4: The Southern Fells (Page One)

1. The EASTERN FELLS
2. The FAR EASTERN
FELLS
3. The CENTRAL FELLS
4. The SOUTHERN FELLS
5. The NORTHERN FELLS
6. The NORTH WESTERN
FELLS
7. The WESTERN FELLS

Wainwright's Southern Fells

Book Four of Wainwright's Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells covers the Southern Fells, an area which includes the Scafells, the Coniston range, and Bowfell. It was first published in 1960.

Each of the guides has a dedication:

Book Four is dedicated to the hardiest of fellwalkers, THE SHEEP OF LAKELAND, the truest lovers of the mountains, their natural homes and providers of their food and shelter.

The Southern Fells • 1

THE FELLS IN THIS AREA:

ALLEN CRAGS • BLACK FELL • BOWFELL • BRIM FELL • COLD PIKE • CONISTON OLD MAN • CRINKLE CRAGS • DOW CRAG • ESK PIKE • GLARAMARA • GREAT CARRS • GREAT END • GREEN CRAG • GREY FRIAR • HARD KNOTT • HARTER FELL • HOLME FELL • ILLGILL HEAD • LINGMELL • LINGMOOR FELL • PIKE O'BLISCO • ROSSETT PIKE • ROSTHWAITE FELL • SCAFELL • SCAFELL PIKE • SEATHWAITE FELL • SLIGHT SIDE • SWIRL HOW • WETHERLAM • WHIN RIGG

ALLEN CRAGS
Height: 2574', (785m)
Grid reference: NY 237086

Most people probably reach the summit of Allen Crags whilst traversing the Glaramara ridge. However, it's only five minutes from the shelter near Esk Hause and I can never resist a visit to the top if I'm walking the Langdale - Wasdale path. You'll probably find that anyone travelling with you will want to stop at the shelter and watch you do it on your own, though.

The shelter, shaped like a cross to give protection from all directions, is quite a well-known landmark in this area. It's often called the Esk Hause shelter, though the true Esk Hause is 300 yards south west with only a cairn to mark it. (A hause is a local word for a pass or a col).

Allen Crags

BLACK FELL
Height: 1056', (322m)
Grid Ref: NY 340016

Black Fell is situated to the north of Tarn Hows, and together they make a archetypal Lakeland postcard scene on a summer's day. The summit trig post is unusual in having a National Trust plaque attached to it, which gives the fell's name as Black Crag.

BOWFELL
Height: 2960', (902m)
Grid Ref: NY 245065

TOP

Bowfell from Upper Eskdale

Angle Tarn beneath Bowfell

BRIM FELL
Height: 2611', (796m)
Grid Ref: NY 271986

The summit of Brim Fell is a no more than slight rise along the ridge that leads from Coniston Old Man to Swirl How, there being no more than about 80 feet of ascent when travelling in this direction. I imagine most people reach this fell this way, though the approach from Low Water over Raven Tor and onto Brim Fell offers an alternative route to the Old Man on busier days. The summit cairn has been rebuilt since Wainwright illustrated it in his Brim Fell chapter. It is now a fine conical structure, not unlike the cairn on the Old Man, making the summit quite identifiable in mist.

TOP

COLD PIKE
Height: 2300', (701m):
Grid reference: NY 263036

Cold Pike is conveniently situated for anybody climbing Crinkle Crags, being little more than a ten minute detour. That said, I didn't get round to climbing it myself until September 1999, when it became my final Wainwright summit. I was climbing with a friend, Jeanette, who accompanied me on many of the trips I did in the late '90's, and who had also planned it so that this would be her last Wainwright. We both surprised each other by pulling a bottle of champagne each out of our rucksacks. We finished one bottle right there on the top - fortunately we were camped by Red Tarn, about ten minutes away, so it didn't matter that we might have been over the limit, (though don't take that as an official Mountain Safety recommendation).

TOP

CONISTON OLD MAN
Height: 2633', (803m)
Grid Ref: SD 273978

CRINKLE CRAGS
Height: 2816', (859m)
Grid Ref: NY 248049

Crinkle Crags is really a long ridge with several distinct summits. When approached from the south, the summits are:

Flesk (2733'), the first Crinke

Long Top (2633'), the second and highest Crinkle - the true summit of Crinkle Crags. The southern approach to Long Top requires an awkward scramble up a gully blocked by two large chockstones. This is the famous 'Bad Step', but the scramble around to the right of the stones shouldn't present any problems for the average walker. The Bad Step can be avoided by following a path which bears left at the col and approaches the summit from behind.

The third Crinkle (2740')

The fourth Crinkle (2730')

Gunson Knott (2680), the fifth Crinkle

Shelter Crags (2681')

Shelter Crags - North Top (2540'), referred to as a 'prominent rock tower' by Wainwright.

Crinkle Crags and Bowfell from camp near Red Tarn

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