North Pennines
Birks Fell
610M
2003FT
About Birks Fell
Rising above Upper Wharfedale near Hubberholme, this broad ridge offers a classic Yorkshire Dales experience. Often tackled alongside Horse Head Moor, its sprawling summit plateau features the surprisingly large Birks Tarn. The terrain is a mix of limestone and peat hags, providing expansive views towards Ingleborough, Whernside, and Pen-y-ghent.
Key Statistics
Rank
88th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Yorkshire Dales
Prominence
?
158.2m
Nearest Town
North Yorkshire
Geology
You are walking across layers of sturdy sandstone and limestone, mixed with bands of softer clay-like rocks that form the fell’s rugged foundation.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SD918763
Latitude
54.1824°N
Longitude
2.1271°W
Did You Know?
- •The name 'Birks' is derived from the Old Norse word for birch trees, which once covered the lower slopes of the fell before the landscape was cleared for grazing.
- •Until a GPS resurvey in 2006, Birks Fell was thought to be lower than its neighbour Horse Head Moor; the discovery that it stands at 610 metres officially promoted it to Marilyn status.
- •Birks Tarn, located on the high ridge a mile from the summit, is one of the largest tarns in the Yorkshire Dales, maintained by a layer of impermeable rock that prevents the water from draining through the porous limestone.
- •The eastern slopes were a site of active lead mining for over a century, and the remains of stone buildings used in the metal extraction process can still be seen dotting the hillside.
- •The trig point provides a grandstand view across the deep trough of Wharfedale, looking directly at the steep-sided profile of Buckden Pike and the long plateau of Great Whernside.
- •The fell suffered the indignity of being officially demoted for decades due to a 19th-century metric conversion error, only reclaiming its rightful height and status once modern satellite mapping intervened.