Calf Top

Calf Top
Calf Top Yorkshire Dales, England
Highest point
Elevation	609.58 m (1999.9 ft)
Prominence	312 m
Parent peak	Whernside
Listing	Marilyn, Dewey
Coordinates
Geography
Location	Yorkshire Dales, England
OS grid	SD 66449 85624
Topo map	OS Landranger 98

Calf Top is an armchair-shaped hill in the western part of the Yorkshire Dales, England. It is located in the county of Cumbria, although Lancashire and North Yorkshire are not far away. The hill is a dominating profile in the view from many of the smaller hills to its west, such as Lambrigg Fell and Hutton Roof Crags.

The height was formerly shown on Ordnance Survey maps as 609 metres. The closeness of this figure to 609.6 metres, or 2000 feet, led to the summit being surveyed using precision GPS and levelling equipment. The height was found to be 609.58 ± 0.1m, or fractionally below 2,000 feet. The result was discussed with the authors of the Nuttalls, Hewitts and Deweys who all agreed that the hill should retain its current status as a member of Dewey's list of hills at least 500 metres but less than 609.6 metres high. Current OS maps show the height rounded to 610 metres.

Calf Top is separated from its neighbours, Great Coum and Aye Gill Pike by the deep trench of Barbondale, meaning that although it is lower than most of the hills in its region, it has high relative height and is a Marilyn.

Calf Top is best climbed from Barbon to its south-west, passing over its subsidiary summits of Eskholme Pike (307m) and Castle Knott (538m). The return should be made the same way as there are no field paths to relieve the trudge back down the valley on tarmac.

Walkers from Barbon should take the footpath east from Eskholme. After passing through a gate and climbing up the hillside look for a prominent cairn to the left on Eskholme Pike. This lies alongside an easy and clear track leading directly to the summit, a short distance north of the indistinct line of the right of way.