Helvellyn

This is the second of the three Lake District mountains over 3,000 feet. Even so, if popularity depended on the nature of the top, few would come here except for the view. This is as full and uninterrupted as any in the whole area.

However Helvellyn has something which renders the walk itself an attractive mountain outing, this being the ridges of Striding and Swirrel Edge. The walk up by Striding Edge and back by Swirrel Edge from/to Glenridding attracts masses of walkers and scramblers.

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Scafell Pike

The highest point of England, although lower than the summits of Scotland and Wales, is somewhat harder to reach. Ben Nevis has a tourist path which is very straightforward in summer conditions and Snowdon has a train. Scafell Pike on the other hand is relatively remote from any valley base and requires a modicum of navigational expertise. The correct name for the fell is really Scafell Pikes and this plurality hints at the problems. The approach from Langdale or Borrowdale via Esk Hause involves the traverse of the bouldery and bumpy shoulders of Broad Crag and Ill Crag two of more..

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Pillar

Pillar is a justifiably popular hill. The northern side is craggy and carries the pinnacle of Pillar Rock which is sufficiently separated from the parent peak to feature in most lists of Lakeland two-thousanders although not in the Marilyn list. The best route on Pillar is undoubtedly the traverse which contours along the northern side of the hill to Robinson's cairn and hence through dramatic rocky terrain to the col between Pillar Rock and the main summit. Pillar Rock itself is a 'moderate' rock climb by the easiest route and not advisable for unroped scramblers.

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High Stile

High Stile is the highest top of the long ridge which runs along the south side of Buttermere. The eastern end of this ridge above Scarth Gap is steep and stony and unpleasant. A far better ascent can be made by way of Sheepbone Rake on the north face of High Crag. Another pleasant way up is by the north-east ridge of High Stile itself although this has the disadvantage of making it inconvenient to walk all this lovely ridge. The first picture is taken from the lower reaches of this ridge and the second from the summit looking westwards towards Red Pike. Most walkers will more..

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Loughrigg Fell

Loughrigg Fell is one of the gentlest and most loved hills in the Lake District. The Loughrigg Terrace which traverses the hill above Rydal Water is one of the easiest and most rewarding strolls in the area. The summit is surprisingly rough though and surprisingly confusing and the ascent should not be treated with contempt. You may guess from all this that I have been lost on this hill which is quite true. In thick mist and torrential rain I not only failed to locate the trig point but came down in completely the wrong place. Save it for a good day anyway. It's worth it for the more..

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Great Gable

Great Gable is one of the most striking and most popular mountains in the Lake District. These two pictures show it in very different moods. The first shows the eastern slopes of the mountain as seen from Sprinkling Tarn. This steep ridge, which actually rises from Styhead, the popular pass between Borrowdale and Wasdale, is probably the most frequently used route up the mountain. These dreadfully eroded slopes have recently been repaired by the National Trust, who own the mountain and have laid a pitched path through the scree. The second picture shows the view down into Wasdale more..

Kirk Fell

Kirk Fell suffers from its situation between Great Gable and Pillar which are both higher and finer fells. It is indeed unlikely to be ascended on its own but can be conveniently combined with Great Gable, the traverse from one to the other via Beck Head incorporating some steep ground and easy scrambling. The picture below, taken from Dore Head, shows Kirk Fell in front with the top of Great Gable behind in cloud.

High Raise

The Langdale Pikes are some of the best known and most popular hills in the Lake District. Their familiar profile, seen across Windermere, is the first glimpse of the high hills for visitors coming in from the south. Unfortunately for the Marilyn bagger shapely Pike o' Stickle and Harrison Stickle, which overlook the Langdale valley, are topped, with very little intervening drop, by High Raise which is a boring grassy lump of a hill. It might claim distinction as perhaps the most central fell in the Lake District and it boasts the memorable height of 2500 feet which places it more..

Pike o' Blisco

Pike o' Blisco is often incorporated into a long and rewarding circuit around the head of Langdale taking in Crinkle Crags, Bowfell and perhaps Rossett Pike and the Langdale Pikes as well. It is equally enjoyable as a short walk on its own. We went up the path above Brown Gill and hence up Pike o' Blisco from the back. This route gives superb views of the Langdale Pikes as shown in the picture above. The second picture was taken at the summit looking to Bowfell, one of Lakeland's finest mountains which oddly does not have enough reascent all round to enter the Marilyn list. more..

Seatallan

Seatallan is not one of the most popular Lakeland Fells. Once one has made the long journey round to Wasdale there are much finer hills to climb. Basically it is a boring grassy lump but an interesting way up can be found over Buckbarrow. Although Wainwright makes this a separate fell, it is really only the end of Seatallan's long south ridge. It gives fine views of Wasdale, as the first picture illustrates. The second shot shows the marked contrast on the south ridge itself, with Black Combe in the distance. The flat top has a trig point and an ancient cairn and unfortunately an more..

Illgill Head

The northern slopes of Illgill Head form the spectacular Wastwater screes which sweep down from the summit into the lake and make this one of the most photographed hills in the Lake District. The summit in contrast is flat and grassy and the best views of course are downwards. For my reascent I left Keswick on a beautiful morning but by the time I reached Wastwater, mist was swirling around the top of the ridge as shown in the pictures above. Undeterred I climbed up beside the deep gorge of Greathall Gill and onto the summit of Whin Rigg, the western outlier of Illgill Head. This more..

Hard Knott

Hard Knott was the hill on which we completed our collection of all the 214 Lakeland Fells described in Wainwright's seven guidebooks. We camped on the banks of Lingcove Beck and went up to the summit for sunset as shown in the first picture. More recently we combined it in a splendid circuit from Brotherilkeld in Eskdale, first climbing Harter Fell and then crossing the road at the top of the Hard Knott pass. From here it is an easy climb to the summit of Hard Knott. The second picture shows the magnificent view of the Scafells from here. We came down over Border End to the more..

Mellbreak

Mellbreak is a rather isolated fell on the southern side of Crummock Water as shown in the first picture which is taken from the lower slopes of Low Fell. It is a steep hill on every side and the best walk is probably to scramble up the western end and to come down the gentler east ridge with superb views into the heart of the western fells as shown in the second picture.

Lingmoor Fell

Langdale is best known for the Langdale Pikes which dominate the northern side of this beautiful valley. Less striking and less frequented is Lingmoor Fell, whose ridge forms the southern side of the dale. We climbed up from the west end of the ridge onto Side Pike, which is an unexpected snare for the uninitiated. Direct continuation along the ridge to Lingmoor involves the descent of a near vertical cliff, so the wise walker will backtrack and skirt the south side of this obstacle. The first picture shows Side Pike and the Langdale Pikes from the west ridge of Lingmoor Fell. more..

Dent

Dent, which originally appeared in the Marilyn list with the name Long Barrow, is one of Wainwright's Outlying Fells and is also traversed by his now exceedingly popular Coast to Coast walk. It lies on the extreme western fringe of Lakeland, giving a splendid distant prospect of the western fells as well as a seaward one across the Solway.

Blencathra [aka Saddleback]

This is one of the most northern mountains in the area to the east of Skiddaw and much more interestingly shaped, although it falls just short of the magic 3,ooo feet achieved by its neighbour. As you approach from the south a fine overall view can be obtained from Castlerigg Stone Circle.

Two particularly good walks are the [fairly rapid] direct ascent to Halls Fell Top in the centre, the highest point, and the longer and harder route away to the right and up Sharp Edge, an interesting scramble.