Dufton is as an idyllic village that is just about as quintessentially British as it possible for a place to be. Located around three miles off the A66 and on the edge of Cumbria’s Eden Valley, characterful homes constructed of local stone line the main lane through its centre. The popular Stag Inn pub looks out onto a pleasant green and the distinctive Dufton Pike and the main Pennine hills beyond create a one heck of a backdrop. Even better is the fact that The Pennine Way passes through the village and so ample parking, toilet facilities and even a campsite are provided to serve the keen outdoor folk who make the effort to visit. Walking opportunities are almost endless and I have now found myself returning time and time again. Each adventure has been wonderful in its own way, but on a recent trip I completed what might just be the best walk you can do from Dufton. Let’s now take a look at what makes it worth your effort too.

What a gorgeous place Dufton is. If it was located nearer to more populous areas, then there is no doubt the lanes would be jammed with cars and people every weekend.

The Route

Dufton sits right at the foot of The North Pennines and so the climbing begins almost from the off. A track is easy to pick up towards the southern end of the village and it heads gradually uphill towards Dufton Pike. The trail is well surfaced here and the views towards the conical summit of the pike are excellent.

After you leave the last of the trees behind, so it is possible to soon scale the steep slopes of the conical pike. Made of volcanic rock which is quite different to the limestone that makes up the rest of Pennines in this region, it almost looks impossibly steep from afar. Sign posts directing you towards the summit and of course many articles online show that in reality it is relatively easy to reach the four hundred and eighty one metre summit.

I didn’t have time to reach the top on this walk, but it would be a wonderful addition to the route, with the views from the top making it more than worth it. If you don’t believe me, then watch sections of this video to see what you can expect. I’ll certainly be back in the near future to do battle with its double digit gradients.

The views looking into the foothills of The North Pennines as the track heads around the back of Dufton Pike.

It was after passing Dufton Pike that I entered a valley I had wanted to visit for ages. When a place looks dramatic on an OS map, then you can be certain that it is unlikely to disappoint in person. The slopes either side of Great Rundale Beck looked steep with the contour lines packed tightly together. In additon, crags marked along the length of the valley showed that it would be rugged and dramatic in a way that much of the Pennines aren’t. Usually you need to head into The Lake District for such scenery.

These views greeted me right at the lower reaches of the valley. It was every bit as beautiful as I’d hoped it would be.

It was an absolute pleasure to ascend into a valley carved by glaciers many thousands of years beforehand. Places like this really show the power that water and time have when uniting their forces. Rivers of ice may have initially shapes the valley, but continuous running water left behind after the glaciers had retreated has deepened it further.

The track climbed gradually into the distance and the sound of cascading water in the beck below would come in waves carried on the occasional chilling gust of wind. Not a soul could be seen in any direction and it was all the more wonderful because of this.

The upper reaches of the valley are now a disused mine, but shelters like this one show how there was once more life up here. It must have been tough work what with the physical toil each day and the weather conditions common at around five hundred metres above sea level.

Unfortunately, the gentle nature of the track changes after passing the shelter. The track kicks up and soon has your core temperature rising and your leg muscles aching. You have every excuse though to stop regularly just to enjoy the view back towards where you’ve come from. There is a real sense of achievement already due to the fact that you now stand above the summit of Dufton Pike. There are also excellent views across The Eden Valley and into the eastern fells of The Lakes.

The steepness of the track is clear here but so are the fine views looking west. This really is a special part of the country.

Thankfully, the gradient eventually abated and undulated gently across a small section of moorland. The temperature difference was noticeable due to being over six hundred metres up and my down jacket was deployed when I caught sight of the shooting hut and water of Great Rundale Tarn.

As a geographer, I was keen to visit this place just because I knew that this was the birthplace of the glacier that had carved the valley lower down. What a beautiful spot it was! It wasn’t dramatic like the corries found in The Lake District, however the tarn offered all the solitude a lone walker could ever want. Other than the breeze in the heather and the occasional grouse in the distance, there was complete silence.

Great Rundale Tarn is a great meditive spot, where you can be alone with your thoughts.

