North Pennines
Meldon Hill
767M
2516FT
About Meldon Hill
Rising above the desolate headwaters of Maize Beck, this broad-shouldered North Pennine dome offers a masterclass in solitude. It lacks a defined path, making the trek through its peaty, heather-clad slopes a genuine navigational exercise. The reward is a singular perspective on the iconic, glaciated chasm of High Cup Nick nearby.
Key Statistics
Rank
6th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Yorkshire Dales
Prominence
?
66
Nearest Town
Westmorland and Furness
Geology
You are walking over sturdy layers of limestone, sandstone, and mudstone. These different rocks form the solid foundation of the fell beneath your feet.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NY771290
Latitude
54.6563°N
Longitude
2.3555°W
Did You Know?
- •The name likely stems from the Old English 'mǣl-dūn', meaning 'hill with a mark' or 'cross hill', hinting at its historical status as a landmark in the vast, featureless moors.
- •It sits within the Moor House-Upper Teesdale National Nature Reserve, an ecologically sensitive landscape famous for its rare 'Teesdale Assemblage' of post-glacial wildflowers.
- •The summit provides an exceptional vantage point for viewing the 'golf ball' radar station on Great Dun Fell and the dramatic, stepped basalt cliffs of the Whin Sill at High Cup Nick.
- •Most walkers approach the hill from Dufton, pairing it with the Pennine Way, though the transition from the well-trodden national trail to Meldon’s pathless plateau can be a shock to the system.
- •The summit plateau is so remarkably flat and expansive that the highest point is marked by a modest cairn which feels like a small victory in a vast sea of peat hags.