Thorpe Fell Top

About Thorpe Fell Top

Rising above the villages of Thorpe and Burnsall, this gritstone-topped moorland offers a wilder, peatier contrast to the limestone scars of lower Wharfedale. Though the broad plateau is frequently boggy, it provides a genuine sense of isolation and expansive views across the southern reaches of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

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Did You Know?

• •The name 'Thorpe' comes from the Old Norse word 'þorp', meaning a secondary settlement or farmstead. The fell takes its name from the tiny village of Thorpe, which remains tucked away in a hidden dip at the foot of the hill's eastern slopes.
• •The western edge of the summit plateau is home to the Cracoe War Memorial. It is a massive gritstone obelisk built to commemorate the men from the nearby village of Cracoe who fell in the First World War, and it is a prominent landmark visible from miles away across the Aire Gap.
• •From the trig point, the view is dominated by the sprawling heather of the Burnsall fells, but looking further afield, the gritstone edges of Simon’s Seat are clear to the east, while the distant, dark mass of Pendle Hill can be seen to the south.
• •In terms of terrain, the summit is less of a definitive peak and more of a navigational challenge involving peat hags and hidden pools; it is the kind of place where a compass is useful, but a pair of sturdy gaiters is essential.