| Name: | Black Brows |
| Hill number: | 5294 |
| Height: | 268m / 879ft |
| Parent (Ma): | 2667 Top o' Selside |
| County/UA: | Westmorland and Furness |
| Topographical area: | EL04 Coniston-claife |
| SMC/RHB section: | 34D: Southern Cumbria |
| Nuttall/Wainwright area: | Lake District - Southern Fells |
| Catchment: | Leven (Ulverston) |
| Class: | Hump, Tump (200-299m), Clem (Hu,Tu,2,Cm) |
| Grid ref: | SD 36260 92621 |
| Summit feature: | rock outcrop |
| Drop: | 129m |
| Col: | 139m SD360941  |
| OS map sheet(s): | (1:50k) 96 97 (1:25k) OL7N |
| Survey: | obvious summit |
| GPS data: | show GPS entries for this hill |
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N.B. Some hill summits are on private property or on land where there is no public right of way. Permission should be sought from the landowner where access to a hill summit is through private land.
Please report via the contact page any logs you see below which describe or encourage acts of trespass. Please quote the hill number and hill name.
| Logged Descriptions (logged by 87 users, only the latest 50 shown - Show all) | By | Date of Ascent |
| I used the BW from the NE; the route up by the wall was grotty but doable and the summit rock was messy in the wet. Coming down I stayed away from the wall in the trees and found the going easier, but found a different track to come down to the road 150m further south. | IanHHill | 14/03/2024 |
| Along Bridleway which starts on road to NE. Turned south on reaching wall in a recently felled area. Hard going at times but basically followed wall, on both side as suggested below. Rocky summit | trimarc2 | 06/12/2022 |
| Very muddy ROW from the NE until reach a gate/wall. Follow this upwards over stumps, brash, pools and eventually bracken to quite an impressive wee summit. | summitter | 21/10/2022 |
| Good parking at the start of the footpath to the north east. Follow the track SW until it comes to a gate giving access to what is now a clear-felled area.Turn uphill through the brash, following as close a possible to the wall. The whole ascent is best completed as a mixture of walking at different sides of the wall as, although there is a track on both sides, each, in turn, has difficult sections. Finally, cross into the trees near the top and pick your way along a developing track to the obvious summit. | moorsman | 19/05/2022 |
| Poor weather, mizzle, very low cloud so I thought let's stop putting off BB and have a bit of an orienteering puzzle. Parked 300m. N of sawmill but Denise's spot nearer looked good, too. From S col, via bw through sawmill. I got a bit disorientated in the mizzle and by the slow pace clambering over trees, brash etc as to where I was along the wall but eventually found the sharks fin rocks off a pleasant part of the worn trod. Then I followed the wrong wall- E- and finished off on part of a maze of new, recreational 4WD tracks. This was a safe descent, though steep. As I followed them round back to the S.col I bagged Austin Fell before returning to Hazelseat sawmill. Jim Perrin reckons getting lost and using your senses to find your way is one of the most important experiences in hill-walking so that justifies today's performance! I had to look at the aerial photo to work out my route after my walk, and to write it up! | pwheeler | 03/03/2022 |
| Revisit from E, first visiting S summit which has a trig block (concrete ring). | RHW | 26/02/2022 |
| Followed wall line north from track to South ( Hazelhead sawmill)- wooded, boggy and a sort of path with various diversions around wind- felled trees. HP quite a nice surprise at the top of angled slabs with easy scramble to top- streaming with water today and no views. With Tony G, Tony J, Andy H and Richard. | Denise | 29/12/2021 |
| From Ausin Fell along the wall, path here and there. A summit wedge of rock in glade surrounded by forest. Easy scramble up slab to high point. | RichardM | 29/12/2021 |
| Managed to park a short 4x4 car on a small sloping patch of grass at SD 368932. Windblow and harvesting all around. Chewed up public FP NW then SW until blocked by windfall at about SD 364932, then S directly up through reasonably open trees – intermittent bits of an ATV track on E side of bounding wall, but frequently blocked by windfall. Bird of prey standing on public FP, completely unperturbed by my presence – I couldn’t get it to engage in conversation. | Isbjorn | 25/12/2021 |
