This summer, I finally ticked a big hike off my bucket list: High Cup Nick, in the North Pennines AONB and Eden Valley area of Cumbria. I saw a photo from here a few years ago and became obsessed with visiting. The stars finally aligned in the middle of July, and I made it out on this hike! High Cup Nick has to be one of the best hidden gems in all of England—this is a very underrated part of the country, and this hike is spectacular!

Starting the High Cup Nick Hike

The simplest way to start the hike is from the village of Dufton in Cumbria. While it may not be well-known around the entirety of the UK, it’s certainly popular with locals! By the time we were finishing the hike, there was essentially nowhere to park in the village—and this was on a sunny Tuesday, not even a nice weekend day!

There is a free car park in Dufton, which has about 15-20 parking spaces. However, this can (and does) fill up fast—I think it was more or less full by about 9:30 in the morning when we did this. There are free toilets here. There is also lots of street parking—just please park considerately if parking in the village.

If you can start early, I recommend parking up closer to the start of the hike. You save yourself at least ¾ of a mile uphill hiking on the road from the village to this point, and it makes it a bit shorter. Follow the main road out of Dufton and turn left on a narrow road (the Pennine Way). There is a signpost for the Pennine Way and High Cup Nick (marked as 3.5 miles) here. Drive all the way (past Bow Hall) until the road turns to a gravel track. There is room for about 8 cars parked on a grass verge. There is no charge to park here. If you do park here, I advise turning your car around before you set off on the hike—it’ll make the drive on this single-lane track back to Dufton much easier. I’d recommend pinning this exact point on Google Maps.

You should be prepared for this hike, as with all hikes. Make sure to have sturdy hiking boots, and a waterproof rain jacket. I’d also recommend waterproof rain pants as well, as you are quite exposed to the elements for basically the entire walk. You can find all my recommendations in my outdoor gear guide! Bring plenty of water and snacks. You’ll need OS Map OL19: Howgill Fells and Upper Eden Valley for this hike.

Hiking to High Cup Nick

Hopefully you’ve managed to snag one of the parking spots at the start of the walk—or else, follow the road from Dufton village up here. The hike is fairly straightforward in good weather, as you stay on the Pennine Way the entire way.

From the signpost that says “High Cup Nick: 2.75 miles,” follow the Pennine Way up and down the track, through the field, and eventually you’ll come to a sheep pen. While it’s not a steep incline, you are walking uphill pretty much most of the way. It took me just about half an hour from leaving my car at the starting point to get to the sheep pen. Cross through the pen and continue following the path. You cross several boulder fields but the path is usually discernable. You’ll start to see the far side of the valley and the steep downward slopes.

Eventually, High Cup Nick will come into view, and you can see the valley. You’ll cross some streams but as long as you follow the path with the valley on your right you can’t go wrong. It took me 1 hour and 20 minutes from leaving the car to get to the magnificent viewpoint.

This view over High Cup Nick and the dramatic U-shaped valley has to be one of the best in England!!

Hiking Back to Dufton

You could easily add on a bit more to this hike, however most people just come to see High Cup Nick. The easiest way back to Dufton is to simply retrace your steps on the Pennine Way. This is what we chose to do, as we hadn’t researched enough about the area and didn’t have the full OS map (don’t be like me though, always have a map!!). Alternately, you could descend through the boulder field and scree down through the valley. You could follow this path out through the valley, and eventually take a right-hand turn to get back to the Pennine Way path.

All in all, this hike took me just under 3 hours there and back. (Technically, 2 hours and 50 minutes!) If you’re starting in Dufton as opposed to the parking at the trail, I’d add on at least 1 hour as you’ll need to get up the road to where I parked, and continue on all the way back to the village at the end. There is a café and pub in Dufton if you’re interested in a bite to eat or a pint.

Planning Your Trip

I did this hike on my way back to York from the Lake District. However, you could easily make the Eden Valley or the North Pennines a weekend destination! Either way, you need to visit this part of Cumbria. There is no public transportation to Dufton, and the nearest train station is in Appleby. So you will need your own car to do this hike.

You can search for hostels nearby here, and for hotels and B&Bs around Dufton here. Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.

Hiking High Cup Nick should definitely be on your bucket list—I’m so thrilled I finally got to go here! The views are simply amazing. I definitely think this is one of the most underrated hikes in England! If you’re visiting Cumbria, make sure to hike out to High Cup Nick. I hope this helps planning the High Cup Nick hike!

Have you ever been to High Cup Nick or the Eden Valley? Would you want to do this hike?!

You might also like my posts:

The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide To England’s Lake District

The Lake District: Keswick And Beyond

Hiking Up Helvellyn In The Lake District

Crinkle Crags In Langdale: A Beautiful Hike In The Lake District

16 Of The BEST Places To Visit In The North York Moors

All of my hiking posts!

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