Branstree NE Top [Branstree East Top] [High Howes (Mardale)]

Sitting on the high, grassy shoulder of Branstree above Mardale, this subsidiary summit offers a quieter perspective on Haweswater than its parent peak. The terrain is typical of the Far Eastern fells—broad and often boggy—but the ridge position provides a clear view across the valley to the rugged profile of Harter Fell.

• •The name Branstree likely derives from the Old Norse 'brandr', meaning fire or burnt, and 'tre', meaning tree, suggesting a historical landscape cleared by burning.
• •While Alfred Wainwright omitted this specific top from his pictorial guides, it is classified as a Birkett and a Nuttall, sitting on the high ridge that connects Selside Pike to the main Branstree summit.
• •The summit provides an exceptional vantage point over the Mardale valley, where the ruins of the village of Mardale Green were submerged following the construction of the Haweswater dam in the 1930s.
• •A dilapidated stone wall runs across the plateau near the summit, serving as a vital navigational handrail for walkers crossing this often featureless and misty section of the Far Eastern fells.
• •The 'High Howes' name might suggest a series of prominent peaks, but the summit is actually a gentle swell that can be surprisingly difficult to pinpoint without a map and compass in heavy cloud.