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| Backside Fell | |
|---|---|
| Name | Backside Fell |
| Elevation m | 716 |
| Location | Lake District, Cumbria, England |
| Coordinates | 54.5°N 3.1°W |
| Range | Cumbrian Mountains |
| Grid ref | SD300987 |
Backside Fell is a fell in the Lake District of Cumbria, England, reaching approximately 716 metres above sea level. Situated near notable landmarks, it forms part of the ridge system connecting several well-known summits and features frequently in guidebooks and mapping by Ordnance Survey. The fell lies within the cultural and physical landscape shaped by centuries of human activity from Roman Britain through the Industrial Revolution to contemporary outdoor recreation.
Backside Fell occupies a position on a north–south ridge between Ullswater and Windermere, with nearby peaks including Helvellyn, Scafell Pike, Skiddaw, Blencathra, and Great Gable. Its slopes drain into the rivers Derwent, Eden, and tributaries feeding Morecambe Bay. Surrounding settlements include Keswick, Ambleside, Grasmere, Patterdale, and Coniston. The fell sits within the Lake District National Park and is intersected by rights of way shown on Ordnance Survey maps and long-distance routes such as the Cumbria Way, Coast to Coast Walk, and sections of the Pennine Way network.
The geology of Backside Fell reflects the complex stratigraphy of the Cumbrian Mountains formed during the Caledonian orogeny with rock units comparable to those found at Borrowdale Volcanic Group localities and Windermere Supergroup exposures. Bedrock includes andesitic lavas, tuffs, and volcanic breccias interspersed with sedimentary bands similar to formations near Buttermere and Wasdale. Glacial action during the Last Glacial Maximum sculpted the corries and ridges; features analogous to moraines, drumlins, and roche moutonnée occur around Thirlmere and Ennerdale as part of the same glacial legacy. Mineralization episodes in the region produced mineral seams historically exploited in Coniston and Keswick mines.
Vegetation on Backside Fell is typical of upland England: montane heath, acid grassland, and remnant Caledonian forest fragments comparable to stands near Mallerstang and Borrowdale. Heather species and bilberry dominate, supporting upland bird communities such as red grouse, merlin, golden plover, and peregrine falcon. Peatland habitats on the summit plateau and plateaux akin to those at Mossdale and Rutter Force store carbon and host sphagnum mosses, sedges, and insect assemblages paralleling those in North Pennines Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Lowland valleys around the fell support ash and oak woodlands similar to Grizedale Forest and wetland assemblages that benefit populations of otter, red squirrel, and migratory barnacle goose in the broader region.
Archaeological evidence in the vicinity includes prehistoric field systems and cairns analogous to remains at Castlerigg and Skelmore Heads, with Roman-era artifacts found in valleys like Lowther and near Hardknott Roman Fort. Medieval patterns of transhumance shaped the fell’s pasture use, reflecting practices documented in The Lake District National Park Authority records and histories of Cumbrian rural life. During the Industrial Revolution, nearby mines and quarries in Coniston and Keswick influenced local settlement patterns and transport corridors such as the West Coast Main Line and packhorse routes. 19th-century artists and writers of the Romanticism movement, including figures associated with Dove Cottage and Rydal Mount, popularized the Lake District landscape, increasing visitation that led to early conservation efforts exemplified by the National Trust acquisitions.
Access to Backside Fell is available via trails from Patterdale, Ambleside, and Keswick, and it features on itineraries promoted by outdoor organizations such as The Ramblers and British Mountaineering Council. Routes connect to long-distance paths like the Cumbria Way and local access land promoted under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. The fell is used for hillwalking, fell running, and winter mountaineering; nearby outdoor centers in Ambleside and Keswick offer instruction and guiding services. Facilities and navigation rely on resources from Ordnance Survey mapping, mountain weather forecasts from the Met Office, and safety advisories from Mountain Rescue England and Wales teams operating in Cumbria Mountain Rescue Association areas.
Backside Fell falls within the statutory boundaries of the Lake District National Park and is subject to conservation designations similar to North Pennines AONB management practices and Site of Special Scientific Interest protections applied elsewhere in Cumbria. Management priorities include peatland restoration, invasive species control, and path erosion mitigation coordinated by organizations like the National Trust, Lake District National Park Authority, and local Friends of the Lake District groups. Collaborative initiatives involve research institutions such as the University of Cumbria and conservation NGOs including RSPB and Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust to monitor upland biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and visitor impacts, integrating policies from national frameworks like Environment Act 2021 where applicable.