Summits of Great Britain

Some Mountains, Hills and Summits of Great Britain

These pages feature some of the many mountains, hills, fells, summits and high points in Britain. The criteria for inclusion are that (1) I've climbed the hill in question, and (2) that I've taken a photo at the summit. Wherever possible there is also a picture of the hill from a neighbouring summit or adjacent valley, or a picture of the view from the top.

See the home page for an explanation of the status terms (Munro, Corbett, Marylin, Hewitt, et al).

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	Dunkery Beacon Location: Exmoor, Somerset Grid Ref: SS 891415 Height: 1703 ft (519 m) Status: Marilyn, County Top (Somerset) Notes: Dunkery Beacon is the highest summit of Exmoor, a national park that straddles the counties of Devon and Somerset close to the Bristol Channel coast. Although much of Exmoor is heath, moor and rough pasture, the summit of Dunkery Beacon itself is quite stony. As well as the usual OS trig pillar the summit features an enormous cairn and a topograph. The summit is only a few hundred metres from the lonely Luccombe to Wheddon Cross road, though walkers wanting to make it part of a worthwhile expedition might like to tackle it from Porlock, via the valley of Horner Water. The view is extensive and includes much of Exmoor, extending across Devon to Dartmoor, across Somerset to the Quantocks and across the Bristol Channel to Wales. On the clearest days the Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons might just be glimpsed.

	Duwynt Location: Brecon Beacons Grid Ref: SO 005206 Height: 2703 ft (824 m) Status: Buxton & Lewis Notes: An outlier of Pen y Fan, and one of the few hills found exclusively on Buxton & Lewis's list. It's an excellent viewpoint for Pen y Fan and Corn Du and is only three or four minutes' diversion from the main ascent track from Storey Arms.

	Eagle Crag Location: Lake District, Central Fells Grid Ref: NY 276121 Height: 1722 ft (525 m) Status: Wainwright Notes: Eagle Crag stands at the head of the Stonethwaite valley south of Borrowdale. Although it looks quite daunting from down in the valley it is really just a top of High Raise. The ascent is not difficult, involving an approach via Greenup then a crossing of some pathless terrain to gain the summit from the southeast. The bulk of High Raise shuts out most of the panomara through the eastern arc while Glaramara limits that to the west, so the best views to be had from the top are to the north (illustrated) and south.

	Eildon Mid Hill Location: Southern Uplands. Melrose Grid Ref: NT 548322 Height: 1385ft (422 m) Status: Marilyn Notes: Eildon Mid Hill is the highest of a group of three hills that stand in isolation south of the town of Melrose, in the Tweed valley. Their isolation among the plains of the Tweed make them superb viewpoints, and some two thousand years ago a Roman signal station was sited on the north hill, barely a mile away. The summit of Eildon Mid Hill is only a few hundred metres off the route of St Cuthberts Way, which crosses the col between the mid and north hills, and the hill can be climbed from Melrose in well under an hour. There is a topograph on the summit but it is badly worn - however, the view encompasses the Cheviots, the Ettrick Hills, Yair Forest, the Meldons, Moorfoots, Pentlands and Lammermuirs, as well as the towns of St Boswells and Galashiels.

	Fairfield Location: Lake District, Eastern Fells Grid Ref: NY 358117 Height: 2863 ft (873 m) Status: Wainwright, Marilyn, Hewitt, Nuttall Notes: This celebrated fell, laying at the apex of three ridges between Grasmere and Kirkstone Pass, is the 14th highest summit in England and is not far short of Munro height. Its southeastern and southwestern ridges form the famous Fairfield Horseshoe, an excellent full day circular walk from Ambleside. The northeast ridge is also full of interest, including the impressive height of St Sunday Crag as well as the awkward little topknott of Cofa Pike. Views are glorious, that to the north especially, across Grizedale Tarn towards Helvellyn and Striding Edge. The pass of Grizedale offers ascent routes from Grasmere and from Patterdale, though the climb from Grizedale Hause is very steep. Perhaps the easiest way up is from Grasmere via Stone Arthur and Great Rigg.

	Fell Head Location: Howgill Fells Grid Ref: SD 649981 Height: 2100 ft (640 m) Status: Hewitt, Nuttall Notes: A lonely fell in the northwest of the Howgills, Fell Head looms above the M6 motorway from the east as it runs through the narrow gap in the hills between Kendal and Penrith. As such it is seen by tens of thousands of people every day yet visited by only a tiny fraction. Equally lonely hills fill the panorama in every direction. A path rises to the summit from Howgill farm down in the valley, though it is probably approached more often along the ridge path from The Calf.

