Westernhope Moor [James's Hill]

About Westernhope Moor [James's Hill]

Rising above Weardale in the North Pennines, this expansive plateau offers a quintessential high-moor experience. Classified as a Hewitt and Nuttall, its terrain is characterized by extensive peat hags and heather. The summit provides a stark perspective of the northern dales' character against the wild, open skyline of the Eastern Fells.

Key Statistics

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Did You Know?

• •The name Westernhope derives from the Old English 'hop', meaning a small, enclosed valley or upland hollow; it specifically refers to the Westernhope Burn which drains the northern slopes into the River Wear.
• •The moor is scarred by Weardale’s lead mining history, and walkers will encounter old hushings and spoil heaps on the lower slopes where lead ore was historically extracted from the limestone veins.
• •The summit is frequently bagged alongside its neighbour, Great Hill, as part of a high-level circuit starting from the village of St John’s Chapel in the valley below.
• •From the highest point, the view extends west across the head of Teesdale to the prominent white radar dome on Great Dun Fell and the massive bulk of Cross Fell.
• •In a landscape where every undulation has a name, the distinction between Westernhope Moor and James’s Hill is mostly a matter for map-makers and those seeking to tick off an extra Nuttall without moving their feet more than a few yards.