WALKING TRAILS
Footpaths, bridleways and long-distance trails crisscross the area, to name just a few The Pennine Way, Coast2Coast, The Dales High Way and Lady Anne’s Way all can be reached easily and travelled as much or as little as wanted. Closer to hand are many amazing walks of varying degrees of difficulty. Dufton Pike, High Cup Nick, Nine Standards Rigg, Wild Boar Fell, Great Ashby Scar, Rutter Force and Cross Fell are all within a few miles of Warcop.
The oldest and most iconic National Trail offers a rugged taste of Northern England – stretching from the Peak District to the Scottish Borders on a challenging but rewarding route of remarkable contrasts.
​
The Pennine Way stretches for 268 miles (435km) following Britain’s rocky spine from the hills of the Derbyshire Peak District and the Yorkshire Dales, through the stunning Swaledale Valley, across the North Pennines and over Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland to the Cheviot Hills, ending in the Scottish Borders in Kirk Yetholm.
England's Coast to Coast footpath is made up by connecting together dozens of existing footpaths, bridle ways, minor roads and other rights of way crossing the breadth of England, from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hood's Bay in North Yorkshire.
Thus the Coast to Coast path is not actually a path in its own right, but a network of paths created by Alfred Wainwright. Although walkers describe it as the Coast to Coast Path it would be more accurate to refer to it as the Coast to Coast Walk.
An exhilarating 90 miles across the glorious high country of the Yorkshire Dales. Walk this spectacular landscape from Saltaire to Appleby-in-Westmorland.
​
Explore its rich history, geology and culture. Return with a breathtaking train ride along England's most beautiful railway.
​
More than just a walk
Starting at the magnificent Skipton Castle, the Way passes through the beautiful and popular Yorkshire Dales on its way into Cumbria and the hidden delights of the Upper Eden Valley.
The route was inspired by Lady Anne Clifford, that indomitable lady who owned vast estates in the old county of Westmorland during the seventeenth century. Lady Anne travelled repeatedly between her castles and the route takes in these once magnificent buildings, many now sadly in ruins.
This short circular walk starts from the attractive village of Dufton and follows the Pennine Way north before ascending Dufton Pike from where excellent views are reward for the effort required for the ascent.
Dufton Pike takes a conical form when viewed from many directions and provides a convenient landmark in this part of the Vale of Eden.
High Cup Nick is a classic U-shaped valley high on the western flanks of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
​
A deep chasm on the Pennine fellside, this famous nick, a dramatic geological formation at the top of High Cup Gill is part of the well-known Whin Sill, and overlooks the best glaciated valley in Northern England.
High Cup Nick is on the Pennine Way and can be reached from Cow Green Reservoir on the border of Cumbria and County Durham, or Dufton in the Eden Valley.
On a sprawling hill in the North Pennines, and at a height of 2172 ft (662 m) above sea level, Nine Standards Rigg lays on the route of the Coast to Coast long distance trail.
​
Nine Standards Rigg takes its name from the line of cairns which stand on the edge of the escarpment just north of the summit. The origin of the nine “stone men” or columnar cairns on the summit, is a mystery, and some of the cairns, which are about 10 feet tall.
​
Situated just outside the original boundary of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Wild Boar Fell is one of the finest hills in the Pennines.
At 2,323 feet, it is the 5th-highest fell in the Yorkshire Dales and is a dramatic sight and a landmark seen for miles around. The views from the top offer a spectacular panorama, with the Howgills, Pennines, the Lake District fells and the Yorkshire Three Peeks can all be seen, and on a clear day, you can even catch sight of the sea at Morecambe Bay.
​
Great Asby Scar National Nature Reserve contains some of the best examples of limestone pavement in Britain.
The limestone pavement is home to a wide range of special and rare plants such as Solomon's-seal, dark red helleborine, bloody crane's-bill, rigid buckler fern and limestone fern.
​
It is also home to a many birds including meadow pipit, skylark, buzzard, merlin, golden plover, curlew and red grouse has been seen.The reserve is 4 km south west of of Great Asby and 4 km north east of Orton villages near Penrith.
Cross Fell is the highest point in the Pennines at 893m in altitude. It is located at the northern end of the Pennine moors and has extensive views of the Lake District, the west coast and also the east coast. The southern uplands of Scotland and the Cheviots can also be seen from here.
​
Snow has been known to lie on Cross Fell for up to 140 days a year. Three of England’s major rivers rise near to the summit – the Tyne, the Tees and the Wear.