Feizor Thwaite

About Feizor Thwaite

This limestone-topped hill rises above the charming hamlet of Feizor, offering a classic Yorkshire Dales landscape of drystone walls and sporadic pavement. It is often overshadowed by its higher neighbours, yet the short climb yields an exceptionally sharp profile of Pen-y-ghent and wide views across the Ribble Valley toward the Forest of Bowland.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is rooted in Old Norse: Feizor is derived from 'Feits-ergh', meaning Feit’s shieling or summer pasture, while 'Thwaite' refers to a meadow or clearing. This highlights the hill's long history as an ancient site of Norse agricultural settlement.
• •The summit area features notable sections of limestone pavement, where the rock has been weathered into 'clints' (blocks) and 'grykes' (fissures). These deep crevices create a sheltered microclimate that supports rare ferns and woodland flora protected from the grazing sheep.
• •Feizor Thwaite is frequently climbed alongside its near-neighbour Smearsett Scar. Together, they form a compact limestone ridge that offers some of the most rewarding views-to-effort ratios in the Southern Dales.
• •From the summit cairn, the distinctive 'crouching lion' profile of Pen-y-ghent is visible to the north-east, while looking south-west provides a clear line of sight over Giggleswick Scar toward the heights of the Forest of Bowland.
• •For many walkers, the hill serves primarily as a necessary aerobic hurdle to be cleared before returning to the well-known tea room in the hamlet below to justify a second slice of cake.