North Pennines
Brownley Hill
534M
1751FT
About Brownley Hill
Situated on the rugged high ground above Nenthead, this North Pennines Tump is defined by its industrial heritage. The terrain is a mix of rough moorland and significant lead mining remains. While modest in height, it offers a stark, quiet perspective of the surrounding Alston Block and the rolling Eastern Fells.
Key Statistics
Rank
156th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Yorkshire Dales
Prominence
?
Data coming soon
Nearest Town
Northumberland
Geology
You are trekking over a foundation of limestone, sandstone, and mudstone. These layered rocks build the rugged terrain of Brownley Hill.
Find It
Latitude
54.8436°N
Longitude
2.3276°W
Did You Know?
- •The name likely stems from the Old English 'brun', meaning brown, and 'leah', a clearing or meadow, reflecting the typical moorland vegetation that blankets the fellside.
- •The hill is internationally famous among mineralogists as the site of the Brownley Hill Mine; it is the type locality for the rare mineral Alstonite and produced world-class specimens of Barytocalcite.
- •Much of the western slope is scarred by 'hushing'—an old mining technique where a sudden rush of water was used to strip away soil and reveal the mineral veins beneath.
- •The summit offers a clear view across the Nent Valley towards the vast, rounded profiles of Cross Fell and Great Dun Fell to the southwest.
- •Given the intensity of the lead mining remains, you are often more likely to encounter a geologist with a rock hammer than a fellow walker on these slopes.