The Southern Fells • 2

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

THE LAKE DISTRICT - Click on any area for a link

DOW CRAG
Height: 2554', (778m)
Grid Ref: SD 26397

Dow Crag has, in my opinion, the finest summit of the Southern Fells, being a tor of rock which has to be scrambled upon, perched right at the edge of the crag from which the fell takes its name. The long wall of crags and scree beneath the summit drop six hundred feet to the shores of Goat's Water, the largest of Dow Crag's two tarns.

The summit ridge extends southwards to the Walna Scar pass, traversing the subsidiary tops of Buck Pike and Brown Pike en route. In a hollow beneath the two tops lies the secluded Blind Tarn, so named because it has neither an inlet nor an outlet stream. It maintains a stock of trout and char, probably placed here originally by the men who worked the small quarry just above the tarn.

Dow Crag and Goat's Tarn

ESK PIKE
Height: 2903', (885m)
Grid Ref: NY 237075

Though it is one of the highest mountains in England, Esk Pike wasn't actually named until a survey in 1870. Even so, it took nearly 100 year before its name appeared on the OS map. Yet it is one of the finest peaks in the district, with a little scrambling required to reach the highest inches.

On the map, the summit of Esk Pike appears to be the most remote Wainwright from habitation, (surprisingly only 2½ miles from the nearest farm in any of three directions - Wasdale, Borrowdale and Langdale). Of course, this is 'as the crow flies', and there are quite a few other fells which are far more inaccessible due to terrain to be negotiated. From Eskdale in the south, however, the fell is truly remote, and this is probably the finest approach to the mountain, though not to be undertaken lightly (or late in the day).

TOP

GLARAMARA
Height: 2568', (783m)
Grid Ref: NY 246105

The Glaramara ridge runs north from Esk Hause to Stonethwaite in Borrowdale, a long undulating upland with many rocky knolls, minor tops, and many fine tarns.Geologically, the ridge could be considered as to be a branch of the Scafell massif, and a ridge walk could be taken from Stonethwaite over Glaramara, Allen Crags and the Scafells to Boot in Eskdale, though it would be a very long day (a wild camp near Seathwaite Tarn makes it a more attractive proposition).

Wainwright has the summit of Glaramara as 2560', though more recent surveys make it 2568'. Allen Crags to the south is actually the highest ground around here, being a few feet higher at 2364'. There are many tops along the ridge which feature in various mountain lists, among them are:

Combe Head 2405' (733m) NY 250109
Looking Steads 2543' (783m) NY 246102
Lincombe Head (or Red Beck Top) 2365' (721m) NY 237085
High House Tarn Top 2244' (684m) NY 240092

To the north the ridge forks into two branches - Thornythwaite Fell, which has no distinct summit, and Rosthwaite Fell, which features several tops.

Glaramara is mentioned in Sir Walter Scott's poem The Bride of Triermain, which describes how King Arthur ...

...journeyed like errant knight the while,
And sweetly the summer sun did shine,
On mountain, moss and moor.
Above his solitary track
Rose Glaramara's ridgy back

TOP

GREAT CARRS
Height: 2575', (785m)
Grid Ref: NY 270009

The twisted undercarriage of a wartime Halifax bomber lie about 150 yard south of the summit of Great Carrs, a permanent memorial to to the aircrew who perished here. Wreckage also lies below the summit crags in the upper reaches of the Greenburn valley, although some of the larger remnants were removed by the RAF a few years ago. Sadly, one gets the impression that had the aircraft been only a few feet higher it would have cleared the ridge.

Aeroplane wreckage on Great Carr

GREAT END
Height: 2984', (910m)
(Grid Ref: NY 226084

Cust's Gully on Great End

GREEN CRAG
Height: 1604', (489m)
Grid Ref: NY 200983

GREY FRIAR
Height: 2536', (773m)
Grid Ref: NY 260004

Though part of the Coniston Fells, Grey Friar is often missed out on the round as visiting its summit involves a half-mile detour from the main ridge. However, a visit is well worthwhile, not so much for the immediate surroundings as for the fantastic views, especially towards the Scafell range. There appear to be two spots which could be the summit, both of them rocky outcrops. The south eastern one is slightly the higher, though the northern one, only a few yards away, arguably has the better views. An unusual pointed boulder on the summit plateau is sometime referred to as the 'Matterhorn Rock', though it is little more than five feet high as I recall.

The 'Matterhorn' Rock on Grey Friar

HARD KNOTT
Height: 1803', (549m)
Grid Ref: NY 232023

HARTER FELL
Height: 2141', (653m)
Grid Ref: NY 219997

Note: there is another Harter Fell in the Eastern Fells.

TOP

HOLME FELL
Height: 1040', (317m)
Grid Ref: NY 315006

ILLGILL HEAD
Height: 1998', (609m)
Grid Ref: NY 169049

Illgill Head is the higher of the two named fells that share the Wastwater Screes, the imposing wall of serrated crags gullies and boulders that tower above the shores of Wasdale's lake. The escarpment stretches for almost two miles between the summits of Illgill Head and its lower neighbour Whin Rigg, rising up to fifteen hundred feet within the space of half a mile. (From maps which show the underwater contours of Wastwater, it appears that the scree fall continues another two hundred feet fifty feet or so to the bed of England's deepest lake). From a base at Wasdale Head, the ridge route over Illgill Head to Whin Rigg is one of Lakeland's classic walks, particularly when the return is made along the shore at the foot of the screes. (For me, this lakeside walk in itself is the finest walk in the district that doesn't involve climbing a hill).

The 1998' summit of the fell meant that it missed out on the traditional 2000 feet-plus lists of yesteryear. Metrication has improved its stature since those lists are usually rounded down to the 600 metre contour after conversion.

The southern and eastern slopes of Illgill Head have nothing to match the Screes, though the area around the minor summit of Boat How and the large Burnmoor Tarn is peppered with antiquities.