The diminutive Holme Fell

Holme Fell

Height317m (1,040ft)

Prominence165m (541ft)

RegionSouthern Fells

Climbed1 Time

Holme Fell is a masterclass in the Lakeland characteristic of packing significant mountain-like ruggedness into a smaller, highly accessible stature. Forming the southern terminus of a long, north-south running ridge that descends from Wetherlam, the fell is brilliantly bounded by low-level roads and forest tracks, making it the perfect candidate for a quick, high-reward circular ramble. Despite its modest height of 317 metres, it punches well above its weight with a robust prominence of 165 metres, creating a distinct, stand-alone feel against the surrounding landscape.

"It is a characteristic of many of Lakeland's lesser heights that what they lack in elevation they make up for in ruggedness. Slopes a thousand feet high can be just as tough and steep as those three times as long, while crags occur at all levels and are by no means the preserve of the highest peaks." — Wainwright 1958, Book Three

The fell also hides a dark, industrial history. Tucked away on its slopes is the formidable Hodge Close, an abandoned slate quarry that ceased operations prior to the Second World War. The site is now a deep, flooded cavern system that draws cave divers from across the country—a dangerous pastime that has sadly claimed several lives over the years. The sheer, water-filled quarry walls serve as an imposing, vertical monument to the industrial labor that once shaped these hills, and the site remains a magnet for modern rock climbers.

Holme Fell's summit

The summit itself—a neat cairn perched on a rocky outcrop—offers surprisingly grand perspectives. Because of its relative isolation from the central massifs, it provides a unique viewing platform. While the great, brooding presence of Wetherlam and the wider Coniston range blocks the view to the south and west, the outlook to the north and east is expansive, perfectly framing the high-country landscape that characterises the heart of the Southern Fells.

Trip Reports

Black Fell & Holme Fell03/03/2013

Return to Lake District – Southern Fells