Woodale Moss

Rising above the head of Upper Nidderdale, this peat-covered Tump sits on the high, wild watershed between Nidderdale and Coverdale. Characterised by heather moorland and soft, boggy terrain, it offers a quiet, pathless experience for walkers traversing the broad ridge between Great Haw and the more prominent Little Whernside.

• •The name is a literal descriptor of the terrain, combining the nearby settlement of Woodale with the Northern English term 'moss', which stems from the Old Norse 'mosi', signifying a swampy peat bog.
• •The summit offers an excellent bird's-eye view of the Victorian engineering at Scar House Reservoir to the south, while the northern vista is dominated by the long, plateau-like profile of Penhill.
• •Most walkers encounter this summit while following the fence line that marks the boundary between the administrative districts of Harrogate and Richmondshire.
• •True to its name, the 'top' is less a defined peak and more a test of waterproof gaiters; the ascent often involves as much horizontal navigation around peat hags as it does vertical climbing.