North Pennines
Great Stony Hill
708M
2323FT
About Great Stony Hill
Located in the remote North Pennines above the Eden Valley, this high, sprawling plateau offers a true sense of isolation. Often tackled alongside its neighbour, Burnhope Seat, the terrain is typically Pennine—heather-clad and occasionally boggy—rewarding walkers with expansive views across the northern fells and the distant Lake District peaks.
Key Statistics
Rank
18th Highest in Region
Parent Range
North Pennines
Prominence
?
54m
Nearest Town
County Durham
Geology
Great Stony Hill is built from a sturdy foundation of limestone, topped by layers of sandstone and mudstone that form the path ahead.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NY823359
Latitude
54.7178°N
Longitude
2.2763°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is a straightforward Anglo-Saxon descriptor, where 'Stony' distinguishes this gritstone-capped rise from the more uniform peat hags of the surrounding moorland.
- •The summit marks a significant point on the historic county boundary between Westmorland and County Durham, serving as a high frontier for centuries.
- •Walking here is almost always a dual-peak affair; it is most logically bagged in tandem with Burnhope Seat, though the terrain between them requires a keen eye for avoiding the deepest peat hags.
- •On a clear day, the summit offers a commanding perspective of the massive Cross Fell range to the west and the blue waters of Cow Green Reservoir nestled in the folds of Teesdale to the east.
- •Despite its name, many walkers find that 'Great Peaty Hill' would be a more geographically accurate title for the approaches after a week of Pennine rain.