Lake District
Middle How
483M
1585FT
About Middle How
Rising above the vale of Grasmere, this modest Central Fell summit offers a quiet vantage point tucked between the popular trails of Silver How and Blea Rigg. Its terrain is characteristically rugged, marked by rocky knolls and heather, providing an intimate perspective on Easedale Tarn and the higher skyline of the Langdale Pikes.
Key Statistics
Rank
453rd Highest in Region
Parent Range
Central Fells
Prominence
?
8m
Nearest Town
St. John's Castlerigg and Wythburn
Geology
Middle How is built from layers of ancient volcanic ash, hardened mud, and rocky debris. These materials settled and hardened after massive, explosive eruptions.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NY296109
Latitude
54.4894°N
Longitude
3.0876°W
Did You Know?
- •The name 'How' derives from the Old Norse word haugr, meaning a hill or mound, reflecting the area's Viking heritage; Middle How sits as the intermediate height between the valley floor and the high ridge.
- •It is classified as a Synge, one of the summits documented by Tim Synge in his effort to provide a more comprehensive list of Lake District tops than the traditional Wainwright guides.
- •From the summit, walkers are rewarded with a direct, unsheltered view of the jagged silhouette of the Langdale Pikes, which appear far more imposing from this lower elevation.
- •Despite being so close to the busy paths around Easedale Tarn, the hill’s undulating, bracken-heavy terrain remains relatively undisturbed, often requiring a bit of pathless navigation to reach the highest point.
- •It is the sort of summit where you can watch the crowds streaming up to Easedale Tarn from a distance of just a few hundred metres while remaining entirely invisible to them.