‘ow do.

Heading up to Dufton in a couple of weeks with a small group of mates. Plotted a route up to High Cup Nick, down to Cow Green Res, the up to Garrigill. Then slog up to Cross Fell and down. 60km and 1600mtrs. Quite a day out!

Any recommendations of other routes/variations? It might break a few in the group!

Liking the idea of heading over Cross Fell to get to the bridleway heading SW from Tees Head. Looks amazing.

Done a similar route once or twice.  I don’t know the section from cross fell back to Dufton. But the route you describe means one of the best descents – high cup to Dufton- is done as a climb.

High cup nick to cow green isn’t really much of a ‘down’ at all.

Of course if the bit from cross fell back to Dufton is a fantastic descent then what I’ve just said may be irrelevant.

The drop over Wild Boar Scar into Kirkland is an absolute flyer ..but the bridleway to get there is a pig ( like the connectivity ?😁) ..grassy & as fast as you dare …

I did exactly that route a couple of years ago and was a popular club ride.  I did it on a hardtail and didn’t find any of it technically challenging although it was a tough day out.  The views across High Cup Nick are fantastic and worth the visit but not sure the trails reflect this.  If you want a long day in the saddle munching the miles across various not very interesting double and singletrack then this is for you, if not head to the lakes for something more gnarly.  I don’t wish to put you off too much but I think this would have been a good ride 10 years ago when bikes were less capable, I found it quite uninspiring.

For a shorter ride take the track NW from Cow Green res and leave the track at roughly 780336 then yomp about 1100m across the moor in a westerly direction and pick up a shooters’ track by a disused mine, which will take you up Trout Beck to the top of Great Dun Fell, from where you can blast down the access road back to Knock, we did it a few times on full-rigids in the days before anybody had thought of front suspension. Just that shorter circular route is quite a tiring day out.

Watch out for me and my buddies riding our roadies up the access track; I’ve mountain biked it with a triple but still want to road ride it on a 34-30 as it gets an 11/10 rating in Simon Warren’s book.

It’s definitely a big day out. Big climb up to Cross Fell! I thoroughly enjoy it up there. Some great views when the weather allows, and properly remote. Stop at Greg’s Hut for a cup of tea (you’ll have to bring your own…)

Weather can be brutal, even in the summer.