4: The Southern Fells (Page Three)

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

The Southern Fells • 3

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

LINGMOOR FELL
Height: 1530', (466m)
Grid Ref: NY 303046

Lingmoor Fell is is the beginning of the ridge which forms the southern flank of Langdale. Near the summit lies the little visited Lingmoor Tarn, a lovely spot to laze about on a summer's day. For me, Lingmoor Fells finest feature is the subsidiary summit of Side Pike, which is seen very prominently from Langdale. It's well worth visting this summit, though your steps have to be retraced to carry on to the summit of Lingmoor Fell, as Side Pike's eastern flank falls sharply away into steep crags. When traversing around Side Pike, the narrow path passes between the main face of the crag and a large boulder, which is quite a squeeze to get through, especially with a rucksack.

PIKE O'BLISCO
Height: 2313', (705m)
Grid reference: NY 272041

In the Wainwright book the summit is shown with a magnificent cairn of the type rare in this part of the district. However, this is no longer the case. Indeed, the beginning of its deterioration is chronicled by Wainwright himself in the notes at the end of the same book.

I've only visited the summit once to date, but it was quite an unforgettable experience as I was stung by a wasp actually at the cairn itself!

Pike O'Blisco from Crinkle Crags

TOP

ROSSETT PIKE
Height: 2136', (651m)
Grid reference: NY249076

I invariably visit the summit of Rossett Pike when going over the Rossett Pass because, like Allen Crags, it's only a few minutes detour from the Langdale - Wasdale path. Consequently, I've probably been on the summit more times than any other in the district, which is just as well as it's one of my favourites. There are good views down Langdale. Be careful in mist as there's a sheer drop a few yards north of the summit.

The main path up Rossett Gill has been improved in recent years, but it's worth finding the old pony track that Wainwright recommends. This passes an old sheepfold, hidden from the valley below in the days of border raids, and the 200-year old packwoman's grave.

TOP

Langdale from the summit of Rossett Pike

ROSTHWAITE FELL (Bessyboot)
Height: 1807', (550m)
Grid Ref: NY 258125

Like Glaramara, to which it connects by the col of Combe Door, Rosthwaite Fell is a confusing upland of rocky tors and minor summits. The highest point is actually Rosthwaite Cam at 2008' (612m) NY 256118, a distinctive slab of naked rock that requires a fair bit of scrambling to get upon. Wainwright however chose Bessyboot as the summit in his chapter, a slightly lower top situated to the north across the attractive Tarn at Leaves.

TOP

SCAFELL
Height: 3162', (964m)
Grid reference: NY 207065

Not to be confused with Scafell Pike, Scafell is quite a separate mountain, though it was once thought that this was the highest in the country. It is linked to the Pike by the ridge of Mickledore, but easy passage from one mountain to the next is barred by a wall of crags.

In his Scafell chapter Wainwright has a self portrait where he is sitting a little to the north of the summit at the head of Deep Gill. Near here (out of the picture) is the minor top of Symond's Knott (AW calls it Deep Gill Buttress), sometimes included in peakbagging lists, though there can't be more than about 15m re-ascent (some lists use this as the minimum for inclusion). I remember reading somewhere of a rock climber who spent forty-odd years climbing the crags of Scafell, and only once walked the couple of hundred yards to the summit cairn.

Scafell and the ridge of Mickledore, from Scafell Pike

The south eastern flank of the fell rise from an area of upper Eskdale known as the Great Moss, a name which makes any other description unnecessary. At the side of the Great Moss is a jumble of large boulders known as Sampsons Stones. One morning whilst camping there I discovered a huge 'face of God'-type of structure in the rock. I've never seen any reference to it in any Lakeland book; it's the sort of feature Wainwright would have remarked on but there's no mention of it in his books so I assume even he never noticed it.

The face in the rocks at Sampson's Stones with a mere mortal
shown for scale. (Summit of Pen in the background).

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