Читать книгу Great Mountain Days in the Pennines. 50 classic hillwalking routes онлайн

42 страница из 71

Nichol’s Chair

High Cup Head

The most notable of these pinnacles and columns, Nichol’s Chair, is named after a cobbler who used to live in Dufton, and who not only climbed the pillar but is reputed to have repaired a pair of boots while on its top. Any ascent now runs the risk of precipitating the collapse of the whole column.

For all its comparative lack of stature, the stream that flows (sometimes) lemming-like over High Cup Nick will, when caught by a westerly wind, often plume high into the air, reminiscent of Kinder Downfall in the Peak District, and nearby folds in the grassy shoulder of the escarpment offer lunch-time shelter. While recovering from the effort required to reach this point, it’s worth bearing in mind that the best fell-runners start in Dufton and come up to High Cup Nick, and back down, in just a fraction over one hour!

High Cup Nick is a classic U-shaped valley on the western flanks of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. A deep chasm on the Pennine fellside, this famous geological formation at the top of High Cup Gill is part of the Whin Sill and overlooks the best glaciated valley in northern England, displaying grey-blue dolerite crags of the type that also form High Force and Cauldron Snout.