Cross Fell Route Information

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Quick Facts

This is the summed total of all the climbing within a route and is a good indicator of the strenuousness of a route.

Total Ascent

2755 ft

An estimate of the time taken based on a derivation of Naismiths rules. Our calculation is based on the horizontal and ascent components of a climb, we do not make a reduction for descent.

Registered users can customise these walking times by specifying their own walking and ascending speeds. They can also add a fixed time period for stoppages.

Route Time

7.5 hrs

The horizontal distance of the route.

Route Distance

18.4 ml

The UK is covered by 204 Ordnance Survey Landranger 1:50,000 scale maps. Maps numbered 1 to 86 cover Scotland but for the highest mountains (Munros) only 23 maps are required. The name given roughly describes the area covered by the map.

You can click on the map name to purchase the map for £6.29 including postage which is one of the cheapest prices we have found.

OS Landranger Maps Required

91	Appleby-in-Westmorland

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A brief summary of this route.

Our summary will always contain one of easy, moderate or hard to indicate the severity of the route.

Notes

A very long circular walk, requiring stamina, but on gentle gradients, passing the source of the South Tyne, crossing England’s largest wilderness area (upper Teesdale) and returning on a good miners’ road.

Here we provide the nearest town to the start of the route where you will find basic services.

We then give directions from that location to the route start. Your approach route may differ.

Travel Information

Head to: Alston

From Alston take the B6277 (for Teesdale and Barnard Castle) and after 3km take right fork onto minor road for Garrigill. Cross the stream into the village, keep left past the pub and park where convenient.

Route Waypoint Map

The total ascent is 2,755 feet. Allow 7.5 hours to complete this 18.4 mile route.

Usually the shortest way to climb the mountain, making best use of tracks and paths to gain altitude. Route navigation requires map reading skills and an ability to navigate with a compass.

The information given here will enable you to annotate your map and plan your route. We do not give anecdotal descriptions on where to find the paths, worn by the feet of previous mountaineers.

Where the access routes are few or the ridge is narrow, paths are generally obvious. On open ground, following paths without using your compass may get you lost in poor visibility.

Route Information

Waypoint Detail

	Park in Garrigill village
		NY74604122	Distance	Altitude 1135 ft

1	Walk SSE 3km to junction at end of public road and take right fork onto private road/bridleway.
		NY75753840	Distance 1.9 miles	Altitude 1476 ft

2	Follow bridleway S to a bridge over the South Tyne
		NY75933713	Distance 0.8 miles	Altitude 1522 ft

3	Continue on road to top of Tyne Head pass
		NY75293502	Distance 1.5 miles	Altitude 1827 ft

4	Descend on track into Teesdale and cross Tees by bridge.
		NY76063385	Distance 1.0 miles	Altitude 1738 ft

5	Continue WSW on track/path beside Trout Beck, and join Pennine Way at radar station service road.
		NY71643160	Distance 3.4 miles	Altitude 2493 ft

6	Follow road NNW then circle E around radar station
		NY71093224	Distance 0.7 miles	Altitude 2759 ft

7	Continue NNW across col to Little Dun Fell (842m)
		NY70453302	Distance 0.6 miles	Altitude 2762 ft

8	Descend NNW to col and cross electric fence by ladder stile
		NY69693389	Distance 0.7 miles	Altitude 2601 ft

9	Ascend steep slope on path to reach tall marker cairn
		NY69413411	Distance 0.2 miles	Altitude 2811 ft

10	Cross stony plateau WNW to summit of Cross Fell (2500ft+)
		NY68743432	Distance 0.4 miles	Altitude 2929 ft

11	Cross stony plateau NNW to prominent marker cairn
		NY68593472	Distance 0.3 miles	Altitude 2834 ft

12	Descend NW below cairn and join Kirkland-Garrigill bridleway, still on Pennine Way
		NY68403521	Distance 0.3 miles	Altitude 2536 ft

13	Follow bridleway ENE to Gregg’s Hut (bothy).
		NY69133544	Distance 0.5 miles	Altitude 2280 ft

14	Follow miners’ road ENE to end of Cross Fell slopes
		NY71563603	Distance 1.7 miles	Altitude 2204 ft

15	Continue on miners’ road NNE beyond Black Band
		NY73194065	Distance 3.2 miles	Altitude 1689 ft

16	Continue on road E turning NE to return to Garrigill.
		NY74604122	Distance 1.1 miles	Altitude 1135 ft

A selection of weather forecasts local to this route.

Weather

Cumbrian Fells
by MWIS (PDF format)

Lake District
by Met Office

Cross Fell
by Metcheck

Images of Cross Fell

The ascent route to Cross Fell from Kirkland passes this ruined bothy, which forms a prominent marker on the horizon on leaving the old mine road.

© David S Brown

Image by David S Brown

Tall route-marker cairns indicate the entrance and exit points of the Pennine Way as it crosses the vast trackless summit plateau of Cross Fell. These 2 are on the southern slope.

© David S Brown

Image by David S Brown

Approaching Great Dunn Fell, en route for Cross Fell, on the sketchy path which follows Trout Beck across the Manor House National Nature Reserve in England's largest remaining wilderness area.

© David S Brown

Image by David S Brown

Stiched panoramic shot of Cross Fell taken from Little Dun Fell (to the S).

© David S Brown

Image by David S Brown

Route Area Map

Legend

Munro

Corbett

Graham

English/Welsh Top

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Disclaimer. The details provided above are an aid to planning an expedition, but all distances, altitudes and bearings must be considered approximate. You must navigate with the appropriate map, a compass, your navigation skills and common sense, MunroMagic.com accept no responsibility for your interpretation of our route information.

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