Lake District
Black Combe South Top
588M
1929FT
About Black Combe South Top
Standing as a broad, grassy shoulder on the seaward side of the main massif, this Birkett summit offers a distinct perspective on the South Cumbrian coastline. While the terrain is often soft and damp, the feeling of space is immense, looking directly down onto the sands of the Duddon Estuary.
Key Statistics
Rank
281st Highest in Region
Parent Range
Southern Fells
Prominence
?
7.5m
Nearest Town
Whicham
Geology
This fell is formed from ancient hardened mudstone and fine-grained granite, which cooled from molten rock deep underground.
Classifications
Find It
Latitude
54.2549°N
Longitude
3.3283°W
Did You Know?
- •The name derives from the Old English 'cumb', referring to the deep, dark glacial hollow on the eastern flank which remains in shadow for much of the day.
- •Though overshadowed by the main summit, the South Top provides a superior vantage point for watching the tide move across the vast sands between Millom and the Furness peninsula.
- •The fell is composed of Skiddaw Slate, making it geologically older and much smoother in profile than the jagged volcanic peaks of the central fells visible to the north.
- •Bill Birkett included this rise as a distinct summit in his 1994 guide, marking it as an essential stop for those traversing the long, windswept ridge above the Whicham Valley.
- •The plateau is so vast and featureless that in a thick sea mist, it provides a rare opportunity to feel completely lost while technically being within sight of a bypass.