Lake District
Heughscar Hill
375M
1230FT
About Heughscar Hill
Rising gently above Pooley Bridge, this limestone fell offers a soft introduction to the Far Eastern fells. Its grassy, broad-backed slopes are home to a distinctive edge of limestone scars, providing a superb balcony view over the lower reaches of Ullswater and the northern giants of Blencathra and the Dodds.
Key Statistics
Rank
639th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Far Eastern Fells
Prominence
?
51m
Nearest Town
Pooley Bridge
Geology
Heughscar Hill is built from layers of limestone and sandstone. These solid rocks provide the rugged foundation for the path you are hiking today.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NY488231
Latitude
54.6011°N
Longitude
2.7940°W
Did You Know?
- •The name combines the Old English 'heugh', meaning a spur or promontory, and the Old Norse 'skär', meaning a cliff or outcrop, perfectly describing the limestone edges that define its western face.
- •Alfred Wainwright included this in his Outlying Fells guide, praising it as a "magnificent viewpoint" and highlighting the simplicity of the walk from the nearby village.
- •Unlike the volcanic rocks found deeper in the Lakes, Heughscar is part of a Carboniferous limestone band, resulting in small sections of limestone pavement and several deep shakeholes on its upper plateau.
- •From the cairn, the view encompasses the full length of the northern reach of Ullswater, while the sharp peak of Catstycam and the Helvellyn range are clearly visible across the water.
- •It is the quintessential "low effort, high reward" hill; at just 375 metres, it offers a panorama of the High Street fells that usually requires twice the vertical climb.