Fountains Fell is a mountain in the Yorkshire Dales, England. The main summit has a height of 668 m and a relative height or topographic prominence of 243 m and thus qualifies as a Marilyn. Its subsidiary, Fountains Fell South Top reaches 662 m and qualifies as a Nuttall. A third summit, further south at, reaches 610 m and is the most southerly 2,000 ft summit in the Pennines. The eastern slopes of the fell form part of the National Trust's Malham Tarn and Moor estate.

History

The name Fountains derives from ownership of the land in the 13th century by the Cistercian monks of Fountains Abbey (25 mi to the east, near Ripon), who used it for sheep grazing. Coal was mined on the summit from 1790 to 1860, and was used for lead smelting in the area. There are various pits and shafts on and near the summit, and the remains of a coke oven building.

Pennine Way

The Pennine Way crosses Fountains Fell about a third of a mile north of the summit. For the northbound walker this is 85 mi from the start of the way at Edale, and is the first point where the way climbs higher than Kinder Scout's 636 m which was reached soon after the start. It is 8 mi along the Pennine Way from Malham village to the summit of Fountains Fell, the route climbing up beside the dramatic cliffs of Malham Cove and passing Malham Tarn before climbing up the east side of the fell. The route continues down the western slopes of the fell and ascends the southern ridge of Pen-y-ghent, reached after 3.5 mi: this summit of 694 m then supplants Fountains Fell as the highest point yet reached on the Pennine Way.

Caving

There are several caves of interest to cavers on Fountains Fell, including Antler Hole, Dalehead Pot, Echo Hole, Fornagh Gill, Gingling Pot, Hammer Pot and Magnetometer Pot.