North Pennines
Meugher
575M
1886FT
About Meugher
Rising from the vast, peat-hocked plateau between Wharfedale and Nidderdale, this is one of the Dales’ most isolated summits. Reaching it requires a committed trek through wild, trackless moorland. It offers a profound sense of solitude and a unique, central perspective of the surrounding Great Whernside and the Nidderdale reservoirs.
Key Statistics
Rank
118th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Yorkshire Dales
Prominence
?
36m
Nearest Town
North Yorkshire
Geology
You’re walking over the Millstone Grit Group, a rugged foundation of sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone that forms the wild high ground of this fell.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SE044704
Latitude
54.1294°N
Longitude
1.9342°W
Did You Know?
- •The name Meugher—often pronounced ‘muff-er’—likely derives from the Old Norse word 'mór', referring to a moor or peat-covered waste, which accurately describes the miles of surrounding terrain.
- •It is widely considered one of the most remote locations in the Yorkshire Dales; the approach from any direction involves crossing extensive 'peat hags' and 'groughs' that require careful navigation.
- •The summit provides an expansive view of the upper reaches of Nidderdale, looking directly down onto the Angram and Scar House Reservoirs, framed by the bulky silhouette of Great Whernside to the west.
- •The primary challenge of the ascent is less about the 575-metre elevation and more about the psychological battle against the dark, energy-sapping bogs that guard the summit plateau.