We got the train to Appleby in Westmorland on Saturday, we'd been wanting to go and see High Cup Nick and pitch up there for quite a while but it is quite a high level spot to camp so it had to be pretty good weather and it was forecast to be not too bad. We were relieved to reach Appleby because the train had been ten minutes late leaving Carlisle, it had a problem with one of the engines and every time it stopped we wondered if it would get going again. It felt like we were on the Honister Rambler bus, that journey also has some uncertainty around actually arriving at your destination. We had a look around Appleby first and said hello to some ducks who rushed toward us. They thought we had food for them.
Greedy ducks who went hungry
The church in Appleby
It is a pretty little place and the locals were all very friendly. We then walked back up to the station and crossed the A66 and onto a footpath that went through a wheat crop field. We were pleased to get of it onto the lane leading to Hunriggs, we were following "A Pennine Journey" a LDW from Settle to Hadrians Wall but we were using it only to Dufton then following The Pennine Way to High Cup Nick.
Backstone Edge, Murton Fell and Murton Pike in view
It was overcast at first but very warm with no wind low down. The cloud had been low on the hill tops but this lifted during the morning.
Beefy on the way to Greenhow
The route was a mix of footpaths through farmland and woodland. All very pleasant, it was bit confusing in Flakebridge Wood and Viewranger came out a couple of times so we could check where we were.
At Dufton Townhead, we joined the Pennine Way leading to High Cup Nick
We got to Townhead at 11.40 and carried on for a while looking for a water source for our lunchtime brews. We found one where Billy's Beck crossed the track and we sat for our lunch looking at the fells of Lakeland. The sun had appeared and it was getting hotter. We wondered how Pavel Paloncy was getting on. He was trying to break the PW record and he was due in Dufton by 18.20, we were hoping to be able to cheer him on as he went by us later.
Over to Lakeland
Dufton Pike
A check of Pavel's tracker and he was a bit behind time. We set off again and it was hard work in the heat, we fell like snails inching upward toward High Cup Nick.
A barn below Gregory
Gregory seems to be the name of the hill according to the map!
Looking back down the track to Dufton Pike
There were more people about here, all on the way to High Cup Nick. The footpaths from Appleby to Dufton were less populated, we'd seen only 4 people up to Townhead
The first sight of High Cup
This was a bit of a wow moment when it came in view. It really is something, the photo doesn't do it justice.
Interesting geology here
There are two paths along here, one that goes very close to the edge and another that is further away from the edge and is paved in places.
High Cup Nick
The view from HIgh Cup Nick
Beefy at High Cup Nick
We explored High Cup Plain and then started climbing toward Slegistone Band. We wanted a sunset view but we also wanted to be able to see Pavel. We tried to work out what time he would pass below, we thought it might be about 6pm.
We spotted this little fellow
Murton Fell from Narrowgate Beacon
We walked toward Narrowgate Beacon but we wouldn't get a good sunset view from there so we carried on and eventually found a view of where the sun would set on Backstone Edge near a cairn with a shelter. It was a bit windy and too rocky to pitch there so we walked east again to find somewhere.
The MSR on Backstone Edge
We found a pitch that was a few minutes walk from the sunset view. We would be able to see Pavel from the cairn in view in this shot. It was a five minute walk to get water, brown peaty water that didn't look very nice.
Beefy inside the MSR, Murton Pike in view
We had our tea then had some wine and had a rest, we were shattered. We checked Pavel's tracker and the forum for info and it seemed Pavel had stopped at the A66 near Middleton.
We took some cheese and crackers with us to the cairn and shelter to watch the sunset, it was really cold in the wind so we were pleased there was a nice shelter.
The start of the sunset
Another shot of the sunset
Cloud had build up over the Lake District fells
The last sunset shot
We finished the rest of our wine back in the tent and went to sleep, what a grand day it had been and a nice sunset to finish. Shame about Pavel, third time lucky we reckon
Day 1 was Appleby - Hunriggs - Flakebridge Wood - Greenhow - Townhead - Bow Hall - High Cup Nick - Watch Hill - Slegistone Band - Narrowgate Beacon - Backstone Edge 18.5km with 700m ascent