Moorlands
From the high summits of Cross Fell and the wind swept expanses of blanket bog on the plateau above Lunedale, to the high ridges between the eastern and northern dales, the moorland landscapes of the North Pennines are some of England’s wildest places.
They are home to some of our rarest and most charismatic wildlife and have an unspoilt sense of naturalness and remoteness found in few other places in our crowded country. A walk on the moors offers a sense of tranquillity and isolation that is difficult to find elsewhere in England. These peatlands have important environmental functions such as reducing flood risk, providing a source of clean drinking water and acting as carbon sinks. Peatlands also preserve important archaeological heritage and organic matter like pollen grains, which provide evidence of environmental change. This moorland is accessible through public rights of way and much of it is open access land.
Ashes Quarry Geotrail
![Ashes Quarry above Stanhope in Weardale © NPAP/Neil Diment Ashes Quarry above Stanhope in Weardale © NPAP/Neil Diment](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp019.jpg?itok=ZDaKILBI)
Blackton Reservoir: North Pennine Birdwalks - Walk 14
![Oystercatcher © NPAP Oystercatcher © NPAP](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp015_0.jpg?itok=BI5KQ66e)
Blanchland Geotrail
![Blanchland © NPAP/Shane Harris Blanchland © NPAP/Shane Harris](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp021.jpg?itok=aLE7vyGV)
Burnhope Head: North Pennine Birdwalks - Walk 7
![Merlin © NPAP Merlin © NPAP](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp008_0.jpg?itok=XXWTWfzF)
Cardunneth Pike Open Access Walk
![Walkers above Castle Carrock reservoir © NPAP/Elizabeth Pickett Walkers above Castle Carrock reservoir © NPAP/Elizabeth Pickett](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp092.jpg?itok=AxpS-xtF)
Cow Green Geological Trail
![Cauldron Snout on the River Tees © Natural England/Charlie Hedley Cauldron Snout on the River Tees © Natural England/Charlie Hedley](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp051_0.jpg?itok=G9tP71fF)
Dufton Pike Open Access Walk
![Dufton Pike © NPAP/Elizabeth Pickett Dufton Pike © NPAP/Elizabeth Pickett](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp096.jpg?itok=GIW-Llg4)
Dufton Pike: North Pennine Birdwalks - Walk 11
![Wheatear © NPAP Wheatear © NPAP](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp012_0.jpg?itok=p4o8vgsS)
Eden Outdoor Adventures
![Gyhll scrambling © Eden Outdoor Adventures Gyhll scrambling © Eden Outdoor Adventures](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp136_0.jpg?itok=W-LRsp8o)
Harwood Beck and Widdybank: North Pennine Birdwalks - Site 3
![Redshank © NPAP Redshank © NPAP](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp018_0.jpg?itok=Z4bHEXJa)
High Force and Bowlees Geotrail
![High Force © High Force ©](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/test001.jpg?itok=xpFI-9VP)
Howden Burn (Weardale): North Pennine Birdwalks - Walk 13
![Lapwing © NPAP Lapwing © NPAP](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp014_0.jpg?itok=KCb_zlsP)
Ireshopeburn (Weardale): Hay Time Walk 2
![Path to the hay meadows in Ireshopeburn © NPAP/Gearoid Murphy Path to the hay meadows in Ireshopeburn © NPAP/Gearoid Murphy](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp045.jpg?itok=AmkldBH5)
Isaacs Tea Trail
![© Roger Morris © Roger Morris](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/_2.jpg?itok=33ii50L1)
Knock Geological Trail
![Great Dun Fell © NPAP/Shane Harris Great Dun Fell © NPAP/Shane Harris](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp048_0.jpg?itok=O7lss1Gr)
Newbiggin and the Carriers’ Way
![Walkers on the heather moors © NPAP/Shane Harris Walkers on the heather moors © NPAP/Shane Harris](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp054.jpg?itok=oyqwjqj-)
North Pennine Birdwalks Site 2: Ouston Fell
![Swallow © NPAP Swallow © NPAP](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp017_0.jpg?itok=Cq2q_uCt)
Open access walks in Cumbria: Cold Fell
![Walkers on Gairs track © NPAP/Elizabeth Pickett Walkers on Gairs track © NPAP/Elizabeth Pickett](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp089.jpg?itok=KJUQaIQN)
Open access walks in Cumbria: Geltsdale
![Binney Bank wood below Tarnmonath Fell © NPAP/Gearoid Murphy Binney Bank wood below Tarnmonath Fell © NPAP/Gearoid Murphy](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp090.jpg?itok=v1hop-oi)
Open access walks in Cumbria: Great Knipe
Open access walks in Cumbria: North Pennine Ridge (Northern Section)
