7th MARCH, MAIZE BECK to GREG'S HUT,CROSS FELL

I had slept with the faint sound of  drizzle on tent and woke at 5 to the same. I lay there knowing I had the highest hill on the Pennines to climb today and was not looking forward to drizzle and possible snow as I did so.
Once breaky was finished I packed up in the tent trying to keep gear as dry as possible, I had become almost obsessive at this and hated carrying water that was not for drinking. It had been a warmish (+3) damp still night,  the inner and outer tent were fairly wet , again the bottom of my sleeping bag outer was damp.Ironically on setting off the drizzle stopped.
I wore J's waterproof as a windproof , as it was chilly and I had lost a pair of light gloves probably whilst taking photos by High Force . They were lost and found gloves anyway , I seem to loose gloves and find replacements as I went, this time I had lost a pair instead of one .The wind was not strong but was enough to chill bare flesh.

I was away by 7.20 walking the beck until a bridge taking me over to the south bank .Visibility came and went as the wind gave and took away. I moved on route away from the waters edge and one of the best and impressive views I have ever seen opened up ahead of me. Photos do not do justice to this amazing place called High Cup Nick. It was an unveiling as the low cloud moved in and out and as I moved on and around the view was a true panorama.

Whinstone cliffs of  High Cup Scar

Nichol Chair

View ahead

View back

High Cup Nick

High Cup Gill , stone walls snaked along valley bottom and steeply up the valley side.

The wonderous 'U' shaped valley below lined with dramatic escarpment. This for me was the view of the Pennines if not the entire National Trails; it was the complete picture of cloud moving in , revealing and masking hill tops , the solitude and shear beauty of the vista .

I passed Nichol Chair and down the Narrow Gate path toward the non-descript Dufton village. I passed a couple of walkers coming up , backpackers, or at least b& b ers. Walking 10 yards apart fully clad in waterproofs , hoods up and against the stiff breeze they did not look to happy , the chap behind ignored my cheery' hello' completely.



The village of Dufton was fairly plain and a disappointment, I did not hang around and moved through stopping on the exit side for a choc bar.

I was abit apprehensive about making my way up toward Cross Fell at a decent 893 metres. I could see the tops clad in the white stuff when the cloud cleared and enveloped them again. As it happened  the journey was enjoyable, not as hard a climb as I had expected. A steady up from field to steepish moorland  , especially  the stretch from Knock Hush , a gulley with a steady stream and mini waterfalls on my right. Splatters of snow lined the gully. As I gained the tops the incline decreased  on Green Fell and drizzle started and I contemplated  putting the cape on , but I was warm from the climb and the drizzle slight , I was about 2000feet up. Looking back along the route I was impressed by the hill tops with skirts of cloud .

View ahead of Radar Station on Great Dun Fell

On arrival at the Radar station the views were non existent, cloud tumbled by in varying density .

 The saddle between Great Dun Fell and the Little Dun Fell was obsured by snow and scudding cloud, the slabs were not easy to follow but foot prints helped. I hated going down knowing I would have to climb again  to Cross Fells flat top.

 I was greeted by a tall spired cairn and followed smaller cairns to the trig and snow drifted shelter where I set up my camera for the top shot.I did not hang around heading for Greg's Hut and mountain shelter a wee way below.

The weird flat Cross Fell top.

Cross Fell Trig 893m

Greg's Hut

I met a chap coming up who was doing about 5 days on the Pennines, it was early days and he was almost at the top , about 2.30.
When I got to the hut  the door was closed but in a bad way , snow was inside the outer room which I shovelled out. I decided to stop here for the night , I felt I had earned it but it was strange stopping so early and sat twiddling thumbs and doing diary. At least I had a radio signal. I ate the last of my bics and had numerous teas and the temperature dropped to -1 I climbed into the sleeping bag having hung the tent to dry a little.