Cross Fell, Little Dun Fell & Great Dun Fell - Wednesday 25 June 2014
Route
Garrigill - Greg's Hut - Cross Fell - Little Dun Fell - Great Dun Fell - Tynehead - Garrigill
Parking
No designated car park in Garrigill. We parked near the Post Office in the centre of the village (free)
Mileage
19.2 miles
Terrain
Good paths for the most part although care will need to be taken on Cross Fell in mist. The South Tyne Trail between Tynehead and Crossgill Farm is overgrown and does not appear to be looked after and was hard work.
Weather
Overcast and dry with sunny periods
Time Taken
7hrs 50mins
Total Ascent
3113ft (949m)
Map
OL31 - North Pennines (Teesdale & Weardale)
Garrigill - Greg's Hut - Cross Fell - Little Dun Fell - Great Dun Fell - Tynehead - Garrigill
Parking
No designated car park in Garrigill. We parked near the Post Office in the centre of the village (free)
Mileage
19.2 miles
Terrain
Good paths for the most part although care will need to be taken on Cross Fell in mist. The South Tyne Trail between Tynehead and Crossgill Farm is overgrown and does not appear to be looked after and was hard work.
Weather
Overcast and dry with sunny periods
Time Taken
7hrs 50mins
Total Ascent
3113ft (949m)
Map
OL31 - North Pennines (Teesdale & Weardale)
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GPX File
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Walk Description
A long drive out to Garrigill from Barnard Castle in order to do a section of the Pennine Way via Cross Fell to just South of Great Dun Fell and return via Tynehead and the South Tyne Trail. This was to be a fairly long walk over what can be an inhospitable area if the weather is bad. Lucky for us we just had to put up with an overcast day although the weather was fairly pleasant as we left Garrigill.
The path out of Garrigill is long and undulating on a good track and passes through old mine works and after a few miles reaches the remote mountain bothy of Greg's Hut - this facility is maintained by The Mountain Bothies Association and provides for basic shelter for walkers on the Pennine Way and other such walks. Shortly after the bothy, the Pennine Way turns up to Cross Fell which is well cairned and is reached fairly soon after the turning. Up on the top it is easy to see how confusing it could be to navigate off the fell in mist as the summit is a very large and flat plateau. Cross Fell is the highest point in England outside of the Lake District and today we were lucky to have no rain and good visibility. We made our way South East on a well cairned path over Little Dun Fell towards the CAA Radar Station on Great Dun Fell and down to the junction of paths where we headed East down Trout Beck along a sometimes boggy but beautiful path through the Moor House Nature Reserve.
The route then heads north to Tynehead and passes the source of the South Tyne River which is marked by a sculpture on the side of the path. At Tynehead, the path joins the South Tyne Trail but is overgrown in parts and therefore slowed down our progress somewhat. We then joined the road at Crossgill and made our descent back into Garrigill. The pub in the village is unfortunately closed - a sign of the times and it is hoped that new owners can be found in order to provide a welcome drink for day walkers and those on The Pennine Way.
This was a long walk but thoroughly enjoyable in a very remote part of the Pennines.
The path out of Garrigill is long and undulating on a good track and passes through old mine works and after a few miles reaches the remote mountain bothy of Greg's Hut - this facility is maintained by The Mountain Bothies Association and provides for basic shelter for walkers on the Pennine Way and other such walks. Shortly after the bothy, the Pennine Way turns up to Cross Fell which is well cairned and is reached fairly soon after the turning. Up on the top it is easy to see how confusing it could be to navigate off the fell in mist as the summit is a very large and flat plateau. Cross Fell is the highest point in England outside of the Lake District and today we were lucky to have no rain and good visibility. We made our way South East on a well cairned path over Little Dun Fell towards the CAA Radar Station on Great Dun Fell and down to the junction of paths where we headed East down Trout Beck along a sometimes boggy but beautiful path through the Moor House Nature Reserve.
The route then heads north to Tynehead and passes the source of the South Tyne River which is marked by a sculpture on the side of the path. At Tynehead, the path joins the South Tyne Trail but is overgrown in parts and therefore slowed down our progress somewhat. We then joined the road at Crossgill and made our descent back into Garrigill. The pub in the village is unfortunately closed - a sign of the times and it is hoped that new owners can be found in order to provide a welcome drink for day walkers and those on The Pennine Way.
This was a long walk but thoroughly enjoyable in a very remote part of the Pennines.
Garrigill
Heading up on the gentle rise out of Garrigill
A handy navigational aid displaying the correct route for The Pennine Way
Any excuse!
Greg's Hut
John Gregory was killed in a mountain accident in the Alps in 1968 - the hut is named after him in his memory
The turning up to Cross Fell
Heading up to Cross Fell
The route up to Cross Fell was marked by these well made and sturdy Cairns
Summit Trig Point on Cross Fell
The cross shelter being repaired - should look very nice when it is finished
Great Dun Fell and the CAA Radar Station
The 'tall men' Cairns showing the way to Little Dun Fell. Cow Green Reservoir can be seen in the distance
Approaching Little Dun Fell
The shelter on the summit of Little Dun Fell with Cross Fell behind
The path to Great Dun Fell
That's a big golf ball - the path does not go to the summit but passes it to the east
Trout Beck
L-R, Great Dun Fell, Little Dun Fell and Cross Fell
The sculpture marking the source of the South Tyne........
....and the in-scripted stone next to it
Nearly there.......
The George & Dragon in Garrigill - very, very shut