Ling Fell

Ling is an old word for heather, and heather covers the upper half of this rounded hill above Wythop Mill. Wainwright was not kind to it and thought the dark heather made it look gloomy even in sunshine. It is the higher of two small fells at the northern tip of the North Western Fells. The other is Sale Fell, across the Wythop valley, and although the two stand side by side no ridge joins them.

Park in one of the couple of narrow, muddy pull-ins above Eskin at the foot of the fell, or at the small parking area by Brumston Bridge, which also puts Sale Fell within easy reach. Go through the gate at the bottom of the old corpse road, a track once used to carry the dead to a church with a burial ground. It traverses the slope gently, then climbs more steeply up a shallow ravine before a faint path through grass and heather reaches the top. Walk Lakes' circuit comes back by a path from the cairn just south-east of the summit, 2.7km with 181m of ascent. Another way starts in Wythop Mill and follows the lane up the wooded valley between the two fells to a path that curls round the northern slopes.

It is easy walking on grass and heather, with no particular hazards. There is no water on the fell for dogs.

The top carries an Ordnance Survey trig pillar. Broom Fell cuts off the view south, but Skiddaw and the Grasmoor group are in sight. The finer view is north, over Cockermouth to the Solway Firth and the hills of Galloway.

There is no forestry on Ling Fell, and the remains of grouse butts show it was once kept for shooting.