Cow Green Reservoir, along the nature trail to the dam and the top of Cauldron Snout falls, along the Pennine Way near remote farms, Army ranges and high moors to one of the best inland views you are ever likely to get, down High Cup Nick and across to the Lakeland fells.
 

Now this is a beauty, and a rarity in this collection, in that there’s no pub en route. But it’s worth taking a can or three with your growlers, because when you arrive at your destination, you’ll want to stop and look for a while.
Not only is there no pub, but the walk is not circular, either. But it makes a change to do an out-and-back, and this is worth it in good weather … honest.
After parking at the Cow Green Reservoir Car Park, follow the signs down the nature trail towards the dam and Cauldron Snout waterfall. It’s about a mile down a Tarmac track to the dam, and after passing the gates which give access to the path across the top, continue to descend and cross the bridge over the Tees just before it tumbles down Cauldron Snout.
You are now on the Pennine Way. Follow the track for a few miles, past the remote Birkdale Farm, where people still live and actually eke out a living in what has been described as England’s last wilderness. Make sure you do stick to the track as it climbs after the farm to some old lead mining remains, a flagpole and some signs warning of activity on the military range on your left (South).
You can often hear guns going off here, but don’t worry … it’s usually the British Army training here, and they tend to be a lot more accurate and more selective in what they hit than their American counterparts. Continue as the track becomes a path, paved in many parts to keep erosion down, and you’ll have range warning signs on your left as you gradually swing further and further away from Maize Beck, which joins the Tees just below Cauldron Snout.
The views up here are often spectacular (if there’s no low cloud) as the path swings gently to the left and begins to descend towards the banks of Maize Beck again. When you eventually join the beck, walk alongside it until you see an obvious stepping stone crossing to the far bank, but be very careful after rain when Maize Beck can tend to be too high for comfort.
The Pennine Way is marked on OS maps to continue on the north and east banks of the beck, but on our last visit there was an advisory to cross and, it has to be said, the Pennine Way path does become somewhat indistinct. Fortunately, the path on the other side is easy to follow and it eventually brings you to the very edge of High Cup Nick, one of the wonders of Britain.

Basically, it’s a horseshoe-shaped hole in the ground (above), but what a size, and what views from the top. The Grand Canyon it isn’t, but it’s not bad all the same and well worth the walk out and the return, which you can embark upon as soon as you’ve emptied your cans (remembering to take the empties home with you).

Just follow the path you took earlier for the return journey. We don't normally recommend going over old ground, but this is a good walk, and much of it is well worth taking a second look from another angle.