Dent (fell)
Encyclopedia
Dent is a small fell
on the fringe of the English
Lake District
near the towns of Cleator Moor and Egremont
. Sometimes known as Long Barrow, it is traditionally the first fell encountered by hikers
following Wainwright's
Coast to Coast Walk
. It slopes from the westerly point of the Lake District
National Park.
At its highest point it stands at only 352 metres (1155 feet), but offers uninterrupted views of the Cumbria
n coast from the Ravenglass estuary in the south to the Solway Firth
and across to Scotland
in the north. In the west the Isle of Man
can be easily seen, and views to the east extend to the high peaks of Pillar
and the Sca Fells
.
When climbers have reached the summit of the fell, it is common that they place a rock on the "rock pile" (pictured) to symbolise they have reached the top of the fell. This was also done because Dent Fell is only a few metres short of being a mountain so the rock pile makes it into a mountain. However, this is simply a local custom and it remains a fell.
Over the past 20 years a man-made forest has been planted on the slopes of the fell facing north towards Cleator Moor. This process was carried out reduce the rate of erosion on the fell. There is already a mature forest on the southern slopes of the fell and public pedestrian access via a gate at Nannycatch.
There is a road at the base of the fell, known locally as "the fell road", which runs from Cleator Moor to Egremont
. The road is still used by locals, despite its poor quality and the fact it doesn't represent a shortcut.
The River Ehen
also tracks along the base of the fell and the aforementioned road.
Fell
“Fell” is a word used to refer to mountains, or certain types of mountainous landscape, in Scandinavia, the Isle of Man, and parts of northern England.- Etymology :...
on the fringe of the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
near the towns of Cleator Moor and Egremont
Egremont, Cumbria
Egremont is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Copeland in Cumbria, England, south of Whitehaven and on the River Ehen. The town, which lies at the foot of Uldale Valley and Dent Fell, was historically within Cumberland and has a long industrial heritage including dyeing, weaving and...
. Sometimes known as Long Barrow, it is traditionally the first fell encountered by hikers
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
following Wainwright's
Alfred Wainwright
Alfred Wainwright MBE was a British fellwalker, guidebook author and illustrator. His seven-volume Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, published between 1955 and 1966 and consisting entirely of reproductions of his manuscript, has become the standard reference work to 214 of the fells of the...
Coast to Coast Walk
Coast to Coast Walk
The Coast to Coast Walk is a 192-mile unofficial and mostly unsignposted long distance footpath in Northern England...
. It slopes from the westerly point of the Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
National Park.
At its highest point it stands at only 352 metres (1155 feet), but offers uninterrupted views of the Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
n coast from the Ravenglass estuary in the south to the Solway Firth
Solway Firth
The Solway Firth is a firth that forms part of the border between England and Scotland, between Cumbria and Dumfries and Galloway. It stretches from St Bees Head, just south of Whitehaven in Cumbria, to the Mull of Galloway, on the western end of Dumfries and Galloway. The Isle of Man is also very...
and across to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in the north. In the west the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
can be easily seen, and views to the east extend to the high peaks of Pillar
Pillar (Lake District)
Pillar is a mountain in the western part of the English Lake District. Situated between the valleys of Ennerdale to the north and Wasdale to the south, it is the highest point of the Pillar group . At 892 metres it is the eighth highest mountain in the Lake District...
and the Sca Fells
Scafell Pike
Scafell Pike is the highest mountain in England at . It is located in Lake District National Park sometimes confused with the neighbouring Sca Fell, to which it is connected by the col of Mickledore...
.
When climbers have reached the summit of the fell, it is common that they place a rock on the "rock pile" (pictured) to symbolise they have reached the top of the fell. This was also done because Dent Fell is only a few metres short of being a mountain so the rock pile makes it into a mountain. However, this is simply a local custom and it remains a fell.
Over the past 20 years a man-made forest has been planted on the slopes of the fell facing north towards Cleator Moor. This process was carried out reduce the rate of erosion on the fell. There is already a mature forest on the southern slopes of the fell and public pedestrian access via a gate at Nannycatch.
There is a road at the base of the fell, known locally as "the fell road", which runs from Cleator Moor to Egremont
Egremont, Cumbria
Egremont is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Copeland in Cumbria, England, south of Whitehaven and on the River Ehen. The town, which lies at the foot of Uldale Valley and Dent Fell, was historically within Cumberland and has a long industrial heritage including dyeing, weaving and...
. The road is still used by locals, despite its poor quality and the fact it doesn't represent a shortcut.
The River Ehen
River Ehen
The River Ehen is a river in Cumbria, England. It is a designated Special Area of Conservation.The river's source is at the west end of Ennerdale Water: it runs west through Ennerdale Bridge where it is joined by Croasdale Beck...
also tracks along the base of the fell and the aforementioned road.