Wild Boar Fell

A 10 mile (16 km) closed loop from the roadside spaces about 1 km south of Outhgill, with roughly 550 m of climbing and around 5 hours for most walkers including stops and map checks. Five minutes of walking brings you to Hazelgill Farm, where the classic bridleway ascent begins. From there you gain the ridge and the 708 m summit, turn south over Swarth Fell, drop to Aisgill Moor Cottages, pass Hell Gill Force, then head north on the bridleway east of the young River Eden back to the car.

The climb does the hard work early and pays out at the top. The summit is a broad flat plateau with a trig point and a shelter, standing cairns and pillars along the eastern edge, and the hidden hollow of Sand Tarn tucked away below. Views run the length of Mallerstang and out across the surrounding fells. Swarth Fell keeps the height and the views for longer than you expect, and the final valley miles give you the fell you just climbed in profile.

Hard, or at least moderately hard. The approach and the main climb are on good clear ground. Higher up it gets rougher, with tussocky grass, moorland and limestone underfoot. There is a lot of uneven walking, and the descent to Aisgill Cottages is where the path fades and boots start earning their keep. The track past Hell Gill Force is intermittent rather than continuous.

The high plateau is wide open with almost no shelter, and the fourth-highest ground in the Dales catches whatever the weather is doing. In clear conditions the ridge line is obvious. In mist the flat top and the vague descent are much less forgiving, so carry a map and compass and know how to use them rather than relying on the ground telling you where to go.

The open tops are good listening country. Skylarks, meadow pipits, curlew and lapwings all use this ground, and spring and early summer are the noisiest months for them. Nothing is guaranteed, so treat any sighting as a bonus and give nesting birds space.

Use the small roadside spaces about 1 km south of Outhgill, where the wide track to the Thrang leaves the road. Six or seven cars fit sensibly, so an early arrival helps and parking considerately matters more than usual. Dogs are fine on the public rights of way, but this crosses farmed ground: keep them on a lead near livestock, and on a short lead from March through July for ground-nesting birds. Limestone pavement, caves and sink holes are permanent hazards for curious dogs.

The distance and rough ground make this a full day rather than a casual outing. Two sections, the descent from Swarth Fell and the stretch past Hell Gill Force, need patience with route-finding. Take it on in poor visibility only if you are confident navigating featureless high ground.