Hartley Birkett is a prominent feature on the Coast to Coast walk, not least because as you walk from the Hartley Quarries towards Hartley Fell, Hartley Birkett looms directly in your path. As it happens, the path bends around its west and south faces and does not pass over the Hill.

Hartley Birkett lies between Hartley Quarry and Hartley Fell. Its west face reveals considerable soil creep, from its summit to its base. Soil creep is the slow wasting process of soil on a steep slope, giving way to the application of gravity. Soil creep often results in the gradual destruction of trees, posts and fences bendiing and snapping as the creep advances.

The summit of Hartley Birkett is 405m high. It is marked only by a small outcropping of limestone rocks. Beyond Hartley Birkett is Little Longrigg, 413m, and Little Longrigg Scar, which stretches to and beyond the domed summit of Long Rigg.

The east side of Hartley Birkett is pocked with lead mine shafts, from which lead ore was once obtained. Colourful fluorite crystals have also been extracted from its mines. The Hartley Birkett lead mines are the first in a series of mines working their way up the western slopes of Hartley Fell.

Looking south along the higher eastern side of Hartley Birkett several mine shafts can be seen. Where the land dips at the foot of the east side the Needless Sike flows beneath the boundary wall. This area is quite boggy.

Looking east from the summit of Hartley Birkett the course of the Needless Sike moving across Hartley Fell and the Coalgill Sike coming directly down Hartley Fell is evident. Their direction of travel makes it obvious they are about to converge. Further up are the horizontal limestone bands comprising Low Greyrigg and Middle Greyrigg.

There are two Birkett Hills within close proximity, one each side of the Dukerdale Valley entrance. The north-most is also known as Hartley Birkett. From Hartley Birkett you can look out across the valley to the other Birkett Hill, which sits behind the belt of conifers in the distance.

Hartley Birkett overlooks High Out Wood. Further north of High Out Wood is Low Out Wood, an ancient woodland. High Out Wood and the adjacent Birkett Hill are designated as an SSSI.

On the minor road from Hartley Village to Hartley Fell is Fell House, located at the foot of Hartley Birkett. Fell House farm is the home of a small herd of Alpacas. Alpacas are closely related to llamas, but smaller, and originate from South America.

Coast to Coast Trail Guide

"Hiking the Coast to Coast" is a digitally enhanced eBook available from Apple Books for all people who have either a Mac, an iPhone or an iPad, and is designed to accompany you on your walk of the Coast to Coast path. The trail guide contains Ordnance Survey maps and other advanced mapping features, step by step directions, hundreds of colour photographs, details of the route, its conditions in different weather and research snippets relating to places of interest along the way.