The Wainwrights

Wainwright is the best and most famous guide book writer in our history and his name has been used to offer a challenge to climb all the mountains in his books (the Wainwrights).

214 fells in the Lake District

Alfred Wainwright wrote the best walking guides that have ever been released in this country. Unwittingly he introduced one of the greatest mountain challenges in Britain, completing the Wainwrights. In general terms they describe a choice of routes (or 3 or 4) up each individual fell. There are 214 individual fells. 

Wainwright – Box Set

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Wainwright’s Outlying Fells Book

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In addition each individual fell is given a real personality. Included in the section on each fell is a general description, a hand drawn map of the fell (taken from his own observations and the old 1 inch to 1 mile Bartholomew maps), ridge routes, a summit viewfinder, hand drawn illustrations (drawn from his own photography) and quirky observations on significant features of the fell (historical, geological or personal).

Each individual fell is then packaged in to his 7 separate guide books which form the different areas of the Lake District. He did add an 8^th in his later years, ‘Outlying Fells of the Lake District’ but his reputation and fame was established by the publication of the first 7. The final one was published over 50 years ago,

Wainwrights Today

Today the books are still comfortably the most popular (and best) guide books of the Lake District. The detail, the humour and the accuracy combining to make them the first port of call for those walking in the Lakes. History has caught up with the books only because of the influence of man and the increasing number of walkers that climb the mountains. Paths have been altered through erosion control policies or simply walkers finding a preferred route to the summit. Public transport has been replaced by private cars as the the most popular way of climbing the Wainwrights.

The improvement in mapping and in particular the publication of the O/S 1:25,000 Explorer series has usurped the guide book as the must have guide on the mountains, and so it should. However even if Wainwright’s guide books are seen less on the hill than previous years they are still bought and read in massive numbers. The books were hand written in a lovely personalised script expressing a genuine love and passion for the Lake District and the mountains which shines through today. More importantly they still inspire walkers to climb the mountains. The Wainwright Challenge continues.

Becoming hooked

When my dad stopped taking me up the mountains, the Wainwright guide books took over. I have always enjoyed collecting and ticking so it was inevitable I would fall for the challenge of completing all 214.  Bar a couple I have done each one at least twice but many I have done many more times. I still go back to the Wainwright guide books regularly, rarely for the route (I prefer using maps and planning my own route) but more because I appreciate his philosophy on walking and his unbridled enthusiasm for being on the hills.

The Personality

Many books now carry the Wainwright name but aside from the guide books I feel that everyone should read one other. Partly autobiographical ‘The Fellwanderer’ describes his most memorable times on the fells and how he fell in love with climbing them. Night walks, surreptitious visits to popular summits, differing weather conditions and how he has learnt to appreciate the area all are revealed.

With today’s obsession with safety, wearing the correct kit, sticking to the big paths and walking in large groups it is comforting to read that the best walker in the history of the Lakes sneered at such conventions. He preferred walking on his own, insisted the mountains were completely safe and that it was people getting in to trouble and not the fell itself creating problems.

Wainwright Remembered

I was embarking on the Newlands Round the other day and was stopped by a delightful couple who knew Wainwright personally. Apparently he used to sit with them in their cottage looking up at the crowds descending Hindscarth and mutter “what have I done, if I had known I would never have written the guides”. I am not so sure as I see it slightly differently. Whilst I agree he encouraged many people to strap on their boots and head to the fells surely the fact that most thoroughly enjoy their time up their and gain great satisfaction from walking is a decent legacy to have. It is not a bad thing.

The explosion of walkers in the last 40 years was likely going to happen regardless of Wainwright (blame Henry Ford and his cars if anyone). All Wainwright did was improve their experience once there and hopefully made them act more responsibly.

Full List of Wainwrights

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My Personal Journey

I am writing this well after completing the Wainwright fells for the first time (1991) so it is a random set of thoughts based upon memories combining first and subsequent visits to the fells. The Wainwright guides did have a couple of fundamental flaws when confronted with planning the walks.

The first problem is that a number of the fells barely register as hills with the shortest climb being so insignificant from its neighbouring peak that it really failed to justify any entry as a separate mountain. The second problem was that it is difficult to create a proper walk from the guide books or to see the links to other neighbouring fells as Wainwright described each one of his 214 individual fells as if they should be climbed separately.

Making a good mountain

There is no doubt that some mountains are more worthy than others; it is the case when climbing the Munros but is more so whilst climbing the Wainwrights. This is bad enough when climbing the peaks for the first time but when hunting for the summit of Mungrisedale Common for the second time really does test the sanity – it did mine.

There are groups of Wainwights to the west of Bassenthwaite, north and south of Ennerdale and dotted around Windermere and Coniston which test the patience. However a summit is a summit and the remoteness and loneliness does bring a certain enjoyment if not raw excitement!

Long Ridges

In addition to the remote grassy fells there are those situated on a ridge between more prominent peaks which are passed with barely a backward glance. These are mainly towards the eastern side of the Lakes on the long ridges of High Street, Kentmere and one of my absolute favourites , Helvellyn going north. From Helvellyn there is an 8 mile ridge ending dramatically at Clough Head, a great ridge for walking but really worth only one extra peak on its length, Great Dodd. Wainwright added an extra 5 with a further top just off the main ridge. How many people have made Watson’s Dodd the sole objective on a separate walk? Not so many.

Small rises on long ridges or even insignificant satellites off more major fells (Pavey Ark springs to mind) account for at least another quarter of all Wainwrights. Therefore probably half of the Wainwrights are little more than rises in the uplands. In many ways the Marilyns (500 foot ascent on all sides) of the Lakes give a more accurate picture of the mountains than the Wainwrights.