![Overlooking Geltsdale and the Tindale Fells © NPAP/Gearoid Murphy Overlooking Geltsdale and the Tindale Fells © NPAP/Gearoid Murphy](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp095.jpg?itok=EK3ugmD8)
Open access walks in Cumbria: North Pennine Ridge (Southern Section)
![View of Pikes from Knock Fell © NPAP/Elizabeth Pickett View of Pikes from Knock Fell © NPAP/Elizabeth Pickett](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp094.jpg?itok=tTbfXxkM)
Open access walks in Cumbria: Talkin Fell
![View down the River Gelt Valley © NPAP/Gearoid Murphy View down the River Gelt Valley © NPAP/Gearoid Murphy](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp091.jpg?itok=U47gMLD3)
Open access walks in Cumbria: Thack Moor and Black Fell
![Cottage near Hartside summit © NPAP/Simon Wilson Cottage near Hartside summit © NPAP/Simon Wilson](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp093_0.jpg?itok=SweW-1ZS)
Over the hill to Cowbyre Farm
![Derwent Reservoir from above Blanchland © NPAP Derwent Reservoir from above Blanchland © NPAP](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp055.jpg?itok=Ewo9LB_O)
Rookhope: Fields and Fells
![Rookhope © NPAP/Shane Harris Rookhope © NPAP/Shane Harris](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp062.jpg?itok=m3oW1-ZJ)
Spring Gentian
![Spring gentian © NPAP/Elizabeth Pickett Spring gentian © NPAP/Elizabeth Pickett](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp047.jpg?itok=9CXGhJxq)
St John's Chapel: Farming, Mining and Methodism
![Coronation Bridge in Ireshopeburn, Weardale © NPAP/Gearoid Murphy Coronation Bridge in Ireshopeburn, Weardale © NPAP/Gearoid Murphy](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp063.jpg?itok=VDKJ9TGK)
Taste Trails: Allendale to Whitfield Circular
![Allendale Bakery © NPAP/Shane Harris Allendale Bakery © NPAP/Shane Harris](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp124.jpg?itok=ewe2wHkb)
Teesdale Reservoir Walk
![Hury Reservoir © NPAP/Beck Baker Hury Reservoir © NPAP/Beck Baker](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp103.jpg?itok=ZdIh0Eic)
The Chimneys and Dryburn Moor (Allen Valleys): North Pennine Birdwalks - Walk 4
![Golden plover © NPAP Golden plover © NPAP](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp005.jpg?itok=LAVl2N1l)
Tindale Tarn: North Pennine Birdwalks Walk 2
![Wigeon © NPAP Wigeon © NPAP](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp002_0.jpg?itok=FxVIlCAi)
Up on the ridge: Moor House-Upper Teesdale NNR
![Knock Pike and the Eden Valley © NPAP/Gearoid Murphy Knock Pike and the Eden Valley © NPAP/Gearoid Murphy](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp078.jpg?itok=hD6rLsTR)
Upper Teesdale (Hanging Shaw): North Pennine Birdwalks Walk 12
![Black grouse © NPAP Black grouse © NPAP](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp013_0.jpg?itok=CpHK4uO-)
Walks from Allendale Caravan Park
![River East Allen © NPAP/Shane Harris River East Allen © NPAP/Shane Harris](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp058.jpg?itok=vYYf0rAs)
Waterfalls and wildlife walk: Moor House-Upper Teesdale NNR
![High Force © DCC/Mike Ogden High Force © DCC/Mike Ogden](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp077.jpg?itok=KCbxAI_v)
Weardale Way - Stanhope to White Kirkley
![Footbridge over the Bollihope Burn © NPAP/Gearoid Murphy Footbridge over the Bollihope Burn © NPAP/Gearoid Murphy](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp082.jpg?itok=RUXR0EEh)
Weardale Way - Westgate to Eastgate via Rookhope
![Wildflowers in Ashy Bank wood near Eastgate © NPAP/Gearoid Murphy Wildflowers in Ashy Bank wood near Eastgate © NPAP/Gearoid Murphy](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp080.jpg?itok=C4wGFfW5)
Weardale Way - White Kirkley to Wolsingham
![View over Harehope Quarry © NPAP/Gearoid Murphy View over Harehope Quarry © NPAP/Gearoid Murphy](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp083.jpg?itok=nVRDEkEi)
Wellhope Moor (Nent Valley): North Pennine Birdwalks - Walk 9
![Grey partridge © NPAP Grey partridge © NPAP](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp010_0.jpg?itok=WnggNTDn)
Wild Brown Trout - Cow Green Reservoir
![Preparing the net © NPAP/Shane Harris Preparing the net © NPAP/Shane Harris](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp074.jpg?itok=rFPQjN-V)
Wild North Discovery
![Wild North Discovery © Wild North Discovery Wild North Discovery © Wild North Discovery](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/_10.jpg?itok=gro1K41Y)
Windmore end
![Michael on Samoon at Windmore crag © Ron Kenyon Michael on Samoon at Windmore crag © Ron Kenyon](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp142.jpg?itok=RjpKGDn4)