	Fellbarrow Location: Lake District, Western Fells Grid Ref: NY 132242 Height: 1365 ft (416 m) Status: Wainwright, Clement Notes: The northernmost top of the range of hills laying between the Vale of Lorton and Loweswater, Fellbarrow is an extensive hill of rough pasture. It can be climbed from Thackthwaite or from Low Lorton. Standing as it does on the edge of the Lakeland hils it commands an extensive view of the Cumbrian coastal plain, and on clear days Scotland is visible across the Solway Firth. Fellwards, the Grasmoor group takes pride of place amongst the extensive panorama of fells.

	Firle Beacon Location: South Downs, East Sussex Grid Ref: TQ 485059 Height: 713 ft (217 m) Status: Marylin Notes: Firle Beacon is a fine grassy top, the highest point of the South Downs between Alfriston and Southease. The seven mile walk between the two locations makes for a fine half day expitition, although there are two car parks right on the ridgeline a mile east and west of the summit respectively, for those who like their summit conquests to be easy. Newhaven and its harbour are well seen to the south, Lewes and Cliffe Hill are nearby to the north, while the ridge of the South Downs itself stretches away both east and west.

	Foel Fynyddau Location: Afan Forest Grid Ref: SS 782935 Height: 1214 ft (370 m) Status: Marylin, Clement Notes: Foel Fynyddau stands a couple of miles north of the town of Cwmafan, near Port Talbot in south Wales, and can be reached via lanes and paths from the town in about an hour. The hill is mostly surrounded by forest but there is a pleasant panorama of the surrounding hill country and a pleasing vista down the Afan valley towards Port Talbot. Somerset is in view across the Bristol channel.

	Freeholds Top Location: South Pennines Grid Ref: SD 906218 Height: 1493 ft (455 m) Status: Marylin Notes: Freeholds Top is a moorland summit in the southern Pennines, lying about two miles south west of Todmorden in upper Calderdale, close to the Yorkshire / Lancashire border. There are plenty of approach routes (though not as many paths on the fell as the map suggests there are), and the easiest approach is probably from Gauxholme at the south end of Todmorden, from where a series of paths and tracks loop around the east and south sides of the fell via several upland farms and old mine workings. The walk is pleasant enough although the summit is rather dull. It is unusual in having a tarn adjacent to the trig pillar. There is not much foreground interest but there are extensive views of other Pennine tops and perhaps the most obvious feature is the obelisk of Stoodley Pike, a few miles away on the other side of Calderdale.

	Froswick Location: Lake District, Far Eastern Fells Grid Ref: NY 435085 Height: 2362 ft (720 m) Status: Hewitt, Nuttall, Wainwright Notes: Froswick mimics its southern neighbour, Ill Bell, in that it appears as a shapely pyramid from most directions. It lays on the Ill Bell ridge between Troutbeck and Kentmere and is normally climbed as part of the Ill Bell ridgewalk or the Kentmere horseshoe. Kentmere lays to the east and Windermere to the southwest, but most of the panorama consists of other Lakeland fells, notably the Fairfield and Helvellyn groups through the northwestern arc and High Street and its neighbours o the north.

	Garth Hill Location: Taff Vale Grid Ref: ST 103835 Height: 1007 ft (307 m) Status: Marylin Notes: A most pleasant little hill which stands above Taffs Well to the west, and is the nearest Marylin to Cardiff. It's a climb of about 75 minutes from Taffs Well railway station, rather steep in places; drivers can cheat by parking up on the road that runs high around the south slopes of the hill from where it's a mere 20 minutes to the top. Cattle and sheep graze the heathland summit, which boasts a superb view over the Welsh capital. Exmoor can be seen far top the south across the Bristol channel, while the Brecon Beacons can be seen to the north.

	Gategill Fell Top Location: Lake District, Northern Fells Grid Ref: NY 317273 Height: 2792 ft (851 m) Status: Nuttall Notes: The west top of Blencathra. From Blencathra's principal summit, Hallsfell, Gategill Fell Top appears as a distinct pyramid shape further west along the summit ridge. It's invariably visited as part of Blencathra's ridge walk and yields excellent views each way along the ridge, south and southwest across Derwentwater to the bulk of the Lakeland fells, and westwards to Skiddaw.

