North Pennines
Hugh Seat
688M
2258FT
About Hugh Seat
Occupying the high peat-covered ridge above the Mallerstang valley, this Nuttall is often traversed alongside its loftier neighbor, High Seat. The terrain is characteristically Pennine: expansive, wild, and frequently boggy. From the summit, the ground drops steeply into the Eden Valley, offering a clear view across to the massive Wild Boar Fell.
Key Statistics
Rank
27th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Yorkshire Dales
Prominence
?
24m
Nearest Town
Westmorland and Furness
Geology
Hugh Seat is built from layers of sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone. These solid, gritty rocks form the sturdy foundation beneath your feet as you climb.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SD809991
Latitude
54.3870°N
Longitude
2.2956°W
Did You Know?
- •The hill is named after Sir Hugh de Morville, one of the four knights who murdered Thomas Becket in 1170. As Lord of Westmorland, Morville held the nearby Pendragon Castle, the ruins of which still stand in the valley below.
- •The summit sits on the historic county boundary between Westmorland and the North Riding of Yorkshire, marked by a collection of ancient boundary stones and a modern survey pillar.
- •From the cairn, walkers have a bird's-eye view of the Settle-Carlisle railway as it passes through the Mallerstang valley, specifically the section leading up to Ais Gill, the highest point on the line at 1,169 feet.
- •This fell acts as a significant drainage divide; water falling on the western slopes feeds the River Eden and flows to the Irish Sea, while the eastern slopes drain into the River Swale and eventually the North Sea.
- •The 'Seat' suffix might imply a comfortable place to rest, but the reality is a summit plateau of such saturated, quaking peat that any attempt to sit down usually results in a cold, sodden surprise.