Weets Top

Rising above the limestone scars of Malham, this grassy plateau offers a quieter alternative to the busy valley floor. A short detour from the Pennine Way, its summit provides a commanding vantage point over Malham Tarn and the distinctive profile of Pen-y-ghent to the north.

• •The name 'Weets' is thought to derive from the Old English waet, meaning wet, though some local histories suggest a connection to 'whet,' referring to stone once quarried nearby for sharpening tools.
• •The summit is home to a medieval stone cross base, known as Weets Cross. It historically marked the boundary between the monastic estates of Fountains Abbey and Bolton Priory, serving as a vital waymarker for travelers crossing the high moors.
• •The view south is particularly striking, looking directly down into the dramatic gash of Gordale Scar and across the limestone pavements toward the Aire Valley and the distant silhouette of Pendle Hill.
• •The lack of natural shelter ensures that any light rain in the village below is upgraded to a horizontal gale at the summit, proving that the name 'Wet's Top' remains geographically and meteorologically accurate.