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Fountains Fell Walk

8.08 miles (13 km)

Ordnance Survey Map Open Streetmap Climb to this prominent fell in the Yorkshire Dales and enjoy wonderful views over the surrounding hills and countryside. The circular walk starts from the beautiful Malham Tarn and climbs to the fell using a section of the Pennine Way National Trail. The route climbs to a height of 668 metres (2,192 ft) with lovely views of the pretty Fountains Fell Tarn below. At the northern tip of the route you have the option of following the Pennine Way north west to Pen y ghent, one of the famous three peaks of Yorkshire.
To extend your walking in the area you can explore the Malham Tarn estate with its glacial lake and Tarn Moss Nature Reserve. There's also the climb to Gordale Scar, the fascinating Malham Cove and the beautiful Janet's Foss waterfall to visit on the estate.
The route of the Settle Loop also passes just to the south west of the fell.

Fountains Fell OS Map Ordnance survey map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Fountains Fell Open Street Map Open Streetmap - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Photos

Fountains Fell summit plateau - geograph.org.uk - 301089

Fountains Fell summit plateau. Near the highest point of the fell with Pen y Ghent in the middle distance and Ingleborough beyond.

Fountains Fell Tarn - geograph.org.uk - 402701

Walkers on  Fountains Fell Tarn. After a very dry start to April, the tarn is surrounded by dry grass and moss. The shallow brackish water though is still too cold, and shallow, to tempt swimmers but proves a popular place to skim the flat stones found in plenty along the shoreline.

Signpost on The Pennine Way - geograph.org.uk - 2308214

Signpost on The Pennine Way

Fountains Fell - geograph.org.uk - 252024

Looking down the wall towards the T junction of walls you can see Malham Tarn in the distance on the left. Fountains Fell Tarn is a little way behind the photographer as are the strange landforms at the top of this fell. The wall has recently been restored.

Fountains Fell - geograph.org.uk - 238161

The bowl central to this wide angle of Fountains Fell shows the open expanse of the Fell with the Pennine way running along the top

Fountains Fell - geograph.org.uk - 238121

Streams coming off to the right of the derelict house, run down to form Fornah Gill. This is Fountains Fell moorland and used for grouse shooting.

Follow the Wall to Fountains Fell - geograph.org.uk - 258387

Follow the Wall. The moorland that separates Fountains Fell (in the distance) and Penyghent (behind photographer) is mostly grouse moor with some sheep and cattle farming closer to the road that runs across the valley. Photograph centred on the right turn in the wall that is in lower centre of picture

Moughton wall junction - geograph.org.uk - 341392

Moughton wall junction. Looking across from limestone pavement at a wall intersection. On the other side of the Ribble Valley is Penyghent and Fountains Fell on the horizon

Video

GPS Files

GPX File

Fountains Fell.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Download Linked File)

Memory Map Route

Fountains Fell.mmo (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold >Download Linked File)