From the tarn, the track continues to meander for several more kilometres. The few grouse butts scattered across the expansive moor showed this was the reason for the track being here at all. I can’t imagine all that many walkers come up here. The trail eventually comes to an abrupt end leaving most with no option but to turn and retrace their steps.

I of course was feeling adventurous and so forged my own path across the moor. There was no way of knowing how boggy conditions underfoot would be, but thankfully it was never too severe. My biggest concern was making as little impact as possible to the heather I was traipsing through. This was the home of moorland birds and other creatures too, so I tried to stick to the patches most free from vegetation. Even doing this, several grouse still managed to hide themselves from view until I was practically on top of them. Only then would they suddenly launch themselves from the heather with a loud cackle that made me jump every time. Maybe this was their payback though. I was in their domain after all and hadn’t asked to walk across the land they called home.

I felt compelled to visit the ‘ pile of stones’ marked on the OS map. What they were doing there I have no idea, but it felt odd in a sea of heather.

The sense of isolation was wonderful on this section of the walk and it is one of the reasons I consider it one of the best walks from Dufton. Weather conditions were fine on the day I visited and I could see for miles in all directions. Not one human building could be seen anywhere, nor did I see any people what so ever. In such a busy and fast-paced world now, it is so good for the soul to walk in such surroundings. You do need to remember though that such isolation means you are totally self-sufficient. Nobody is likely to be nearby should you be unfortunate enough to get into trouble.

A small wooden bridge in the distance signalled that I was soon to reach Maize Beck.

The Pennine Way & High Cup Nick

It was odd to be walking across untouched moorland for a good hour or so and then suddenly find myself on The Pennine Way. The landscape around me was still wild and windswept, but I still somehow felt like I’d entered civilisation again.

It is possible to follow Maize Beck all the way across the roof the Pennines until it reaches Cauldron Snout and Teesdale. On this walk though, I followed The Pennine Way west towards one of the most spectacular natural landmarks in all of England- High Cup Nick.

I realise that claim is quite bold. There is lots of competition out there, but I can honestly say it’s well deserved. High Cup Nick is simply awesome and leaves you in total awe when you see it for the first time. No photo or video online will do it the proper justice it deserves. High Cup Nick really does need to be seen to be believed.

The route I was taking was excellent because you approach it from the east, which is most certainly the best direction. The endless vast expanses of moorland and rolling fells are suddenly replaced by a huge chasm falling away in front of you.

The anticipation I felt as I approached High Cup Nick certainly made me feel like this was the best walk from Dufton.

High Cup Nick is surely the finest glacial valley in all of England. If you draw a line down the middle, then both sides of the U- shaped valley would almost be symmetrical. The small beck that flows over the edge of the cliff at the head of the valley can also be seen meandering its way into the distance, growing in size as it does so.

There are very few other places I have visited on these shores that have made such a powerful first impression. The sense of space in this landscape and how small we are in comparison really hit home. I just sat there alone, totally transfixed by the stunning beauty of this place.

Few words are needed here. I think the photo speaks for itself on this one.

It was in this excellent spot that I met the one and only person I’d encounter along the entire sixteen or so kilometre route. A woman dressed in a bright yellow jacket approached from the east and we were soon sharing the fine views together.

I quickly learned that her name was Amanda and she was walking the entire Pennine Way. Such a feat deserves instant respect. It was her warm personality and many tales she had that were most enjoyable though. We proceeded to share the rest of the walk back to Dufton, swapping stories about our travels and her native Newcastle

If there was ever a person to prove that Geordie folk from ‘ The Toon’ are the friendliest people in England, then Amanda was the one. Her zest for life and willingness to take on new and exiting challenges was inspiring and infectious.

Those last few kilometres back to the village were an absolute joy. Not only was it downhill all the way, but the views out across The Eden Valley once again were sublime. I may have already mentioned it, but I’ll say it again. This area of the country is very special indeed and one which I dream of living in one day. When you think of the Eden name, you often think of the biblical paradise. This excellent walk from Dufton wasn’t far from it.