North Pennines
Simon Fell
649M
2129FT
About Simon Fell
Often overshadowed by its neighbour, Ingleborough, this gritstone-capped plateau offers a quieter, wilder perspective of the Yorkshire Three Peaks. Rising above the limestone scars of Ribblesdale, its marshy summit rewards those who stray from the paved motorway with a rugged sense of isolation and a classic, profile view of Pen-y-ghent.
Key Statistics
Rank
61st Highest in Region
Parent Range
Yorkshire Dales
Prominence
?
32m
Nearest Town
North Yorkshire
Geology
Simon Fell is built from layers of limestone, sandstone, and hardened mud. These diverse rocks create the sturdy foundation you are walking on today.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SD754751
Latitude
54.1711°N
Longitude
2.3783°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is a hybrid of the Old Norse fjall, meaning mountain, and the personal name Simon, likely a past landowner or local figure associated with the grazing rights of the fell.
- •While thousands pass by every week on the Yorkshire Three Peaks path, the actual summit is frequently ignored as the main trail skirts the southern edge of the plateau to avoid the notoriously soft ground.
- •Reaching the high point, classified as both a Hewitt and a Nuttall, usually involves following the long drystone wall that runs across the ridge connecting the fell to the main Ingleborough massif.
- •From the summit, the view offers an excellent perspective of the geomorphology of the Dales, overlooking the vast limestone pavements of Sulber and the steep gritstone tiers of Ingleborough’s eastern face.
- •It remains one of the most reliable places in the Southern Fells to experience the scale of the Three Peaks landscape without the crowds, provided you have an appetite for navigating ankle-deep peat hags.