Yarlside

Yarlside is a hill in the Howgill Fells, part of Cumbria’s high moorland in north-west England. It stands within the historic county of Westmorland, far from the coast and the Lake District’s crowded summits. The fell is not the only place called Yarlside, so maps and signs must be read carefully. Thirty-three miles to the west lies another Yarlside near Barrow-in-Furness, once reached by an iron-ore tramway. Eleven miles north-west are Great Yarlside and Little Yarlside on the Lake District’s eastern edge.

The hill is worth the journey for walkers who want quiet ridges and wide views. Its slopes rise gently from the surrounding fells, offering steady climbs rather than steep scrambles. The open moorland shows little sign of modern roads or buildings, giving a sense of wild emptiness. The name ‘Yarlside’ comes from the Old Norse for ‘earth bank slope’, a reminder of Viking settlers long ago. The fell’s modest height still commands fine prospects over the Lune valley and distant fells.

A visitor finds grassy slopes and heather patches under open skies. The summit is marked by a small cairn rather than a tower or trig point. Paths cross the fell without waymarking, so navigation skills help on misty days. Sheep graze across the slopes, and curlews call in summer. From the top, the Howgill Fells stretch in every direction, their rounded shapes merging with the horizon.