Floutern Cop

Overlooking the dark waters of Floutern Tarn, this Western Fell outlier offers a quiet alternative to the loftier heights of Great Borne. Its rounded summit provides a front-row seat to the rugged northern face of the High Stile range and the deep, wooded trough of the Ennerdale valley below.

• •The name is a hybrid of Old Norse and local dialect, combining 'flot' (marshy ground) and 'tjorn' (tarn) with the term 'Cop', which signifies a rounded hill or peak.
• •Though omitted from the primary Wainwright guides, the hill is classified as a Birkett and a Synge, forming part of the high wild ground that separates the Ennerdale and Buttermere watersheds.
• •The summit sits directly above Floutern Tarn, a lonely and notably dark body of water that occupies the high, peat-heavy col between Great Borne and Hen Comb.
• •The view to the east is dominated by the dramatic, scree-scarred western face of Herdus, providing a perspective of the Great Borne massif that most walkers miss by sticking to the main ridge paths.
• •Approaching from the north via Mosedale provides an excellent opportunity to test if your gaiters are actually as waterproof as the manufacturer's marketing suggested.