Great Cockup Summit

Great Cockup is an interestingly named summit in the quiet northern reaches of the Lake District National Park. One of the four Uldale Fells, routes to Great Cockup often take in its neighbouring Wainwrights: Meall Fell, Great Sca Fell and Longlands Fell, with the outlying Brae Fell another easy one to bag during the round.

Approaches usually begin from Longlands or Orthwaite, where accommodation is not plentiful, though there are more options towards Bassenthwaite. All routes to the summit are serene, across velvety, green rolling wilds. From the top, there’s a fantastic view of Skiddaw’s rounded summit ridge, rising to a great height above all else in the region.

The ‘Cockup’ in its name actually refers to ‘cocc’, grouse or woodcock and ‘hop’, a secluded valley in Old English. So, in essence the fell’s name means ‘the large hill above the valley inhabited by grouse or woodcock’.