Harter Fell

Harter Fell stands in the far eastern Lake District where three ridges meet at the summit. The fell forms the head of Mardale, Longsleddale and the valley of the River Kent. Its summit area is shaped like an open horseshoe with grassy ridges and subsidiary tops on each horn. The southern ridge passes over The Knowe and Brown Howe before reaching Kentmere Pike. The eastern branch includes the rocky top of Little Harter Fell and Adam Seat, marked by a boundary stone. The fell is worth the journey for its dramatic contrasts and historic routes. The summit is 1.6 kilometres southwest and 550 metres above the car park at Haweswater’s head. The passes of Nan Bield and Gatescarth, once trade routes, now offer the easiest access for walkers. The crags above Mardale drop 400 metres to the valley, while Small Water, a mountain tarn, lies below the northern crags. Wren Gill, the main headwater of the River Sprint, vanishes into sinkholes near Wrengill Quarry before reappearing lower down. Visitors find a rugged summit marked by a cairn of stones and salvaged ironwork. The view improves by moving to the rim of the crags, revealing the full length of Haweswater. The fell’s western slopes above Kentmere Reservoir are steep with a historic landslip at Dry Gill. The Ullstone, a large erratic boulder, stands on a low ridge separating Kentmere from Ullstone Gill. The eastern slopes are gentler and grassy, leading down to Nan Bield Pass and Gatescarth Pass.