Dale Head

Dale Head

Height: 753m (2,470ft)
Prominence: 397m (1,302ft)
Region: North Western Fells
Classifications: Nuttall, Hewitt, Wainwright, Marilyn, Birkett
Summit feature: Tall columnar cairn
Times climbed: 5
Related trip reports:
The Newlands Round - 14/10/2018
The Buttermere Horseshoe - 08/04/2017
Dale Head & Fleetwith Pike - 23/01/2016
A Newlands Round - 22/08/2014
Dale Head & Hindscarth - 01/06/2014

The tall column on the summit

What Wainwright said:

"Dale Head has much in common with Eel Crag in the Grasmoor group. Their summits are focal points of high country, the meeting place of ascending ridges. Both have craggy northern fronts, darkly shadowed, and easy southern approaches."

Dale Head is named for its position at the head of the Newlands Valley. The source of Newlands Beck does not, however, flow from the apex of Dale Head as might be supposed from the name. Instead, it has its birth at the col between the main summit and the eastern top, High Scawdel.

The rest of the North Western Fells bear no tarns worthy of the name, but Dale Head has two. On the northern slope near the source of Newlands Beck is Dalehead Tarn, while the smaller Launchy Tarn lies near the top of High Scawdel.

The summit is marked by a cairn standing on the brink of the northern face. There is a fine end-on view of the Newlands Valley to the north, backed by Skiddaw.

Return to Lake District – North Western Fells