A moderate route in Northern Pennines. Check the GPS track on Outdooractive for full details of the route, waypoints, and terrain.
Starting Point: Roadside parking on the B6270, Nateby (NY 804 044)
ASCENT NOTE — GPS UNDERREPORTING: The GPS-recorded ascent of 403m significantly underestimates the actual effort of this walk. The ground throughout the eastern and southern sections is highly undulating — peat hags, moorland hollows and constantly varying terrain that GPS elevation data struggles to capture accurately. The real ascent is likely close to double the recorded figure. This is a considerably more demanding walk than the numbers alone suggest, and should be planned accordingly. WEATHER NOTE: This walk was completed in wet and windy conditions, finishing just a couple of hours before Storm David arrived in full force. The open moorland sections, peat hags and faint paths make this a walk that demands respect in poor weather. Navigation skills and a compass are essential if conditions deteriorate. COAST TO COAST PATH NOTE: The main Coast to Coast path from Nine Standards Rigg has been rerouted and partly paved in recent years, taking a shorter line across the moor. This walk follows the old Coast to Coast alignment for part of the route. The paving runs out quickly, after which only a faint path exists across the peat hags — but it is there and just about visible. Follow the wooden marker poles.
A demanding and thoroughly rewarding circuit across the moors above Kirkby Stephen, combining one of the most iconic summit landmarks in the north of England with some of the most testing and atmospheric moorland walking in the North Pennines. The approach via Tailbridge Hill and Nateby Common is a pleasant and understated opener, the quarry section and intermittent path adding an element of navigation that sharpens the attention before the Coast to Coast is reached. Nine Standards Rigg repays the effort many times over — the cairns themselves are extraordinary at close quarters, their origins still debated, their presence on the moorland skyline unlike anything else in the northern fells. The eastern moor section past the marker post is the walk's most demanding stretch — the peat hags are relentless, the path faint but present, and the GPS ascent figure gives almost no indication of the real physical effort involved. Whitsundale Beck provides a welcome guide south through the latter stages, and the Coast to Coast west via the shooting box is a clear and efficient finish. The road walk back to the car is long and uphill — honest and character-building in equal measure.