Lake District
Seat How (Birker Moor)
311M
1020FT
About Seat How (Birker Moor)
Rising above the Birker Fell road, this rugged Outlying Fell offers an exceptional vantage point for its modest height. The terrain is typical of Birker Moor—a mix of heather, bog, and sudden rocky outcrops. It provides a fine introductory climb from Boot, offering a grandstand view into the depths of Eskdale.
Key Statistics
Rank
761st Highest in Region
Parent Range
Southern Fells
Prominence
?
58m
Nearest Town
Boot
Geology
You are trekking across ancient volcanic lava and sandstone made from volcanic debris. These sit alongside granite that cooled from hot magma deep underground.
Classifications
Find It
Latitude
54.3626°N
Longitude
3.2858°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is rooted in Old Norse: 'Seat' likely derives from sætr, a summer pasture or shieling, while 'How' comes from haugr, meaning a hill or mound.
- •Alfred Wainwright included Seat How in his book 'The Outlying Fells of Lakeland,' recommending it as part of a circuit above Devoke Water and noting the area's wild, lonely character.
- •The summit offers a celebrated vista of the Scafells to the north and a clear look at the distinctive, craggy profile of Harter Fell rising across the Birker Fell road.
- •Despite its proximity to the road, the approach often requires navigating trackless, peat-stained terrain, a hallmark of the Southern Fells' lesser-trodden fringes.
- •It is a hill that teaches the valuable lesson that in the Lake District, 'outlying' is often just a polite local synonym for 'saturated.'