# Middle Fell

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Mountain in United Kingdom

Middle Fell Middle Fell Location in the Lake District Show map of the Lake District Middle Fell Location in Copeland Borough Show map of the former Borough of Copeland Highest point Elevation 582 m (1,909 ft) Prominence 117 m (384 ft) Listing Wainwright Coordinates 54°27′14″N 3°18′40″W / 54.454°N 3.311°W / 54.454; -3.311 Geography Location Cumbria, England Parent range Lake District, Western Fells OS grid NY151072 Topo map OS Landranger 89, 90, Explorer OL6

**Middle Fell** is a hill or [fell](/source/Fell) in the English [Lake District](/source/Lake_District). It is a satellite of [Seatallan](/source/Seatallan) standing above the northern shore of [Wastwater](/source/Wastwater). Middle Fell can be climbed from Greendale near the foot of Wastwater, and a fine view of the lake backed by the Wastwater Screes is visible from the summit.

## Topography

The [Western Fells](/source/Western_Fells) occupy a triangular sector of the Lake District, bordered by the River Cocker to the north east and [Wasdale](/source/Wasdale) to the south east. Westwards the hills diminish toward the coastal plain of Cumberland. At the central hub of the high country are [Great Gable](/source/Great_Gable) and its satellites, while two principal ridges fan out on either flank of [Ennerdale](/source/Ennerdale_Water), the western fells in effect being a great horseshoe around this long wild valley.[1] Middle Fell is an outlier of the southern arm.

The main watershed runs broadly westwards from Great Gable, dividing the headwaters of Ennerdale and [Wasdale](/source/Wasdale). Travelling in this direction the principal hills are [Kirk Fell](/source/Kirk_Fell), [Pillar](/source/Pillar_(Lake_District)), [Scoat Fell](/source/Scoat_Fell), [Haycock](/source/Haycock_(Lake_District)) and [Caw Fell](/source/Caw_Fell). Haycock sends out a long southern ridge terminating in [Seatallan](/source/Seatallan) and Seatallan in turn has a south eastern spur. This is Middle Fell.

Middle Fell begins at the unnamed [col](/source/Mountain_pass) on the eastern face of Seatallan at a height of 1,525 ft (465 m). This is its only connection with other high ground, being constrained on three sides by deep valleys. To the west, separating Middle Fell from its parent, is Greendale Gill. This begins at Greendale Tarn, nestled into the steep face of Middle Fell. The [tarn](/source/Tarn_(lake)), around 30 ft (9 m) deep, sits in a long narrow bowl, looked down on by a collection of huge boulders.[2]

To the east is Nether Beck, flowing down to the Lake through its long valley. On the other side are the long southern slopes of [Red Pike](/source/Red_Pike_(Wasdale)). The southern slopes of Middle Fell fall to the shore of Wastwater, claiming a long section of the northern shore between Nether Beck Bridge and the Greendale road junction. Goat Gill and Smithy Beck provide further drainage on this side.

Middle Fell is steep on all sides. The western face is rough with areas of scree and boulders, but generally free of crags. The longer eastern slopes by contrast have tier upon tier of rocks. Long, Water, Goat, Foegill and Iron Crags are the principal features. The ridge northward to Seatallan is broad, levelling out onto grass after an initial rough descent.

## Geology

The summit area is composed of the [dacitic](/source/Dacite), welded [lapilli tuff](/source/Lapilli_tuff) of the Lincomb Tarns Formation. [Andesitic](/source/Andesite) lapilli tuff occurs on either end of the ridge, together with small intrusions of [basalt](/source/Basalt) and [dolerite](/source/Dolerite). Underlying this is the Birker Fell Formation of [plagioclase](/source/Plagioclase)-phyric andesite [lavas](/source/Lava).[3]

## Summit

The summit [cairn](/source/Cairn) is sited on a small rock outcrop, close to the beginning of the ridge-end descent to the south. The view across Wastwater to the screes of [Whin Rigg](/source/Whin_Rigg) and [Illgill Head](/source/Illgill_Head) is excellent. Also in view is the head of Wasdale and the more distant [Coniston Fells](/source/Furness_Fells). [Black Combe](/source/Black_Combe) appears far off to the south west.[1]

## Ascents

The simplest ascent is via a path up the nose of the ridge, beginning at Greendale. A longer alternative climbs the beck to Greendale Tarn before doubling back to the summit along the Seatallan ridge. A circular tour can be contrived via Seatallan and [Buckbarrow](/source/Buckbarrow).[1][4]

## References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Middle Fell](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Middle_Fell).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-wainwright_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-wainwright_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-wainwright_1-2) [Alfred Wainwright](/source/Alfred_Wainwright): *A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, Volume 7 The Western Fells*: Westmorland Gazette (1966): [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7112-2460-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7112-2460-9)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-blair_2-0)** Blair, Don: *Exploring Lakeland Tarns*: Lakeland Manor Press (2003): [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-9543904-1-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-9543904-1-5)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-BGS_3-0)** [British Geological Survey](/source/British_Geological_Survey): 1:50,000 series maps, *England & Wales Sheet 38*: BGS (1998)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-birkett_4-0)** Bill Birkett:*Complete Lakeland Fells*: Collins Willow (1994): [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-00-713629-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-00-713629-3)

v t e Wainwright's Western Fells Base Brown Blake Fell Brandreth Buckbarrow Burnbank Fell Caw Fell Crag Fell Fellbarrow Fleetwith Pike Gavel Fell Great Borne Great Gable Green Gable Grey Knotts Grike Haycock Haystacks Hen Comb High Crag High Stile Kirk Fell Lank Rigg Low Fell Mellbreak Middle Fell Pillar Red Pike (Buttermere) Red Pike (Wasdale) Scoat Fell Seatallan Starling Dodd Steeple Yewbarrow Full list of Wainwrights by area

v t e Hills of the Western Lake District Low Fell Fellbarrow Sourfoot Fell Darling Fell Pardshaw Crag Redhow Crags Crag Hill Harrot Hill Blake Fell Carling Knott Gavel Fell Hen Comb Banna Fell Knock Murton High Hows Keltonfell Top High Park Mockerkin How Howside Hill High Leys Branthwaite Edge Hannah Moor Winscales Hill Ivy Hill Stanley Hill Syke Whinns Hill Mellbreak Mellbreak North Top High Stile Red Pike High Crag Starling Dodd Great Borne Seat Bowness Knott Great Gable Green Gable Brandreth Fleetwith Pike Base Brown Haystacks Green Crag Kirk Fell Kirk Fell East Top Pillar Scoat Fell Black Crag Red Pike Haycock Iron Crag Yewbarrow Stirrup Crag Lank Rigg Crag Fell Grike Blakeley Raise Swainson Knott Swarth Fell Ponsonby Fell Wilton Fell Cold Fell Flat Fell Head of Haile In Fell Seatallan Middle Fell High Birkhow Dent Winscales Hill

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