Bampton Fell [Bampton Common]

About Bampton Fell [Bampton Common]

Rising gently above the Lowther Valley, this broad, grassy expanse of the Far Eastern Fells offers a quiet alternative to the high-traffic High Street range. A modest Birkett summit, it rewards walkers with expansive views across the Haweswater reservoir toward the rugged silhouettes of Kidsty Pike and High Raise.

Key Statistics

Find It

Did You Know?

• •The name stems from the Old English 'beam-tun', suggesting a settlement built with timber or near a notable tree, long before the fell was designated as common grazing land for the local parish.
• •Bill Birkett includes this peak in his 'Complete Lakeland Fells', noting its position as an introductory height that provides a grandstand view of the more dramatic High Street Roman Road ridge to the south.
• •The fell serves as a scenic vantage point for the Haweswater reservoir; from the summit, you can trace the eastern shoreline where the village of Mardale Green was famously submerged during the valley's flooding in the 1930s.
• •Archaeological interest is high on these lower slopes, with the nearby Towtop Kirk enclosure representing a transition from prehistoric farming to a site of potential religious significance.
• •Navigating the plateau in thick mist offers a masterclass in the subtle art of distinguishing one identical patch of damp grass from another, a skill best practiced with a very reliable compass.