Black Fell

About Black Fell

Sitting on the high, peaty divide between Garsdale and Mallerstang, this broad plateau offers a classic Pennine experience. Though often overshadowed by the nearby Wild Boar Fell, its summit at Sails provides a quiet vantage point over the upper reaches of the Eden and Ure valleys.

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Did You Know?

• •The summit is often referred to as 'Sails', a name likely derived from the Old Norse 'seil', meaning a string or row, which may refer to the line of the ridge or the series of boundary markers found along the high ground.
• •This hill marks a major drainage divide in Northern England; rainfall on the southern slopes feeds the River Ure and flows toward the North Sea, while water on the northern side joins the River Eden on its journey to the Solway Firth.
• •The ridge serves as the historic boundary between the North Riding of Yorkshire and Westmorland, with the border today still following the fence line near the summit cairn.
• •The summit provides an excellent perspective on the 'Dales High Way', offering specific views across the Mallerstang valley to the dramatic limestone scars of Wild Boar Fell and the distant, flat-topped silhouette of Ingleborough.
• •Walking here requires a certain level of commitment to the Pennine bog; the terrain is such that you are frequently required to choose between a long detour or testing the structural integrity of a peat hag.