North Pennines
Dufton Pike
481M
1579FT
About Dufton Pike
Rising as a near-perfect cone above the village of Dufton, this prominent outlier offers a steep but rewarding climb. Its isolated position provides an unobstructed panorama across the Eden Valley towards the Lake District fells, while the massive bulk of Great Dun Fell looms directly to the east.
Key Statistics
Rank
193rd Highest in Region
Parent Range
North Pennines
Prominence
?
163.4m
Nearest Town
Westmorland and Furness
Geology
Dufton Pike is built from ancient layers of volcanic ash and stony debris. These hardened volcanic materials form the steep, solid foundation beneath your boots.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NY699266
Latitude
54.6336°N
Longitude
2.4678°W
Did You Know?
- •Dufton’s name derives from the Old English 'dūfe' (dove) and 'tūn' (farmstead), while 'Pike' describes its sharp, conical profile—a shape that contrasts sharply with the flat-topped plateaus typical of the North Pennines.
- •Geologically, the hill is an anomaly in its immediate surroundings; it is formed from Skiddaw Slate, making it more akin to the fells of the Lake District than the limestone and gritstone of the Pennine escarpment it sits beneath.
- •Its position makes it a prime spot to witness the Helm Wind, the UK’s only named wind, where a 'cap' of cloud forms over the summit of nearby Cross Fell and a 'bar' of cloud sits parallel over the Eden Valley.
- •The summit offers a clear view of the entrance to High Cup Nick to the south-east, a spectacular glacial u-shaped valley often described as the Grand Canyon of the North.
- •The ascent is remarkably efficient; because the hill rises so abruptly from the valley floor, you can go from the village green to standing at the summit cairn in well under an hour.