Little Eycott Hill

Tucked away near Mungrisdale, this modest Birkett is the high point of a rugged, heather-clad nature reserve. Despite its low elevation, the terrain is surprisingly rocky, characterized by ancient volcanic outcrops. It offers a front-row seat to the eastern faces of Blencathra and the sharp profile of Souther Fell.

• •The name Eycott likely stems from the Old Norse 'ey', meaning an island or land amidst marsh, combined with the Old English 'cot', suggesting a seasonal cottage or shelter built on the slightly firmer ground of the hill.
• •The fell forms the centrepiece of the Eycott Hill Nature Reserve, managed by the Cumbria Wildlife Trust. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) noted for its rare upland mire and damp meadows which support northern marsh orchids and grass-of-Parnassus.
• •The hill is geologically famous for the 'Eycott Volcanics'. These are layers of ancient lava flows from the Ordovician period that have weathered into a series of distinctive rocky 'steps' or terraces across the western flank.
• •Author Bill Birkett included this summit in his list of Lake District peaks, noting its excellent position for observing the dramatic profile of Sharp Edge on Blencathra across the Glenderamackin valley.
• •At just 332 metres, it is one of the few summits where you can enjoy a genuine sense of mountain isolation while still being able to clearly hear a tractor working the fields in the valley below.