Wether Hill (Lake District)
Encyclopedia
Wether Hill is a fell
in the English
Lake District
, between Martindale
and Haweswater
. It lies on the main north-south ridge of the Far Eastern Fells
between Loadpot Hill
and High Raise
. Lesser ridges also radiate out to the east and north-west.
and finally – renamed Howes Beck – passes through Bampton
to the Lowther.
Between Cawdale Beck and the Haweswater catchment further south runs Wether Hill's three mile eastern ridge. This begins at High Kop on the summit plateau and then narrows to form the subsidiary height of Low Kop (1,876 ft). From here a spur runs north east down The Hause into Cawdale. The east ridge however continues over Bampton Fell to a series of rocky tops above the northern shore of Haweswater. Among these are Four Stones Hill (complete with standing stones), Great and Little Birkhouse Hills and Pinnacle How, before the high ground peters out at Haweswater Beck.
South of Wether Hill the main ridge narrows before climbing to Red Crag, an outlier of High Raise. Flowing east from this depression are the feeders of Measand Beck. This runs below Low Kop and Bampton Fell, entering Haweswater halfway along the northern edge. Before the raising of the lake, silt carried down Measand Beck formed The Straits, a narrow waist between the two halves of the original lake. The area was farmed from Measand Beck Hall, now submerged.
The western face of Wether Hill falls steeply into Rampsgill, part of the Martindale valley system, with some broadleaved plantations at the base. Partway down the slope is the protuberance of Gowk Hill (1,545 ft). This is a round grassy dome from which a rocky spur descends northwards over Brownthwaite Crag and Steel Knotts
. Enclosed between this and Loadpot Hill is the little valley of Fusedale.
range and a wide vista toward the Pennines in the opposite direction.
Fell
“Fell” is a word used to refer to mountains, or certain types of mountainous landscape, in Scandinavia, the Isle of Man, and parts of northern England.- Etymology :...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
, between Martindale
Martindale, Cumbria
Martindale is a valley and civil parish in Cumbria, England, situated within the Lake District National Park between the lakes of Ullswater and Haweswater...
and Haweswater
Haweswater Reservoir
Haweswater is a reservoir in the English Lake District, built in the valley of Mardale in the county of Cumbria. The controversial construction of the Haweswater dam started in 1929, after Parliament passed an Act giving the Manchester Corporation permission to build the reservoir to supply water...
. It lies on the main north-south ridge of the Far Eastern Fells
Far Eastern Fells
The Far Eastern Fells are a group of hills in the English Lake District. Reaching their highest point at High Street they occupy a broad area to the east of Ullswater and Kirkstone Pass. Much quieter than the central areas of Lakeland they offer in general easier but less exciting walking as the...
between Loadpot Hill
Loadpot Hill
Loadpot Hill is a fell in the English Lake District, between Haweswater and Ullswater.-Topography:Although of moderate height, Loadpot Hill and its descending ridges cover an area of around...
and High Raise
High Raise (High Street)
High Raise is a fell in the English Lake District, standing to the west of Haweswater Reservoir in the Far Eastern Fells. Note that another High Raise is the highpoint of the Central Fells.-Topography:...
. Lesser ridges also radiate out to the east and north-west.
Topography
North of Wether Hill, across a broad depression, is Loadpot Hill, the height of the two being almost equal. Flowing east from this col is Howe Grain, a feeder of Cawdale Beck. This in turn flows through a U-shaped valleyU-shaped valley
A U-shaped valley also known as a glacial trough is one formed by the process of glaciation. It has a characteristic U-shape, with steep, straight sides, and a flat bottom. Glaciated valleys are formed when a glacier travels across and down a slope, carving the valley by the action of scouring...
and finally – renamed Howes Beck – passes through Bampton
Bampton, Cumbria
Bampton is a village and civil parish in the Eden District of Cumbria, England, on the edge of the Lake District National Park. The parish had a population of 283 according to the 2001 census...
to the Lowther.
Between Cawdale Beck and the Haweswater catchment further south runs Wether Hill's three mile eastern ridge. This begins at High Kop on the summit plateau and then narrows to form the subsidiary height of Low Kop (1,876 ft). From here a spur runs north east down The Hause into Cawdale. The east ridge however continues over Bampton Fell to a series of rocky tops above the northern shore of Haweswater. Among these are Four Stones Hill (complete with standing stones), Great and Little Birkhouse Hills and Pinnacle How, before the high ground peters out at Haweswater Beck.
South of Wether Hill the main ridge narrows before climbing to Red Crag, an outlier of High Raise. Flowing east from this depression are the feeders of Measand Beck. This runs below Low Kop and Bampton Fell, entering Haweswater halfway along the northern edge. Before the raising of the lake, silt carried down Measand Beck formed The Straits, a narrow waist between the two halves of the original lake. The area was farmed from Measand Beck Hall, now submerged.
The western face of Wether Hill falls steeply into Rampsgill, part of the Martindale valley system, with some broadleaved plantations at the base. Partway down the slope is the protuberance of Gowk Hill (1,545 ft). This is a round grassy dome from which a rocky spur descends northwards over Brownthwaite Crag and Steel Knotts
Steel Knotts
Steel Knotts is a fell in the English Lake District, near to Ullswater in the Far Eastern Fells. It stands between the valleys of Fusedale and Martindale on a ridge running north-south.-Topography:...
. Enclosed between this and Loadpot Hill is the little valley of Fusedale.
Summit and view
The grassy top of Wether Hill has two summits of similar height. The southern is broader, but the northern top bears a cairn and is the traditional summit. High Kop and the start of the east ridge fall from the south summit. The Roman road (High Street), which runs along the north-south ridge, narrowly avoids both tops. There are good views west to the HelvellynHelvellyn
Helvellyn is a mountain in the English Lake District, the apex of the Eastern Fells. At above sea level, it is the third highest peak in both the Lake District and England...
range and a wide vista toward the Pennines in the opposite direction.