Tom Smith's Stone Top

Rising above the remote moorlands of the North Pennines, this Nuttall is a quiet, windswept summit near Haltwhistle. Characterised by extensive peat hags and deep heather, it offers a true sense of northern isolation. The reward is a sprawling panorama stretching from the Lake District fells across to the Solway Firth.

• •The name refers to a specific boundary marker on the ridge; in the North Pennines, such stones were often named after local figures to settle grazing rights. This stone marks the historic frontier between Cumberland and Northumberland.
• •Walkers typically pair this summit with the nearby Cold Fell, navigating a wild, largely pathless landscape that requires confident navigation when the Pennine mist descends.
• •The summit provides an expansive view of the Eden Valley to the west, with the distinctive profiles of Skiddaw and Blencathra visible on the horizon across the lowland gap.
• •Because the terrain is dominated by blanket bog and heather, the most reliable 'paths' on the approach are often those made by sheep rather than hikers.
• •While the 'Stone' in the name suggests a prominent monument, the reality is a landscape where finding the actual marker among the peat hags can feel like an uncomfortably damp game of hide-and-seek.