Dent

Dent is a small fell on the edge of the Lake District near Cleator Moor and Egremont. It is also called Long Barrow and marks the start of Wainwright’s Coast to Coast Walk for many hikers. The fell rises gently from the western edge of the national park. Its slopes are covered with grass and patches of heather. A man-made forest now grows on its northern side, planted to slow erosion over the past twenty years. A mature forest already covers the southern slopes, with a gate at Nannycatch giving walkers access. The fell reaches only 352 metres at its highest point but offers wide views across Cumbria. To the west the Isle of Man can be seen on clear days. The Cumbrian coast stretches from the Ravenglass estuary in the south to the Solway Firth in the north. Views to the east include the high peaks of Pillar and the Sca Fells. In the early 19th century Dent Hill served as one of five stations in Cumberland for the Ordnance Survey’s Principal Triangles survey. A quiet road called ‘the fell road’ runs along the base of Dent, linking Cleator Moor and Egremont. Locals still use the road despite its rough surface and lack of shortcut benefits. The River Ehen flows beside this road at the fell’s foot. Wainwright describes Dent and Flat Fell in his book The Outlying Fells of Lakeland, suggesting a clockwise route from Wath Brow to both summits. The fell’s gentle shape and open views make it a peaceful place for short walks or longer hikes.