This is a one way route which leads from Cow Green Reservoir down into the Eden valley along the Pennine Way. The route ends in the picturesque village of Appleby.
Linear | 23.6km (15 miles) | Difficulty: Medium
| Please note that the route given is a rough guide and should not be relied upon solely when planning a walk. Remember to plan ahead, get a proper map and ensure you have the right equipment. |
Walkers will need to organise transport to and from this route beforehand. It could be walked in either direction but its recommended to start from cow green reservoir as the route will be mostly downhill. Its recommend for walkers to start early with this walk as it is fairly long.
1: The route starts along the side of cow green and follow the road by the side of the reservoir to the dam.
2: Below the dam is a bridge which crosses the top of Couldren Snout. This is an amazing view when visibility is good. From here walkers pass several farm houses and crosses a small river.
3: Along this stretch of the route there is some moor walking, the path is well marked so there is little chance of getting lost, even though in some places it is less visible than in others. Walkers should try not to stray too far south as there is an army training ground on the moors here. However, walkers will know if you stray near these due to the frequent signs along the edges. This part of the walk is incredibly quiet.
4: Soon enough the route reaches the River Maize and after following it for a while eventually reaches a bridge. (It is a recent bridge so it does not show up on Google maps. The positioning of it on the map may be slightly off but it is somewhere along that stretch of river). After crossing the bridge the route heads slightly up hill and away from the river. On a clear day there should have some amazing views of the Eden Valley here. Eventually walkers will come to the top of High Cup Nick, an amazing valley. This is the perfect place to stop for a breather.
5: From here the route heads along the sides of the valley towards Dufton. The path splits in two,. The higher path is recommended as the lower one requires scrambling over past subsidences. From here the route heads downwards into the Eden Valley.
6: Eventually the route reaches Dufton. Here walkers can pop into the shop on the green (if its open) and have another rest. Walkers could arrange for a pick up here or get the bus from Dufton to Appleby. The remainder of this route meanders between fields on an old country track. This track can become very muddy at points. After the country lane the route crosses several fields and farm yards. Along the way walkers will zig-zag across the train tracks on two separate bridges. The second bridge is on an old Roman road which leads directly to Appleby.
7: When walkers reach the end of the Roman road they’ll see the “Welcome to Appleby” sign. From here the route descend into the town, by staying on the same road walkers will soon find themselves in the village’s centre.
Weather up on the moors can vary wildly from that in Eden Valley so walkers are suggested to come prepared for various conditions. Appleby, at the end of the route has many places to stay, pubs and restaurants. There is also a train station for an easy way home.
The route between Cow Green and Dufton was adapted from the Teesdale Way
Northern Paths 