Cross Fell Summit

Hiking Cross Fell, the highest mountain in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is a fantastic expedition for multiple reasons. With its summit standing at 2,930 feet (893 m), this vast, bulky mountain is the high point of an extensive ridge system along with its neighbours, allowing you to hike from summit to summit without much descent in between. 

On a clear day, standing atop Cross Fell makes you feel as though you’re on the brink of something huge, as the land drops away across the verdant Vale of Eden and the enticing peaks of the Lake District puncture the horizon. The hike up has no technical sections and is brilliant for family walks although the terrain can get rough with boggy ground. 

Lumbering mountainsides and Lakeland views

Hike up Cross Fell by itself or add in any one of the myriad summits, trails and valleys in its immediate surroundings. You can approach the summit from the north west or south east and choose short or longer routes depending on your aims. With feature names like Middle Tongue, the steep Wildboar Scar and the wonderfully-named Grumply Hill, hiking Cross Fell offers plenty of areas of interest. 

At the summit you’ll find the impressive stone shelter, an ideal spot for a bite to eat and to crack open the thermal flask. Look west to discover Lakeland’s Blencathra squatting on the horizon and east to see the rolling green hills and mountains of the North Pennines. 

Cross Fell is a fantastic objective for hillwalkers and doesn’t present too many challenges in good weather. Boggy ground and mud are common though, while the Helm Wind can cause havoc on the south western slope. Winter attempts can be magical with a dusting of snow but take care should conditions turn dangerous with high winds and ice. 

Find accommodation and food in Alton, Penrith, Appleby-in-Westmorland or the villages at the bottom of Cross Fell’s western slopes. If you want a wilder night, stay at the Greg’s Hut bothy, just north of Cross Fell on the slopes of Skirwith Fell.