Lake District
Sale Fell
359M
1177FT
About Sale Fell
Tucked away on the northwestern edge of the Lakes, this gentle Wainwright offers an accessible climb on wide, grassy tracks. It feels far more remote than its modest height suggests, providing a quiet vantage point with uncluttered views across Bassenthwaite Lake toward the massive, dark bulk of the Skiddaw massif.
Key Statistics
Rank
672nd Highest in Region
Parent Range
North Western Fells
Prominence
?
139m
Nearest Town
Embleton
Geology
Sale Fell is formed from layers of hardened mud, silt, and gritty sandstone. You are walking across the Loweswater and Kirk Stile formations.
Classifications
Find It
Latitude
54.6556°N
Longitude
3.2502°W
Did You Know?
- •The name likely stems from the Old Norse 'salr', indicating a hall or building, or the Old English 'salh', meaning willow, reflecting the hill's long history as useful grazing land.
- •Alfred Wainwright championed the fell for its simplicity, describing it as an 'attractive little hill' with easy gradients and soft turf that make it a perfect choice for a short, rewarding outing away from the crowds.
- •On the lower southern slopes lie the ruins of the original Wythop Old Church, a site of worship since at least the 14th century before it was superseded by the Victorian church in the valley.
- •The summit offers a specific, framed perspective of the Wythop Valley and the heavily wooded slopes of Lothwaite, contrasting the open grass of the main ridge with the dense larch and pine of Wythop Woods.
- •It is one of the few fells where the most strenuous part of the day might actually be finding a sensible parking spot in the tiny hamlet of Routenbeck.