	Gibson Knott Location: Lake District, Central Fells Grid Ref: NY 317100 Height: 1378 ft (420 m) Status: Wainwright Notes: An unfrequented fell, the highest on High Raise's lateral ridge that terminates in Helm Crag above Grasmere. Gibson Knott is unusually rocky for a fell of such modest height and its climb is not without effort - the most usual approach is from Grasmere via Helm Crag. The view is restricted by higher fells in most directions, but Grasmere looks delightful from here.

	Glaramara Location: Lake District, Southern Fells Grid Ref: NY 246104 Height: 2569 ft (783 m) Status: Wainwright, Hewitt, Nuttall Notes: Glaramara is an evocative name, and the fell that bears it is a popular destination for walkers. Part of the complex northeast ridge of Scafell Pike, it looms large in the mountain panorama south of Borrowdale. Glaramara, indeed the whole ridge of which it forms a part, is formed of rough terrain of volcanic origin. Hence all walks hereabouts involve a good deal of clambering and many ups and downs over satellite tops, and Glaramara is not easily won. It is normally climbed from the south, in conjunction with Allen Crags. The summit is confusing, having two tops about 150 metres apart, each with two cairns. Which is highest is still a matter of conjecture - the picture here is the north cairn of the south summit. Views are glorious in all directions.

	Glas Maol Location: Scottish Highlands, Mounth Grid Ref: NO 166765 Height: 3540 ft (1068 m) Status: Munro, Murdo, Marilyn, County Top (Angus) Notes: Glas Maol is easy to ascend given that it stands not much over a mile from the highest point of the A93 between Braemar and Blairgowrie, and a straightforward ascent of only 1500 ft or so is necessary to attain the summit. Glas Maol may be administratively important (it's the meeting point of Aberdeenshire, Perthshire and Angus) but aesthetically it's dull, being a relatively shapeless grassy lump. In the portrait image, left, it's seen from nearby Cairn of Claise. There are satisfying views of the Cairngorms and the Mounth, while further afield the Ochils are visible to the south.

	Glas Tulaichean Location: Scottish Highlands, Mounth Grid Ref: NO 051760 Height: 3448 ft (1051 m) Status: Munro, Murdo, Marilyn Notes: A hill situated a few miles northwest of Spittal of Glenshee on the edge of some very remote country. Most guidebooks would have you take a roundabout and pathless route to this summit, ignoring the perfectly good landrover track all the way from Spittal of Glenshee to within a hundred metres of the summit. Whichever way you prefer to get there, adventurous or straightforward, the view repays your efforts tenfold. The western Mounth and the Cairngorms dominate the view but there is also an interesting panorama to the east snd southeast, ranging from Lochnagar and its neighbours through the Sidlaw hills to East and West Lomond in Fife.

	Glastonbury Tor (a.k.a. Tor Hill) Location: Somerset Grid Ref: ST 512386 Height: 518 ft (158 m) Status: sub-Marilyn Notes: One of several conicals hills that rise from the fenland of the Somerset Levels, Glastonbury Tor is a hill surrounded by myth and legend. It is reputed to be the burial place of the Holy Grail and is also mixed up in the Arthurian legends. The tower on the hill, which stands immediately southeast of the town of Glastonbury, is the remains of a church that was struck by lightning several hundred years ago. The hill has a topograph and boasts superb views over the Somerset levels and north to the Mendips (Wells cathedral can easily be seen). There's a good path up from the town.

	Glenridding Dodd Location: Lake District, Eastern Fells Grid Ref: NY 381176 Height: 1425 ft (442 m) Status: Wainwright Notes: Glenridding Dodd stands immediately north of the village of Glenridding, at the head of Ullswater. The fell is of modest height but is a real sod to ascend, primarily due to the difficulty of access but also because of the rough, pathless and liberally wooded slopes. If you do make the effort and struggle to the top you are rewarded with one of the most glorious views in Lakeland - the head of Ullswater to the south and an end-on view of the greater part of the same lake to the northeast.

	Gowbarrow Fell Location: Lake District, Eastern Fells Grid Ref: NY 407218 Height: 1578 ft (481 m) Status: Wainwright Notes: Gowbarrow is a sprawling area of rough, hummocky moorland laying northwest of Ullswater and east of the Matterdale road. The famous waterfall of Aira Force lays at its southwest corner by Park Brow Foot. From here a path runs around the south and east sides of the fell to a point known as the "shooting box" from where the summit can best be tackled. A great many sketchy paths run over the fell, but their exploration is best left to a sunny day as Gowbarrow is a sombre and unwelcoming place in bad weather.

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This page last updated 31st May 2011