Low Wythow

About Low Wythow

Sitting on the rocky eastern fringes of the Wetherlam massif, this modest Birkett offers a rugged, craggy character typical of the Tilberthwaite area. It serves as a sharp vantage point overlooking the Yewdale valley, providing a quieter, broken-ground alternative to the busier main paths leading from nearby Coniston.

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Did You Know?

• •The name likely stems from the Old Norse 'vidr', meaning wood, and 'haugr', meaning hill. Along with its neighbour, High Wythow, the name describes a pair of wooded mounds, though much of the original timber has long since vanished from these slopes.
• •The summit offers a commanding view directly down into the deep, dark cleft of Tilberthwaite Gill, with the massive slate spoil heaps of the defunct Tilberthwaite quarries visible across the valley.
• •Walkers typically visit Low Wythow as a minor detour during a more ambitious ascent of Wetherlam, using the ridge rising from Tilberthwaite as a scenic alternative to the more popular Copper Mines Valley approach.
• •Its inclusion as a Birkett reflects Bill Birkett's interest in the lower, often overlooked outcrops of the Lake District that possess a distinct mountain character despite their relatively low elevation.
• •Navigating the various craggy knolls to find the true summit is less about following a map and more about deciding which particular rock offers the least precarious place to sit down for a sandwich.