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Cross Fell

North west  >  United Kingdom

Walking up to the stony plateau of Cross Fell takes some effort, but brings very interesting birds and magnificent views.

Added* by Mike
Most recent update 29 november 2020

Description

Cross Fell is the highest mountain in the Pennine Hills of Northern England. The summit, at 893 metres (2,930 ft), is a stony plateau. The area is important for its wide variety of upland habitats, especially blanket bog, sub-montane and montane heath, montane bryophyte heath, limestone grassland and flushes, and for the fauna and flora that they support. More than 40 species of birds breed in the area, including Dværgfalk, Vandrefalk, Mosehornugle, Hjejle, Almindelig Ryle, Vibe, Storspove, Mudderklire, Rødben, Pomeransfugl and Dobbeltbekkasin.

Details

Access

Park in Kirkland. Click on the P on the map to get directions. From Kirkland you can walk up Cross Fell and make a 15 km a circular walk. See the Birdingplaces-map below. The walk begins in the village of Kirkland and takes you to the 893 metres (2,930 ft) summit using bridleways and the Pennine Way. From the summit there are magnificent views of the Eden Valley, the Solway Firth, the Scottish mountains and the mountains of the Lake District. This is a challenging walk on mostly well defined paths, but put on sturdy walking shoes. It's best attempted in fine weather as the area can be quite inhospitable in rough conditions.

Terrain and Habitat

Plateau , Moors/heathland

Conditions

Hilly , Mountainous , Open landscape

Circular trail

Yes

Is a telescope useful?

No

Good birding season

Spring , Summer

Best time to visit

Summer

Route

Narrow trail

Difficulty walking trail

Strenuous

Accessible by

Foot

Birdwatching hide / platform

No

View other birding spots in the area that are published on Birdingplaces

Map

Top 5 birds

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