Murton Pike
NY688251 It’s over to Harbour Flatt this time for a less strenuous hike to Murton Pike – a deserved bit of rest after the previous two routes. (But if your legs ache you could shorten the walk by parking on the lane near Harbour Flatt.) Take the track leading south at the western end of Dufton village green and follow this down to a footbridge at the bottom of Dufton Gill. This surprisingly deep little gorge is hemmed in by sandstone cliffs, some of which were quarried in times gone by, and red squirrels are regularly seen here. Cross the bridge and follow the path, running left uphill through the woods, to meet a track. Continue east, descending back to the stream, and follow the good path through the valley to a stile, passing tall beech trees and mossy cliffs. Continue ahead to the lane at Redbanks Bridge.
The crumpled landscape of Keisley Bank to the north of Murton Pike.
NY693244 Go across and follow the footpath signs through the farm at Greenhow. A concrete track continues ahead for 250m – keep ahead on the path when this turns right, pass a large stone barn on the right and follow the path for 1km, over stiles with a wall on the left. Turn left at a fingerpost, through a gap stile in the wall, and walk through two fields to meet the lane at Keisley. Turn right for 1.1km. NY716234 Just after the bridge over Keisley Beck look for the stile on the left and walk through the field, passing to the north of a copse, towards the farm at Harbour Flatt. Take the track leading north-east (which descended out of High Cup in Route 7), cross Trundale Gill to enter Open Access land and turn right along the north side of the beck for 300m. Cross a fence over the stream, turn uphill and join a right of way running along the south side of the beck. Continue up the valley for approximately 1.5km. Turn right over an area of shake holes and contour south-southwest for 800m to meet a track which passes over a broad, grassy col. Head west over easy-to-cover moorland and climb to the top of Murton Pike, with an extensive view over High Cup and the jumble of hills around Dufton. NY734231 Descend steeply southsouth-west from the trig point (no path) and pick up the track by Cringley Hole, at a point between two small prominent ridges. Turn right and follow this for a short distance to a bend, marked on the map as Sweety Briggs. Leave the track and walk west, downhill, to a right of way along the bottom the hill. Follow this north to return to Trundale Gill and retrace your steps to rejoin the lane beyond Harbour Flatt. Turn right for 1.5km and right again up a track to the houses at Keisley.
NY708238 Go left on a path and continue north, via footpath signs, to join a track north of Town Head. Pass through gates and keep ahead to cross a stream named Harthwaite Sike, beyond which the wall runs to the right of the path. The land is marshy in places and a narrow duckboard leads through the reeds to a gate onto a broad track – the route of the Pennine Way. Turn left and walk down to the lane by Billysbeck Bridge on the outskirts of Dufton. NY694248 Turn right and follow the lane to return to the village green.