Little Fell

Situated on the high, desolate moors north of Kirkby Stephen, this expansive upland is a study in isolation. It forms a stark contrast to its more famous neighbours, offering a rugged landscape of deep peat hags and silent plateaus. Reaching the summit requires both careful timing and a tolerance for challenging, pathless terrain.

• •The name is a simple relative descriptor: 'Fell' comes from the Old Norse 'fjall', while 'Little' distinguishes it from its much larger neighbour, Mickle Fell—from the Old Norse 'mikill', meaning 'great' or 'large'.
• •Located within the Warcop Training Area, the hill is part of a live-fire military range; public access is strictly controlled and only permitted on designated non-firing days throughout the year, usually during public holidays and specific weekends.
• •The summit area is notorious for its deep peat hags and complex 'groughs' (erosion channels), which require careful navigation and can make a direct line of travel almost impossible in wet weather.
• •From the high plateau, you can look north-west to see the dramatic glaciated notch of High Cup Nick and the white 'golf ball' radar dome crowning the summit of Great Dun Fell.
• •In this particular corner of the North Pennines, the most critical piece of kit isn't your waterproofs or your map, but the Ministry of Defence firing schedule.