Harter Fell (Mardale)

About Harter Fell (Mardale)

Guarding the head of the Mardale valley, this high, grassy dome offers a sense of remote solitude. As the highest point in the Far Eastern Fells, its broad summit provides a commanding perspective over the sunken valley of Haweswater and the steep, craggy ridges leading towards High Street.

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Did You Know?

• •The name derives from the Old Norse hjartar, meaning 'of a hart' or male red deer. This reflects the historical use of these high fells as a deer forest; red deer can still be found in the neighbouring Martindale to this day.
• •Alfred Wainwright described the fell as the 'hub' of the Far Eastern Fells. He particularly praised the summit view looking south, which provides a perfectly framed perspective of the three distinct peaks of the Ill Bell ridge.
• •The fell overlooks the site of the drowned village of Mardale Green. During periods of extreme drought, the receding waters of Haweswater Reservoir reveal the stone walls and old bridge of the village, visible from the fell's northern slopes.
• •It acts as a major geographical crossroads, sitting at the junction of three ridges. It is most commonly climbed as part of a horseshoe from Mardale Head, often paired with the neighbouring summits of Branstree and Kentmere Pike.
• •For a summit of such stature, the presence of a dilapidated iron fence running right across the top serves as a reminder that even in the Lake District’s quietest corners, someone once felt the need to clearly define where their sheep ended and yours began.