Darnbrook Fell

About Darnbrook Fell

Rising above the remote hamlet of Darnbrook in Littondale, this is a quintessential Pennine moorland hill. Characterised by broad, boggy plateaus and weathered peat hags, it offers a quiet, solitary alternative to its famous neighbour, Pen-y-ghent, with expansive views across the limestone plateaus of Malham Moor.

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Did You Know?

• •The name Darnbrook likely derives from the Old English 'derne', meaning hidden or secret, and 'broc', meaning a stream. This aptly describes the secluded valley of Cowside Beck that carves into the fell's northern flank, tucked away from the main thoroughfare of Littondale.
• •The northern slopes overlook Cowside, a rarity in the Yorkshire Dales for being a 'V'-shaped valley rather than the classic 'U' shape. Geologists note that during the last ice age, the glaciers moved across this valley rather than down it, leaving its steep-sided profile intact.
• •Though thousands of hikers pass within two miles of the summit while walking the Pennine Way, the fell remains remarkably quiet. It is most often visited by those looking to complete the list of Hewitts or Nuttalls in the Southern Fells.
• •The summit offers a specific, uncrowded perspective of the Three Peaks; the gritstone cap of Pen-y-ghent looks particularly striking from here, viewed across the deep, dark depression of Churn Milk Hole.
• •Negotiating the summit plateau is less an exercise in navigation and more a test of structural integrity for your gaiters, as the terrain consists of deep, persistent peat hags that appear to have been damp since the Holocene.