White Combe

About White Combe

Tucked away in the far south-western corner of the Lakes, this unassuming grassy fell offers a coastal perspective often missed by central-fells hikers. Rising above The Green, it forms part of the expansive shoulder leading toward Black Combe, providing wide, effortless views across the Duddon Estuary sands.

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Did You Know?

• •The name likely derives from the Old English 'cumb', meaning a hollow or valley. It stands in contrast to its larger neighbour, Black Combe; while the latter is often dark with heather, White Combe is characterized by lighter, sun-bleached grasses.
• •Alfred Wainwright included this hill in his 'Outlying Fells' guide, championing it as part of a circular walk from the Whicham Valley. He appreciated the fell for its softness, noting it as a place for those who prefer walking on springy turf rather than jagged rock.
• •The hill's lower eastern slopes are home to the Swinside Stone Circle, also known as Sunkenkirk. This remarkably well-preserved Neolithic site consists of 55 stones and is considered one of the finest megalithic monuments in Northern England.
• •From the summit, the view is dominated by the industrial legacy of the Cumbrian coast. You can clearly see the reclaimed lagoons of the Hodbarrow Iron Mines at Millom and the vast, shifting channels of the Duddon Estuary toward the Furness Peninsula.
• •White Combe is the ideal destination for the walker who wants the expansive coastal views of its more famous neighbour, Black Combe, but with significantly less chance of actually meeting another human being.