Cross Fell - Highest point in the Pennines - and Greg's Hut Bothy

A 12 mile circular walk to the highest point of the Pennines, also the highest point in England outside the Lake District. This is Cross Fell. We will also visit one of England's very few borthies, Greg's Hut.

Starting in the village of Blencarn, we steadily climb up onto open fellside, passing great names on map such as Cringle Moor, Grumply Hill, Wildboar Scar and Willie Bed. We arrive at the Pennine Way on the watershed of England, at the source of the River Tees, which starts in front of us a tiny trickle.

We turn left at this point to make the final ascent over sometimes rocky ground to the summit plateau, and the summit itself, 893m above sea level.

Cross Fell summit is crowned by a cross-shaped dry-stone shelter. If conditions are kind to us, we will have superb 360 degree views, most notably to the Lakeland Fells to the west, across the Eden Valley, and a little further north, across the Solway Firth into Southern Scotland. Across sometimes bleak but beautiful Pennine moorland landscapes in other directions, our views are complete. We will pause for refeshment and photos.

The Fell is home to the only wind in England that has its own name - the Helm Wind. In ancient times, it was known as Fiends' Fell, probably because of the noise of the wind when it comes in from the East, and believed to be the haunt of evil spirits. Today, it'll be the haunt of a few gay, high spirits!

St. Augustine is said to have blessed the hill when he arrived here on his travels, so it became known as Cross Fell, although it is also speculated that then name 'Cross' refers to the anger of the evil spirits!

We continue north on the Pennine Way about 1.5 miles until we arrive at Greg's Hut. This is a bothy maintained by the Mountain Bothy Association. Bothies are mostly former upland estate workers' families' homes - remote, isolated, no facilities except a nearby stream. They are invaluable places, where many a walker has found shelter when the weather turns severe, saving lives in the process. You can sleep in them, as hikers often do, but we won't be doing that. A brew and a snack, maybe, then we're on our way again. But we should appreciate the benefit of being out of the biting wind for a short while.

The hut is named after John Gregory who was born in 1928 and died in a climbing accident in 1968. His parents funded the renovation of the hut in his name.

We retrace our steps west on the Pennine Way, just a short way, before descending a bridle path, all the way down to the village of Kirkland, then another mile or so back to our cars at Blencarn.

We may seek out a tea room or pub for a quick drink / cake before we go home.