Peak District
Hail Storm Hill
477M
1564FT
About Hail Storm Hill
Rising above the Rossendale Valley, this expansive moorland plateau is the highest point in the Forest of Rossendale. Characterised by rough grasses and peat hags, the summit is dominated by the Scout Moor Wind Farm, offering a stark, industrial atmosphere and views that stretch as far as the Manchester skyline.
Key Statistics
Rank
66th Highest in Peak District
Parent Range
The Peak District
Prominence
?
247.8
Nearest Town
Hugh Mill
Geology
This hill is built on solid layers of sandstone. You are walking across the Rough Rock and Upper Haslingden Flags, which form its rugged foundation.
Classifications
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SD834193
Latitude
53.6699°N
Longitude
2.2527°W
Did You Know?
- •It serves as the highest point of the Forest of Rossendale, an ancient upland hunting forest situated between the Irwell and Roche valleys.
- •The summit plateau is the site of the Scout Moor Wind Farm; when commissioned in 2008, its 26 turbines formed the largest onshore wind development in England.
- •On a clear day, the summit offers an expansive view south over the Manchester skyline towards the Jodrell Bank observatory, while the dark mass of Pendle Hill is visible to the north.
- •The name is a literal reference to its exposure; as one of the first significant heights encountered by weather systems coming off the Irish Sea, it is notorious for receiving the brunt of passing storms.
- •Navigating the summit plateau is less about traditional map work and more about counting the giant turbines, which are significantly easier to find in a mist than the sodden peat hags surrounding them.