Peak District
Wheathead Height
389M
1276FT
About Wheathead Height
Rising above the village of Roughlee, this modest Tump offers a quiet alternative to the often-crowded slopes of neighbouring Pendle Hill. The terrain is typical East Lancashire moorland—grassy and often damp—providing a fine vantage point over the Ribble Valley and the industrial heritage of the Calder Valley towns below.
Key Statistics
Rank
226th Highest in Peak District
Parent Range
The Peak District
Prominence
?
75
Nearest Town
Roughlee
Geology
This fell is built from layers of fine mudstone and gritty sandstone, providing a solid foundation for your hike across the landscape.
Classifications
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SD839427
Latitude
53.8802°N
Longitude
2.2464°W
Did You Know?
- •The name Wheathead likely derives from the Old English 'hwæte' and 'heafod', suggesting a prominent hill or 'head' where wheat was either grown or transported nearby, despite the modern moorland character.
- •The summit provides an excellent perspective of the steep eastern face of Pendle Hill and the distinctive profile of Stansfield Tower, a 19th-century folly also known as Blacko Tower, to the northeast.
- •Wheathead Height is situated along the route of the Pendle Way, a 45-mile circular path that traverses the landscape associated with the 17th-century Pendle Witch trials.
- •It is a rare spot in the area where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Ribble Valley and the distant Yorkshire Three Peaks without having to share the summit with half of Lancashire.