Lake District
Pinnacle Howe
383M
1257FT
About Pinnacle Howe
Tucked away near the eastern boundary of the National Park, this unassuming Birkett overlooks the quiet expanse of Wet Sleddale Reservoir. Its grassy slopes offer a lonely, off-path experience far removed from the Lake District’s busier hubs. The summit provides a clear perspective across the Shap fells toward the distant Pennines.
Key Statistics
Rank
632nd Highest in Region
Parent Range
Far Eastern Fells
Prominence
?
26m
Nearest Town
Bampton Grange
Geology
You are walking on layers of ancient volcanic lava and hardened ash. These rocks were forged during powerful eruptions to create the rugged terrain beneath your feet.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NY497166
Latitude
54.5430°N
Longitude
2.7789°W
Did You Know?
- •The name 'Howe' stems from the Old Norse word haugr, which is used throughout the Lake District to denote a smaller hill, mound, or ancient burial site.
- •Bill Birkett included this minor summit in his 1994 list of Lakeland peaks, marking it as a significant point on the wild, eastern fringes where the mountains begin to subside into the Eden Valley.
- •The hill overlooks Sleddale Hall, which achieved cult fame as 'Crow Crag' in the 1987 film Withnail and I; the hall sits just across the reservoir to the south.
- •The view from the top offers a stark contrast between the natural fells and industrial engineering, with the vast Shap Pink Granite Quarry visible to the east and the M6 motorway cutting through the landscape.
- •Despite its lofty-sounding title, the 'pinnacle' is less a jagged peak and more of a modest rocky outcrop that looks far more impressive from the reservoir shore than from the actual summit.