Naddle Low Forest

Standing quietly above the eastern shore of Haweswater, this modest Birkett offers a peaceful escape from the busier high fells. Characterised by rough grass and remnants of ancient woodland on its lower flanks, the summit provides a clear perspective across the reservoir towards the steep, craggy faces of Branstree and Selside Pike.

• •The name Naddle likely stems from the Old Norse 'netel-dalr', meaning nettle valley, while the 'Forest' designation refers to its history as a medieval hunting ground rather than a modern plantation.
• •The hill is a key part of the Naddle Forest Site of Special Scientific Interest, protecting some of the most significant ancient sessile oak woodland remaining in the North of England.
• •The summit offers a bird's-eye view of the Haweswater Dam and the 'elbow' of the reservoir, looking directly over the area where the village of Mardale Green was submerged in 1935.
• •It is frequently climbed alongside its neighbour, Naddle High Forest, as part of a quiet circular route from the Haweswater Hotel or the nearby village of Bampton.
• •Despite being named a forest, the summit is largely a treeless expanse of moorland where the most prominent growth is usually the moss inside your boots.