Although the hill is a ‘Wainwright’ fell and comfortably crests the 2000-foot mark, it does not meet the criteria for any of the other major hill lists; with a prominence of 13 metres (43 ft) to the higher fell of Knott it narrowly fails to qualify as a Nuttall.

The fell has twin summits, Great and Little Sca Fell, with Little Sca Fell, which reaches an elevation of 635 metres (2,083 feet), lying 400 metres (1⁄4 mile) north of the main summit across a low col, it has a more substantial cairn and a strange depression which has been augmented by a low wall to make a wind shelter.

The River Ellen has its source on the western slopes of Great Sca Fell, flowing westerly to the Solway Firth.

Drainage from the east of the fell flows eventually into the River Caldew and then the Eden to again reach the sea at the Solway.

The highlight of the view from the top of the fell is northwards to the Solway plain and beyond to the Scottish Borders.