Nannycatch Gate is generally regarded as the entrance to Nannycatch Valley, where the track from Cleator gives way to open fellside. Here, the Coast to Coast path begins its passage between Flat Fell and Scaly Moss, following the beck eastward toward Uldale. The Gate lies at the head of Nannycatch Road, where lane and landscape part ways.

At the head of Nannycatch Valley, the Coast to Coast path reaches open ground near the northeast corner of Flat Fell. The valley flattens here beside Low Cock How Equestrian Centre, with fields rising to Blakeley Moss and the stone circle 100 yards east. This high threshold marks the transition from fellside beck to farmland plateau.

Looking back as the Coast to Coast path climbs out of Nannycatch Valley, the trail can be seen descending toward the beck below. The scree-covered flanks of Flat Fell begin to recede here, as the valley narrows and bends toward Nannycatch Gate.

Looking back along the Coast to Coast path, the full length of Nannycatch Valley can be traced between the steep slopes of Flat Fell and Scaly Moss. The trail follows the beck throughout its half-mile course, squeezed tightly between fells before widening near the Gate.

Nannycatch Beck flows beside the Coast to Coast path as it approaches Nannycatch Gate. Issuing from springs on Blakeley Moss, the beck meanders through the valley before joining Linkrigg Gill in Uldale to become Kirk Beck — a tributary of the River Ehen.

At Nannycatch Gate, the Coast to Coast path leaves the valley floor and joins Nannycatch Road beneath Raven Crag. The rocky outcrop marks the south-western flank of Dent Fell, just above the confluence of the Uldale and Nannycatch routes.

A close view of the Hemerocallis cultivar known as Nanny Button Cap — a mauve-lavender lily with a dark eyezone and frilled edge. While admired for its floral beauty, the word “Nanny” has long carried eerie undertones in Cumbrian and Yorkshire folklore. Place names such as Nannycatch Gate, Nanny’s Nook, and Nanny Ward’s Well — all found along the Coast to Coast path — hint at mischievous sprites, witches, or other supernatural presences. Whether by coincidence or ancient association, the name “Nanny Button Cap” sits somewhere between charm and chill.

The Uldale Valley opens west of Nannycatch Gate, flanked by Dent Fell’s plantation slopes to the north and Lowther Park to the south. Across its wide, grassy floor, the Kirk Beck meanders westward, its waters formed from the union of Nannycatch Beck and Linkrigg Gill. In early summer, the meadows here brim with wildflowers, adding bursts of colour to the pastoral scene.

In summer, the Uldale Valley transforms into a vibrant wildflower meadow. A profusion of native blooms carpets the valley floor, while the flanking slopes are thick with hawthorn, blackthorn, and other deciduous shrubs. This rich blend of flora supports a wide array of butterflies, birds, and other wildlife, making Uldale a haven for nature lovers on the Coast to Coast path.

The Coast to Coast path can be seen descending the gentle slopes of Dent Fell toward the Uldale Valley, opposite the gill at Linkrigg. Raven Crag juts (just out of site to the north) from the fellside above, while the path drops steadily toward the gate at Nannycatch.

Kirk Beck winds quietly through Uldale, often veiled by overgrown banks and tangled greenery. From here it flows south, joining the River Ehen near Braystones after passing through Wilton, Haile, and Beckermet.