Dead Man's Hill

Rising above the head of Upper Nidderdale, this expansive moorland summit offers a stark landscape of peat and heather. Overlooking the deep waters of Scar House Reservoir, the hill marks the high boundary with Coverdale, providing a quiet, windswept alternative to the busier fells of the central Dales.

• •The hill’s macabre name originates from the discovery of three Scottish pedlars’ bodies in the peat near the summit in 1734; they had been murdered and robbed while crossing the moors.
• •The summit serves as a significant drainage divide, with rainfall on the southern slopes feeding the River Nidd, while northern runoff flows into the River Cover.
• •From the high plateau, there are clear, unobstructed views across the water of Scar House Reservoir toward the distinctive, craggy profile of Little Whernside.
• •The ascent typically follows the 'Dead Man’s Road,' an ancient packhorse route and former miners' track that connects the remote reaches of Nidderdale with Coverdale.
• •Despite the intimidating name, the most dangerous thing you are likely to encounter is the notorious 'Hagging'—deep, wet peat hags that can swallow a walking boot whole.