| Parked to NE (verge parking 200m N of ROW). ROW, then alongside wall. | PGCE | 12/11/2021 |
| Well trodden path following wall. Nice short scramble to summit | conanharrod | 03/01/2021 |
| After finding the Buried Block to the SW and finding it has a Concrete Ring. | Dusty | 06/02/2020 |
| With K. Space for two cars to pull off road to NW. Both of us saw a fairy out of the corners of our eyes as we parked. Trees made some spooky noises and there were tracks of animals like boar although it couldn't be? Followed footpath then wall. No problems, some parts actually have quite large path. Tiny amount of scrambling necessary to reach exciting summit. Pulled half a dozen ticks off ourselves afterwards. | Ashley | 02/07/2019 |
| From Ausin Fell then rough ground through felled trees, switching to left of wall to avoid mature trees, then into trees where there is a faint path (with bike tracks)which takes you to the top. The top is quite a surprise and well worth it. | DC11main | 03/03/2019 |
| Concealed parking area on hardstanding by corner of wood at SD36938 93849 (space for 2 cars) - Up road for 650yd & then along RoW to gate in wall - Up between trees on W. side of wall before switching to E. side - With about 300yd to go, picked up good path to summit crag. Up large crack at NE end. (S) | gerrybowes | 31/07/2018 |
| From Hazelseat saw mills, Ausin Fell first then rough undulating ground, with plenty of wind fall and brash to negotiate. Worth it though, massive angled slab outcrops at HP, nice wee scramble - easier routes are available. Continued N, roughly following wall to pick up a RoW and heading NE to the road. | jonglew | 19/03/2018 |
| Also parked at SD369935 - on wide bend in road to NE. Relatively quiet road - well it was in November | carole engel | 29/11/2017 |
| Black Brows from GR: SD 36790 93257 | ronaldo333 | 30/09/2017 |
| Final Lakes Hump. Impressive blade of rock. A fun walk up through the trees and bracken with Bryher and Rick. | jenx | 01/08/2017 |
| Final Lakes Hump with Jenx and Bryher, from good parking on the road to East at a track made to take out timber, about 100m south of the FP leading in. Followed track to gate and then on west side of that found a good trail up through the pines that leads to an easy gap in the wall and even easier scrabble up to the summit. Not sure why folk have had a problem with this one, very straightforward. Coupled with Wainwright Outlier completion next on Finsthwaite Heights | nordicstar | 01/08/2017 |
| With Sail, Evan, Eire & Alfie following wall from track to North. Continued southwards through the forest to tackle Ausin Fell. A terrible area for parking - narrow busy roads and spaces blocked on purpose by rocks or logs. | Dangerous Dave | 29/10/2016 |
| Managed to park at the end of a forestry track just south of the start of the footpath on mick's route. It was a wet afternoon, but I found the walk enjoyable. The summit rock is easiest ascended from the north east, where there is a groove in the rock. The area would be much less pleasant in summer, when the bracken is up. Also passed close to the summit during an orienteering event in 2004. | JohnW | 24/03/2016 |
| Parked on road to the NE and used the footpath before ascending the hill staying to the east of the wall to gain this lovely rocky summit. Bagged in my black wellies as very damp conditions underfoot. | Dugswell2 | 11/03/2016 |
| From Middle Dale Park path then wall as an handlebar. | Eddie | 29/09/2014 |
| Followed Mick's instructions (thank you) from tricky parking at SD 36950 93536. Summit really is a gem! | David Gradwell | 13/04/2014 |
| Parked on road near Can Wood then walked back up road. The locals put large logs in the lay byes as a welcome. Followed ROW signed Middle Dale Park. Up to wall then followed wall left through trees head down bent double at times.No path to speak of. Very boggy rides to left of wall make escape unpleasant (Des Taylor is an optimist!). However well worth this short period of discomfort as the top is wonderful. One of the most interesting tops in the district IMHO. Small crags among a delightful area of old Larches. Top is a sharks fin of rock with a sloping face. Wonderful! | mick | 09/04/2013 |
