Walking in the North Pennines

The area between the Yorkshire Dales and Hadrian's Wall, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Most of the walks are circular and range from 4 to 13 miles. There are 42 day-walks in the guide, then a section of six longer walks presented in outline form only.

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Walk 8: Melmerby and Melmerby Fell

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Distance: A moderate 11 mile moorland walk with an easier finish.
Maps: 1:50,000 Landranger Sheets 86 & 91; 1:25,000 Pathfinder Sheets 569 & 578
Start/Finish: Melmerby
Getting There: Melmerby is on the A686 between Alston and Penrith. Minor roads on the East Fellside also reach it.
Parking: Spaces around the village green.

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Melmerby Fell is high and wild, but easily approached by a good track from Melmerby. The track fades as it climbs, but is a faithful guide for most of the way. Actually, this route doesn’t quite reach the summit of Melmerby Fell, but only a subsidiary shoulder called Knapside Hill. Ardent summit baggers can include the higher fell and retrace their steps to continue the route. After crossing Fiend’s Fell the walk can be broken for a snack at the Hartside Cafe. An old road is used to descend to Gamblesby on the way back to Melmerby.

Fiend’s Fell was the name of Cross Fell before some good missionary banished the fiends from that mighty summit. It seems that they only moved a few miles northwards. There must be a reason behind it all, or a good story at any rate, and I suspect that pagan veneration of spirits continued longer than is thought in this area.

Both Melmerby and Gamblesby are attractive, spacious villages, but Melmerby lies on the main road and has more to offer passing travellers in the way of food, drink and accommodation. Both are worth exploring while walking through, paying special attention to their fine, red sandstone buildings.

The Route
Leave Melmerby by following the road signposted for Ousby. Turn left along a narrow road signposted for Melmerby Fell. As the road proceeds it becomes a gravel track, then a rather muddy track through a forest, then a fenced track running up towards the higher slopes. There is a gate which gives access to the open fellside, then the track swings to the left to go through another gate in the same fellside wall. The track continues to a series of limestone hummocks atop Melmerby Low Scar. Take a break here to study the view down to the village and across the Vale of Eden. As the track rises, it forsakes the limestone pastures for the wiry moorland grasses and zig-zags further uphill. A gate is passed through close to a vehicle of indeterminate make which was brought to this height before giving up the ghost.

The scene ahead is of a vast boulderfield. The track moves easily through it using an excavated hollow-way. Once through the boulderfield, look eastwards to pick out a prominent cairn on the horizon and head across pathless country to climb to it. The cairn stands on Knapside Hill at 2,247 feet (685 metres) about 3½ miles up from Melmerby. This is the shoulder of Melmerby Fell and the actual summit can be reached in a simple ½ mile ascent, but Knapside Hill is a finer situation. There is quite a good view over Alston Moor, the East Fellside and the Vale of Eden.

Head northwards for 1½ miles to continue over Little Knapside Hill to reach Fiend’s Fell. There is no path, the way can be wet and boggy, and there is the odd fence to cross. Fiend’s Fell is an obvious, broad, pudding of a hill capped by a trig point at 2,082 feet (634 metres). It could be passed unknowingly in mist, but the A686 would be reached at some point. A grassy track leads down from Fiend’s Fell to the Hartside Cafe. Food and drink are on hand there at over 1,900 feet (580 metres). The place is a haven in bad weather, but note that it is closed in the winter months.

If the cafe isn’t required, then turn left just before reaching a power line. Look across the moorland slopes to discern the line of a rushy shelf - probably once a major highway. This line is wet and boggy and it is better to remain upslope of it to stay dry-shod. The track becomes better at Twotop Hill about a mile from Hartside. It descend more steeply, then reaches the access road for an ugly mast. Follow the access road down to the A686 and cross straight over. A walled track continues downhill for 1¼ miles, twisting and turning until it reaches a minor road at Hazel Rigg. Turn right to follow this road, then walk straight through a crossroads to enter the village of Gamblesby. Colourful agricultural implements are displayed by the roadside. A small church and pub are worth investigating. Melmerby lies 1¼ miles further along the minor road. The Post Haste Cafe, Village Bakery and Shepherd’s Inn jointly rise to satisfy hunger or thirst generated on the walk. A few fine, red sandstone buildings are worth studying before leaving.