Lake District
Hell Gill Pike
662M
2172FT
About Hell Gill Pike
Situated on the rugged ridge between Wetherlam and Swirl How, this Birkett summit offers a quiet alternative to the busier Coniston giants. Its terrain is quintessential Southern Fells: a mix of rocky outcrops and boggy patches, overlooking the precipitous drop of Hell Gill into the head of Great Langdale.
Key Statistics
Rank
196th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Southern Fells
Prominence
?
1m
Nearest Town
Seathwaite
Geology
Hell Gill Pike is built from layers of hardened volcanic ash and solid lava. You are walking on a rugged landscape forged by debris from powerful eruptions.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NY269016
Latitude
54.4049°N
Longitude
3.1271°W
Did You Know?
- •The name likely stems from the Old Norse 'hellir', meaning a cave, or 'hel', implying a hidden or deep place, referring to the dramatic, narrow ravine of Hell Gill that falls away from its northern slopes.
- •While Alfred Wainwright omitted this as a separate summit in his Pictorial Guides, Bill Birkett identified it as a distinct top, making it a necessary stop for those completing the 541 Birkett fells.
- •From the summit, walkers are rewarded with a direct, tiered view of the Crinkle Crags and the massive profile of Bowfell, separated only by the deep void of the Oxendale valley.
- •It is most frequently climbed as a secondary peak during the traverse from Wetherlam to Swirl How, providing a moment of respite before the final pull up the rocky spine of Carrs.
- •Given the name, one might expect fire and brimstone; in reality, the most treacherous thing you are likely to encounter is a particularly persistent patch of Lakeland peat bog.