Mickle Fell

Mickle Fell is a mountain in the Pennines, a range of hills and moors running through Northern England. It stands about 16 kilometres south of Cross Fell, the highest point in the North Pennines. After Cross Fell, it is the second-highest Marilyn in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The fell reaches 788 metres and forms part of southern Teesdale. It was once the highest point in Yorkshire before administrative changes transferred Teesdale to County Durham in 1974. The fell’s name comes from Old Norse, with ‘mickle’ meaning great and ‘fell’ meaning mountain. It sits in a large area of boggy moorland and requires a long hike to reach. Its distinctive shape is visible from the Lake District, including peaks like Blencathra and the Helvellyn range. The ridge south of Mickle Fell drops to the Stainmore Gap before rising again into the Yorkshire Dales. Visitors who reach the summit find views stretching across the North of England. On clear days, landmarks like the Forest of Bowland, Scafell Pike, and the Galloway Hills are visible. The fell is part of the Warcop Training Area, limiting public access. It can be climbed from the Eden Valley to the west or Teesdale to the east. Despite its height and importance, it is less visited than other summits due to these restrictions.