Lake District
Top o' Selside
333M
1094FT
About Top o' Selside
Rising above the eastern shore of Coniston Water, this Marilyn is the high point of the rolling moorland between the lake and the Rusland Valley. It offers a quieter alternative to the busier Coniston Fells, providing an unparalleled longitudinal perspective of the water beneath the jagged skyline of the Old Man.
Key Statistics
Rank
711th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Southern Fells
Prominence
?
187m
Nearest Town
High Nibthwaite
Geology
You are walking on the Bannisdale Formation, which consists of alternating layers of hardened silt and mud.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SD309919
Latitude
54.3183°N
Longitude
3.0635°W
Did You Know?
- •The name Selside is rooted in Old Norse, where 'sel' refers to a shieling or summer pasture and 'side' denotes the hill slope, marking this area as historic seasonal grazing land for valley farmers.
- •Though it was omitted from Alfred Wainwright’s seven primary guides, it is a significant inclusion in Tim Synge’s 'The Lakeland Fells' and serves as the highest point of the fells between Coniston Water and the Windermere catchment.
- •The summit offers a celebrated 'long view' of Coniston Water; from the trig pillar, the lake appears as a silver ribbon stretching south towards the Leven Estuary and the sands of Morecambe Bay.
- •To the west, the fell provides a grandstand view of the Furness Fells, specifically the steep eastern crags of Dow Crag and the distinctive industrial scars of the Old Man of Coniston.
- •The approach from the east involves navigating the fringes of Grizedale Forest and the often saturated ground of Bethecar Moor, where the 'Top' is frequently guarded by peat hags deep enough to test the seal of any walking boot.
- •Reaching the summit is a game of strategic hopping, as the final plateau consists of a complex mosaic of heather and moss that remains stubbornly boggy even after a dry spell.