| Nice rocky summit on a miserable little hill. Negotiating trees was hard work and hat and glasses were ripped off several times. Open rides were extremely boggy when I tried to escape the trees. | chriswatson | 28/02/2013 |
| Hawkshead to Windermere. From Middle Dale Park there looked to be a more direct trail leaving ROW at springs (SD360929) but continued to the wall guided approach. | Smudge | 18/11/2012 |
| Avery wet and boggy walk from the NE. Good views from top. I followed the wall most of the way. | DARRENG | 22/09/2012 |
| My last HuMP in Cumbria. Mrs B climbed it in April 2010. Forest track turned into a single path uphill to where a stone wall disappeared into the forest on the left. Trees whipped off hat. Dropped map case, but found it again. Checked with GPS that a descent was part of the approach through dense tree cover. Onto a more open area with craggy rocks and another gappy wall on the other side of a swamp. Through a gap and immediately recognised the passage between two rock fangs from Mrs B's photos. Up diagonal narrow green crevice using knees to maintain adhesion, standing upright to the top of the left hand slab. Got foothold where I could put my hand on the topmost point. 12.15. | arranc | 21/03/2012 |
| Climbed on a weekend stay at Near Sawrey. Limited parking on west side of Hawkshead-Newby Bridge road at about SD369938 before road ascends. Followed Des Taylor's route - not too bad in trees. | Man of Kernow1 | 13/11/2011 |
| Layby N of Hazleseat. Two trails: LH muddy, logging, RH better. At clearing up hill, deep bracken. Amazing - exact summit on sharp arete can be defined to 2cm! | Aye Jimmy | 23/08/2011 |
| Easy parking to NE. Follow path to wall and gate. Follow up by wall for 200m - some trees but old and no problem. Then see brighter patch to left and follow stream to top. No need for body armour. | destaylor | 02/06/2011 |
| From Green Hows Tarn to south. Though forest to wall at SD 362918 then through lots of trees to rocky summit. Wouldn't recommend this route! | citygent | 26/03/2011 |
| From west at Low Dale Park-pleasant path at first but to reach the summit have to crash through skin-ripping firs. Open space near summit but top is over the wall and into the forest again! Small hills are the hardest! | peebs | 28/08/2010 |
| Was low cloud today so doing some lower hills. Too many trees. | Alan Moore | 08/04/2010 |
| A deviation from my route between controls 4 and 5 on Course 11 - Regional Orienteering event. | summitsup | 19/04/2009 |
| With Rowland & Ann Bowker | jimbloomer | 19/09/2008 |
| An interesting top to achiev - looks like trees on the map and boy are there plenty - not much of a path either! but for all that the actual top is rocky and clear and empty - a lakeland gem if you can get there! | gigglejon | 01/03/2008 |
| Orienteering at its best on the premier JK event. Finding the control close to the summit fins of rock was relatively easy but the demands of the leg to get there were huge - very long, diagonally steeply uphill with dense trees and/or bracken hindering progress, energy, and resolve at every step. | Chris Pearson | 11/04/2004 |
| entertaining complex hill. follow tks from 367926 then thru pltn to find summit | RHW | 21/04/2002 |
| 2/3 Parked at 356941 on Dale Park road and walked up track through open deer fence. Continued on tracks until parallel with summit then just found easy way through trees to top. Then back to road, down road South to Bends before Middle Dale Park. Found a trod which diagonally joins up with the Footpath from Middle Dale, joined footpath and walked to col to use the route to summit of Black Brows via the wall line as described by others. Then used same wall to cross towards Bleaberry Fell area to get to Ausin Fell. Bleaberry Fell bit has been felled but there are reasonable forestry vehicle tracks that get you down to the tracks leading easily to Ausin Fell. Then down via Bridleways to Low Dale Park and back up the lane. 3 hours or so. Good for a drizzly day. Fine views of the last two. | nickywood1 | blank |
| Andy West | 17/05/2024 | |
| Tom Mundell | 21/01/2023 | |
| softsquare | 24/06/2022 | |
| iainwalton | 06/03/2022 | |
| Tony J | 29/12/2021 | |
| Michael Hood | 07/11/2021 | |
| Fletch | 01/11/2021 | |
| Jim B | 30/08/2021 |