Blea Barf

Rising above the Mallerstang valley near Kirkby Stephen, this rugged 542-metre shoulder of Wild Boar Fell offers a quiet alternative to the busier main summits. Its limestone-strewn slopes provide a steep but rewarding climb with clear lines of sight across the deep trench of the River Eden toward the high plateau of High Seat.

• •The name derives from the Old Norse 'blár' and 'berg', meaning 'dark hill' or 'blue hill', reflecting the strong Viking influence on the nomenclature of the Mallerstang area.
• •While often overlooked in favour of its higher neighbour, Wild Boar Fell, Blea Barf provides an excellent vantage point to study the Settle-Carlisle Railway as it snakes through the valley floor below.
• •The summit offers a particularly clear perspective of Mallerstang Edge and the hidden valley of Hellgill, where the infant River Eden begins its journey north toward the Solway Firth.
• •The term 'Barf' is a local Cumbrian and Pennine dialect word for a detached, steep-sided hill or ridge; despite the modern phonetic connotation, it refers strictly to the topography and not the physical state of the climber.