Covering all upland areas

However the Marilyns only give us 55 fells (including some of Wainwright’s outliers) in the Lakes and really only scratches the surface of what the Lakes and the Wainwright guides are about. As insignificant as the rise from the High Street ridge is Kidsty Pike is worthy of a visit and may be visited on its own, certainly for those looking for the nesting eagles, similar status go to Steeple, Fleetwith Pike, Bannerdale Crags and Whiteside amongst many other – simply great spots, worth being there.

The ridge along to Whiteside from Hopegill Head is one of the very best in the Lakes, not hairy like Sharp or Striding Edge, but consistently steep sided with stunning views over the full Buttermere Valley. If including Whiteside as a Wainwright means more people tramp along to its summit then so it should be. Causey Pike and Catbells in the same area are two of my most climbed hills but they are both really just the terminus of a higher ridge, iconic landmarks which characterise so much that is good about the Lake District.

Rugged Outcrops

I love the smaller rugged peaks of the Lakes. The rocky outcrops, heather clad slopes and hidden hollows all criss crossed with sheep tracks which lead nowhere are all part of the variety that makes up the Lake District. I have just been up Hallin Fell, recently returned from Loughrigg Fell and they are fantastic family peaks. I am told by my eldest daughter that a lot of walks are boring.

However if there is a little bit of mild scrambling this is deemed acceptable. Hallin Fell was interesting and heaven forbid fun! Other fells that fall in to this category are Gowbarrow Fell above Aira Force, Angletarn Crags and Place Fell near Patterdale, Glaramara, Harter Fell and even little Gummer’s How to the south of Windermere. They are a long way from the Lakeland giants or the long ridges of the east but they involve less effort to get up and defy the rule that the greater the effort the greater the satisfaction. Wainwright himself had his ashes sprinkled on one; beautiful yet rugged Haystacks.

Favourite Wainwright

So where is the best Wainwright? My view is biased but I have climbed Blencathra (or as I was brought up – Saddleback)  over 30 times and explored its slopes innumerable times. It is a tremendous mountain, steep serrated edges to the south, lonely moorland to the north and a perfect summit. I have slept twice on the summit, once a reckless ascent after a face full of beers, the other a more controlled climb from the north as I practised a variety of night navigational skills a couple of weeks before my ML assessment.

Experiencing sun rise from the summit of Blencathra is one of the great experiences; the sun rises over Cross Fell and its Pennine neighbours creating a wonderful light and views that is something that will live with me forever. Camp high if you can, it is an unforgettable experience. I am sure I was still full of Jennings bitter as I headed down after my first overnight stay. Wainwright named 6 favourite fells and Blencathra was one of them, myself I put Blencathra top of the pile.

Dramatic Peaks

I have always found something dramatic (even slightly scary) about Pillar and Steeple. When I was young I clearly remember my dad setting off from Threlkeld to Wasdale with my older brothers for an epic trip up Pillar and Steeple. Forget Everest this was the mountain trip of a lifetime. Much later I camped at Wasdale Head and it seemed fairly straightforward, it must be the inaccessibility of the Wasdale Hills which create the impression that there is something special around Pillar. The reality is that there isn’t although Steeple overlooking Ennerdale is a dramatic and fantastic viewing point.

I am really looking forward to my next visit to Wasdale Head, partly as the valley reminds me so much of some of the more remote Scottish glens. The hills are relatively empty and the walking is therefore more exciting than other areas of the Lakes…more of an adventure. The hills round Ennerdale should be similar but the forestry has created a desolate landscape in the valley bottom. However Red Pike and its 2 neighbours are better approached from Ennerdale than Buttermere.

Lakeland Giants

I climbed Scafell Pike as a young teenager, we crossed to Scafell on the same trip via Lord’s Rake and returned via 3 Tarns. My dad refused to take responsibility for ending our days on Broad Stand. Climbing it years later I don’t blame him. It was a hot day and we never seemed to be take much water, I am sure I was wearing green flash gym shoes (posh) as well but I got the badge at the end of the day and that was really all that mattered.

The whole Scafell massif is one large stony plateau, hard on the feet, but a feeling of being top of the world helps. Great End is an excellent view point. Scafell I prefer climbing from the south. However the thrill many get from climbing Great Gable has passed me by. I am off hunting for Napes Needle in the next few weeks, a route I have never been up, always climbing the steep slopes from Borrowdale.

Langdale Valley

The Langdale valley is the core of the Lake District. Crinkle Crags is in my top 5 mountains, I have climbed it in balmy summer conditions, a frozen winter and the more normal cloudy westerly but whichever it is a fascinating rocky ridge with much to enjoy. Over the other side I remember regular visits up Pavey Ark and Harrison Stickle, Jack’s Rake and Easy Gully part of my upbringing. I was so confident on the hill that I even took my daughter up Easy Gully in a back pack. However like my father on Broad Stand years earlier, I did not take on the more difficult option of Jack’s Rake.

Keep climbing

Lingmoor Fell is a smaller, less well known little gem not to be ignored in the valley. As the years go on some of the lesser peaks become more enjoyable than a repeated trudge up the giants. I have always enjoyed climbing Glaramara, partly it is the name ,but it is a wonderful little peak, full of interest.  I chose Glaramara in 2008 as my peak when the Wainwright Society put someone on the peak of every single one at roughly the same time.

The great thing though about climbing the Wainwrights is that the options are endless, whether you have or have not completed them is irrelevant. There are endless routes, endless combination of fells and endless weather conditions, I will certainly go on as long as the legs will carry me, Wainwright once said that anyone who cannot get up Gummer’s How on the banks of Windermere should put away his boots and put on his slippers, I was up last week so I am still ok.