North Pennines
Black Hill
645M
2116FT
About Black Hill
Standing on the high moorland divide between Swaledale and Mallerstang, this peat-covered dome offers a sense of profound isolation. The terrain is quintessential North Pennines—boggy, pathless, and wild—but provides an unhindered perspective across the valley to the dramatic limestone escarpments of Wild Boar Fell and the High Seat ridge.
Key Statistics
Rank
63rd Highest in Region
Parent Range
Yorkshire Dales
Prominence
?
10
Nearest Town
County Durham
Geology
You are walking on the Stainmore Formation. This foundation is made of layers of sandstone, mudstone, and limestone that sit beneath your feet.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NY906334
Latitude
54.6958°N
Longitude
2.1468°W
Did You Know?
- •Derived from the Old English 'blæc', the name reflects the dark, sombre appearance of the hill's deep blanket bog and heather, which stands in stark contrast to the bright limestone pastures in the valleys below.
- •The hill marks a significant hydrological divide; rainfall on the western slopes flows into the River Eden and out to the Irish Sea, while eastern drainage joins the River Swale on its journey to the North Sea.
- •To the north-west, the skyline is broken by the distinctive silhouettes of the Nine Standards, a series of ancient dry-stone cairns that stand on the edge of the Hartley Fell escarpment overlooking the Vale of Eden.
- •Navigating the summit plateau requires a philosophical attitude toward footwear, as the local peat hags are famously deep and have a habit of claiming gaiters and dignity in equal measure.