The Central Fells are bounded by the A591 to the east and the Borrowdale Valley to the west, the area top and tailed by Keswick and the Langdale Valley. Aside from the Langdale Pikes the fells are not particularly busy or well known.
Wainwright dedicated Book 3 to ‘The Dogs of Lakeland’.
A dome shaped summit that falls away on all sides, to the south Langdale and to the north Borrowdale. High Raise is the highest summit in the Central Fells and one of the least well known.
Summit grid ref:
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Explorer OL6
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Wainwright - Central Fells
The highest and most central of the famous Langdale Pikes. Harrison Stickle towers over Stickle Tarn but the away from the rocky summit to the north and west is a large area of moorland.
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Sergeant's Man is little more than an outcrop on the south east slopes of High Raise. It marks the far point of the long ridges from Grasmere over Easedale.
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Ullscarf is a large expanse of rough, grassy fellside between Langstrothdale and the south end of Thirlmere near the Wythburn Valley. It is stand alone fell, rarely combined with others.
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Explorer OL4
Thunacar Knott is midway between High Raise and the rocky summits of the main Langdale Pikes. It is an uninspiring rise in the midst of a large grassy plateau.
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A dramatic dome of rock overlooking Mickleden in the Langdale valley. The exposed summit can only be accessed by an enjoyable scramble. Not for the faint hearted.
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Explore OL6
Overlooking Stickle Tarn in the heart of the Langdale Pikes Pavey Ark is most famous for the tough scramble of Jack's Rake across its cliff face. The summit itself is insignificant, set a few metres north of the face.
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Sandwiched between the grander 'Stickles' of Harrison and Pike, Loft Crag is very much an enroute fell. However it does offer the best descent in to Langdale.
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High Seat is the highest point in a long marshy ridge between Watendlath and Thirlmere. The walking here is as undistinguished as any in the Lake District.
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Bleaberry Fell is the most northerly of the Central Fell and usually approached from Keswick and combined with Walla Crag. The summit has good views.
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A mid height ridge midway between the Langstrath and Greenup valleys in the Central Fells.
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Wainwright - North Western Fells
Tarn Crag is an excellent viewpoint hidden between Far Easedale valley and Easedale Tarn. The rough summit faces down valley to Grasmere and beyond. It is not often climbed.
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Part of the long ridge between Grasmere and the Langdale valley Blea Rigg has many rocky outcrops, hidden hollows and a myriad of sheep tracks.
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Calf Crag is a minor rocky summit overlooking Far Easedale and is almost exclusively climbed on a much longer walk.
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Eagle Crag is the rocky end to a wide ridge overlooking Langstrathdale. Its parent fell is nearby Sergeant's Crag.
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Part of a long wet ridge lying between Thirlmere and Watendlath High Tove has genuinally little to distinguish it...except solitude!
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Overlooking Thirlmere Armboth Fell (names after the hamlet below) has twin rocky outcrops on a broad flat shoulder off the main ridge.
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Raven Crag is cloaked in woodland at the north end of Thirlmere. It is often used as access to the higher summits of High Seat and High Tove when Wainwright bagging.
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A fine rough mountain above the delectable Dock Tarn. Great Crag is midway between Watendlath and Rosthwaite.
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The neighbour of the Lion and the Lamb (Helm Crag) and is often included in its easy climb from Grasmere. Part of the long ridge.
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Explorer OL7
To the west of Watendlath and overlooking the Borrowdale valley the fell is a short rough climb from the hamlet.
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Small in stature but rich in quality. Helm Crag (or the Lion and the Lamb) overlooks Grasmere with a lovely summit area including the highest point needing a tough little scramble. Wainwright himself never made it!
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Grasmere's only little bit of Lakeland fells, situated to the west of the village. It is a fine area to explore, leave the paths behind and find the hidden tarns.
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A fine viewpoint overlooking Derwentwater, usually climbed from Keswick. . It is best known for being one of the original training grounds for the pioneers of rock climbing in the late 19th century.
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A rugged small fell between the delectable St John's in the Vale and the Keswick Thirlmere road. It typifies Lakeland in miniature.
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Loughrigg Fell is a deservedly popular fell to the south of Grasmere (the lake). The stand alone fell is a mass of rocky knolls, hidden hollows, sheep tracks and differing views.
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