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| Cross Fell | |
|---|---|
 Cross Fell seen from theEden Valley | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 893 m (2,930 ft) |
| Prominence | 651 m (2,136 ft) |
| Parent peak | Helvellyn[1] |
| Listing | Hewitt,Marilyn,Nuttall,Hardy |
| Coordinates | 54°42′10″N2°29′14″W / 54.70278°N 2.48722°W /54.70278; -2.48722 |
| Geography | |
| Location | North Pennines, England |
| OS grid | NY687343 |
| Topo map | OSLandranger 91 |
Cross Fell is the highestmountain in thePennines ofNorthern England and the highest point in England outside theLake District. It is located in theNorth PenninesArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It lies within the county ofCumbria and the historic county boundaries ofCumberland.
The summit, at 893 metres (2,930 ft), is a stonyplateau, part of a7+3⁄4-mile-long (12.5-kilometre) ridge running north-west to south-east, which also incorporatesLittle Dun Fell at 842 metres (2,762 ft) andGreat Dun Fell at 848 metres (2,782 ft). The three adjoiningfells form anescarpment that rises steeply above theEden Valley on its south-western side and drops off more gently on its north-eastern side towards theSouth Tyne andTees Valleys.
Cross Fell summit is crowned by a cross-shaped dry-stone shelter.[2] On a clear day there are excellent views from the summit across the Eden Valley to the mountains of the Lake District. On the northern side of Cross Fell there are also fine views across theSolway Firth to theSouthern Uplands ofScotland.
The fell is prone to dense hill fog and fierce winds. A shrieking noise induced by theHelm Wind is a characteristic of the locality.[note 1] It can be an inhospitable place for much of the year. In ancient times it was known as "Fiends Fell" and believed to be the haunt of evil spirits.[4]St Augustine of Canterbury is said to have blessed the hill when he arrived here on his travels so it became known as Cross Fell in the Christian tradition, although it has been speculated[by whom?] that the fell became known as Cross Fell ("cross" meaning "angry") because of the evil spirits.
The fell is home to a mountain bothy (Greg’s hut) which is located approximately 0.7 miles (1.1 km) to the north of the summit. This bothy is looked after by theMountain Bothies Association. Greg’s hut is the highest mountain bothy in England sitting on the 700 m (2,300 ft) contour line. From 2010-2023 theMountain Bothies Association refurbished the bothy, including fitting new windows, flooring, and a new stove.[5]
The upper parts of Cross Fell and the adjoining fells are formed mainly from beds ofmudstone,sandstone andsiltstone of theYoredale Group whilst lower ground is formed by multiple layers of theCarboniferous Limestone.[6] Where erosion-resistant beds surface, there are steep rock faces. There are alsostrata ofshale andgritstone that surface on the fell. On the south and west facing slopes of Cross Fell the rock faces have been broken up by frost action to give ascree slope made up of large boulders. The local terrain shows obvious evidence of recent glaciation and is covered by thin soil and acidicpeat.
Cross Fell, Great Dun Fell and Little Dun Fell form a block of high terrain which is all over 800 metres (2,625 ft) in elevation. This is the largest block of high ground in England and tends to retain snow-cover longer than neighbouring areas. Snow can be found in gullies on the north side of Cross Fell as late as May in most years. In some years, lying snow has been known to persist until July and fresh snowfall in June (mid-summer in the Northern Hemisphere) is common.
Precipitation on Cross Fell averages around 2,800 millimetres (110 in) per year. Local flora includes a number of rare alpine plants such as theStarry Saxifrage and a mountainForget-me-not.[7] Cross Fell is covered by what is known as "siliceous alpine and boreal grassland". It is the southernmost outlier of this vegetation type, which is common to highlands in Scotland andScandinavia. It is a designatedSpecial Area of Conservation (SAC). Local farmers are required to keep free-roaming sheep off the tops of the fells in order to avoid damaging the natural flora.[8]
Cross Fell is a conspicuous feature in the landscape. It dominates the skyline on almost the entire 20-mile (32-kilometre) length of theA66 trunk road betweenPenrith andStainmore. It can also be seen from many points in the Lake District, including theHelvellyn summit, and from high ground throughoutDumfriesshire andNorthumberland. Most remarkably, it is claimed that it is visible in exceptional circumstances from the summit ofCarnedd Llewelyn inSnowdonia (Wales) at a distance of 123 miles (198 kilometres).[9]
| Northern Highlands (20) |    | |
|---|---|---|
| Western Highlands (20) | ||
| Central and Eastern Highlands (13) | ||
| Southern Highlands (15) | ||
| Islands (13) | ||
| Scottish Lowlands, England and Wales (13) | ||
| Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland (25) | ||
Marilyns of Northern England | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. Northumberland |  | |
| 2. Northern Lakeland | ||
| 3. Western Lakeland | ||
| 4. Central and Southern Lakeland | ||
| 5. Eastern Lakeland | ||
| 6. North Pennines and Durham | ||
| 7. Northern Yorkshire Dales | ||
| 8. Southern Yorkshire Dales | ||
| 9. North York Moors to the Humber | ||
| 10. Forest of Bowland | ||
