Lake District
Burn Moor
543M
1781FT
About Burn Moor
Tucked away in the quiet southwest corner of the Lake District above Ulpha, this expansive, often-soggy moorland provides a wilder alternative to the central fells. Its summit, Stony Pike, offers a commanding perspective of the Scafell range, Harter Fell, and the rugged Coniston fells across the Duddon Valley.
Key Statistics
Rank
340th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Southern Fells
Prominence
?
23m
Nearest Town
Ulpha
Geology
You are walking over ancient layers of volcanic ash and stony debris, remnants of powerful eruptions that built the rugged foundation of Burn Moor.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SD151924
Latitude
54.3204°N
Longitude
3.3058°W
Did You Know?
- •The name likely derives from the Old English 'burna', meaning a stream, reflecting the numerous becks that drain from this high, wet plateau into the River Duddon.
- •While the broad mass is Burn Moor, the actual summit is the distinctive rocky outcrop of Stony Pike, which provides a much firmer footing than the surrounding peat.
- •Alfred Wainwright included the hill in his 'Outlying Fells' guide, recommending the circular ascent from the Duddon Valley for its 'exhilarating' views of the Scafell massif.
- •From the summit, the view stretches past the nearby Devoke Water toward the Irish Sea and the distant Isle of Man on exceptionally clear days.
- •The terrain is notoriously hospitable to sphagnum moss; completing the walk with dry socks is generally considered a significant tactical victory over the landscape.