Wild Boar Fell

Wild Boar Fell
The summit trig point
Highest point
Elevation	708 m (2,323 ft)
Prominence	344 m (1,129 ft)
Parent peak	Cross Fell
Listing	Marilyn, Hewitt, Nuttall
Geography
Location	North Yorkshire/Cumbria, England
Parent range	Pennines
OS grid	SD757988
Topo map	OS Landranger 98

Wild Boar Fell is a mountain (or more accurately a fell) in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Mallerstang on the eastern edge of Cumbria, England. At 708 metres (2,323 ft), it is either the 4th highest fell in the Yorkshire Dales or the 5th, depending on whether nearby High Seat (709 m) is counted or not.

The nearest high point is Swarth Fell which is a mile-long (1.5 km) ridge to the south, at grid reference SD754965. To the east, on the opposite side of the narrow dale, are High Seat and Hugh Seat.

According to Wainwright the fell gets its name from the wild boar which inhabited the area over 500 years ago. But it would be unusual in an area of Viking settlement, for its old Norse name to have disappeared, when the names of many of its features, such as The Nab, Dolphinsty, etc., retain their Norse origin. Wild Boar fell was named in a late 17th century boundary description as both Wilbright and Wilbert fell and it must be doubtful that Wild Boar is the original name. We should instead look to the Old Norse tongue for an original name.

In earlier times, probably up to the mid nineteenth century, the Millstone Grit, or gritstone, which forms the flat top of the fell, was used for making millstones. Some partly formed millstones can be seen on the eastern flank of the fell - and also on the corresponding western flank of Mallerstang Edge on the opposite side of the dale. Sand (composed of Millstone Grit) from the beach of Sand Tarn was used by local people to sharpen knives and scythes; they made "strickles" by sticking the sand to wooden blocks with tar.

A tusk, claimed to be of "the last wild boar caught on the fell", is kept in Kirkby Stephen parish church.

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Wikipedia