Dales 30
Personal Journey

Wild Boar Fell

Route Options
Height

708m (2,323ft)

Location

Northern Dales

Neighbours

Swarth Fell

Height

708m (2,323ft)

Location

Northern Dales

Neighbours

Swarth Fell

Gallery of Wild Boar Fell

Early in the climb
Early in the climb
Approaching Wild Boar Fell plateau
Approaching Wild Boar Fell plateau
Approaching the high point
Approaching the high point
Wild Boar summit
Wild Boar summit
Standing stones
Standing stones
Overlooking Mallerstang
Overlooking Mallerstang
Wild Boar Fell from Pendragon
Wild Boar Fell from Pendragon
River Eden near Outhgill
River Eden near Outhgill

Jonathan’s View

"Wild Boar Fell is a proper mountain, anyone who takes on the day will reflect on an interesting but hard day. The lower slopes tend to be the hardest work (steeper and muddier) whilst ‘up top’ has the easiest walking. However if the cloud is down then easiest becomes challenging and a compass essential on the featureless plateau.   

The approaches from Mallerstang are limited, a bridleway (the Pennine Journey) does skirt the northern slopes to  offer an easy start but further south and closer to Swarth Fell any descent is mainly trackless and rough. It is therefore possible to do a straightforward up and down but that loses much of the appeal of the area. If you have 2 cars that is helpful but even if you do not enjoy the long walk down Mallerstang from Aisgill Cottages.

As with the fells across Mallerstang there are many legends and mysteries surrounding Wild Boar Fell. The standing stones on the summit plateau overlooking Mallerstang could have been built for one of any number of reasons (I always like the idea of them scaring off invaders but I suspect it is more mundane). Similarly the name Wild Boar Fell is allegedly due to the mountain being home to the last ‘wild boar’ and its tusk does lie in the church at Kirkby Stephen but again this may or may  not be true…however it is a striking name and that can only be good."

Routes up Wild Boar Fell

There is a choice of routes up Wild Boar Fell . They are shown on the map and described below. The GPX file describes my favourite route.

click the image to see a larger version of the mao

My Favourite Route

From nr Outhgill

Height to Climb

490m (1,600ft)

O/S Explorer Map
Parking

SD 782992 Limited parking at the bridleway to the Thang, otherwise 10 minutes north at Outhgill.

  1. There is parking at the Thang 1km north of Outhgill from where the Pennine Bridleway heads west up Wild Boar Fell. Initially it passes a farm and under a railway bridge before heading in to the open moorside. Fortunately a track heads up the slopes which you can follow all the way to the col/high point of the path.
  2. At a junction of walls following the 2km climb ignore the track continuing west and head south along a good path on a wide grassy ridge to the summit plateau of Wild Boar Fell. The highest point with a trig is at the west of a large summit plateau. After collecting the trig head ESE across the plateau to the eastern edge of Wild Boar Fell. Here are the Standing Stones of Wild Boar Fell, an interesting feature.
  3. Cross the fence and then use it as a hand rail to walk 1 1/2km to the tarn, initially west then bending south.Continue for a further 3/4km to the big cairn marking the summit of Swarth Fell.  Head SSE for 1 km to the southern cairn of Swarth Fell.
  4. A few metres beyond the summit leave the fence at an intermittent path that heads east and then ENE towards Aisgill Moor Cottages and the road. It is nearly 5km walk back to the car.
  5. An alternative from Aisgill Cottages is to join the path on the east side of the road and climb the 40m up to Hell Gill Bridge. This joins the excellent Pennine Bridleway that contours north past the dramatic Watercut (a large sculpture) back to the Thang. The views are much better than the dale floor return.

Overlooking Mallerstang

Alternative Routes

By Train, Kirkby Stephen to Garsdale

Use the stations on the Settle to Carlisle railway line for this epic crossing, very satisfying although the Moorcock Inn at Garsdale is now sadly closed.

20km (12.5 miles)

620m (2,0355 ft)

  1. Park at the now closed Moorcock Inn not Garsdale station. It is 1 ½ km away but it is a tedious 20 minutes and best to get it out of the way early. Walk along the road to Sedbergh for 50 m and take the footpath heading south and signed to Garsdale station. The trains are (as of 2024) every 2 hours and there is a very civilised one at 10.20am (please check first though!
  2. On the train the x miles are covered in 12 minutes and on arrival at Kirkby Stephen station (not close to the town) head south for 3km on the A685/A683 to Tommy Road. If the road is a concern it is possible to leave it after 3/4km (just south of the road junction) on a side road. After another 1/2km a bridleway heads south for 2km to rejoin Tommy Road (a 2nd minor road). This option is slower, wetter but safer.
  3. On Tommy Road head east then south. Where the road bends east again head directly south on a farm track over Access Land. Climbing steadily the track disappears after 1 1/2km near 2 small tarns and some marshy land. Carry on south over steeper ground to Little Fell and then gradually dropping for 1 km, initially joining a wall and then to a junction with a major path heading east west.
  4. Climb steadily south on a faint path to the plateau of Wild Boar Fell. The plateau is 1 ½ km long and worth exploring. The high point (trig and shelter) is to the west, the standing stones to the south and east. However the path to Swarth Fell is to the south and follows a fence to the col and then a wall to its summit.
  5. The first large cairn is the summit of Swarth Fell but carry on following the wall SSE past a 2nd cairn 1km distant (great views to the south) and then dropping down often wet hillside. Follow the wall for 3km as it gradually bends SE until it meets a footpath heading east. This leads to a footbridge over the railway on to the road and a short walk south to the Moorcock Inn.

The Thang (Wild Boar Fell Only)

If you do not wish to climb Swarth Fell then the easiest way to tick Wild Boar Fell is to head up the Pennine Journey route from the Thang just south of Outhgill. It is an 8km (5 miles) round trip. Follow the instructions for the Best Route to climb Wild Boar Fell.

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