Dave went north to south over this section so his perspective would be interesting..
You obviously know this area well ;)

sussamb

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Re: Pennine Way - Langdon Beck to Garrigill
« Reply #6 on: 22:39:22, 11/12/18 »
Another benefit of the route is that I would not have to pick my way along Falcon Clints.


Nice benefit, I hate those rocks  O0
Where there's a will ...

ninthace

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Re: Pennine Way - Langdon Beck to Garrigill
« Reply #7 on: 22:48:27, 11/12/18 »
The hypothesis was to leave the track at 780337 heading west to pick up the track at 769339. This would cross (hopefully) the Crook Burn en route. The track then uses a road bridge to cross the Tees and the idea was then to follow the Trout Beck track and then the faint path along one of its tributary channels to somewhere near Dunfell Hush. It looks like just under a mile trackless and the big if is whether Crook Burn is fordable. Another benefit of the route is that I would not have to pick my way along Falcon Clints.
As you say, Option 1 from the second Maize Beck fb to Knock Old Man is less than 3 miles with less water hazards.
The South Tyne Trail would be new to me but I do fancy the Cross Fell experience once again.
Dave went north to south over this section so his perspective would be interesting..
You obviously know this area well ;)
I have walked the track from Cow Green many times,  usually as a precursor to a pint at the Langdon Beck, but unfortunately never dropped down the to Crook Burn.  On paper your plan is a goer provided the Burn is fordable.  You would have a couple more sikes to cross but they should be easy by comparison.  It will also depend on the weather before you get there as well as the layout of the burn.  If it is unfavourable you could decide to do options 1 or 2.
If you want to avoid the Clints leave the PW at Saur Hill Bridge NY 85455 30208  to go N to follow the road to the Reservoir car park
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ninthace

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Re: Pennine Way - Langdon Beck to Garrigill
« Reply #8 on: 22:49:51, 11/12/18 »

I have walked the track from Cow Green many times,  usually as a precursor to a pint at the Langdon Beck, but unfortunately never dropped down to Crook Burn.  On paper your plan is a goer provided the Burn is fordable.  You would have a couple more sikes to cross but they should be easy by comparison.  It will also depend on the weather before you get there as well as the layout of the burn.  If the weather is unfavourable you could decide to do options 1 or 2.
If you want to avoid the Clints leave the PW at Saur Hill Bridge NY 85455 30208  to go N to follow the road to the Reservoir car park.  I have a trace for that too  :)
Click on this link http://www.haroldstreet.org.uk/routes/map-area.php?user=ninthace  and use the + sign to zoom to the Cow Green area and you will sse a selection of the routes I have walked - they will give you some idea of what is a goer and what might not be.


PS Have a look at  NY 77202 337171, it looks like there may be a wall line across the beck you might be able to exploit.
« Last Edit: 23:10:42, 11/12/18 by ninthace »
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johhnyp

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Re: Pennine Way - Langdon Beck to Garrigill
« Reply #9 on: 00:31:12, 12/12/18 »
Interesting. There does indeed seem to be a wall line and on the satellite there is a faint suggestion of something straddling the burn, which does only seem to be about 3 metres wide...no good of course if it is 4 feet deep. The others look almost jumpable and the track marked seems to straddle them both.
Food for thought. As you say; weather around the time will be key.
My idea would see me join your route at the bridge over the Tees
Thanks Ninthace

vghikers

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Re: Pennine Way - Langdon Beck to Garrigill
« Reply #10 on: 12:31:44, 12/12/18 »
Quote
The hypothesis was to leave the track at 780337 heading west to pick up the track at 769339. This would cross (hopefully) the Crook Burn en route. The track then uses a road bridge to cross the Tees and the idea was then to follow the Trout Beck track and then the faint path along one of its tributary channels to somewhere near Dunfell Hush. It looks like just under a mile trackless and the big if is whether Crook Burn is fordable

I've done that line more than once (in the opposite direction), it's quite easy terrain from the reservoir track at Holdenhurth Band to the old mine track that starts just west of Metalband Hill. Crook Burn was very simple to ford (report here but it's only an outline map for that old trip.

Edit:  changed 'east' of Metalband Hill to 'west'!.
« Last Edit: 05:32:28, 13/12/18 by vghikers »

johhnyp

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Re: Pennine Way - Langdon Beck to Garrigill
« Reply #11 on: 22:44:41, 12/12/18 »
That is great. Thank you. Sounds like you did cover the ground in question. There looks like a wall adjoining Crook Burn. I am guessing this is a good place to cross and that it is shallow enough generally.
I do like a bit of variety in walks that I have done a few times before and this variant of the PW looks a good one. There are a couple of opt out options in the first half of the day too that get me to Garrigill if the weather turns nasty - bonus.
John

 

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