Wainwrights #2

A while back I blogged about the Wainwrights David and I had inadvertently bagged while on our many swim/walks in the Lake District. You can read that post here. I thought I would follow up with a second blog which covers Wainwrights walked since 2017 up to the present. Many of the walks this time have been planned, except Beda Fell, which we discovered whilst lost en route to Angle Tarn. You can read about that exhausting adventure, here.

Raven Crag:

• 461m
• Classification, Wainwright
• Central Fells

Thirmere from Raven Crag

We took a walk to the viewpoint at Raven Crag during a short break to the Lakes in March 2017. Though the path was steep, Raven Crag was broached with no incident, and offered fantastic views of Thirmere. In spring the area is host to nesting Peregrine Falcons. We had the pleasure of seeing one fly over the tree tops.

Dodd:

• 502m
• Classification, Wainwright
• Northern Fells

David and I at Dodd

We walked to Dodd on a cloudy, windy day in April 2017. After visiting the Osprey viewpoint and seeing no Ospreys, we walked through forestry towards the viewpoint at Dodd overlooking Derwentwater and Keswick.

Beda fell:

• 509m
• Classification, Wainwright
• Far Eastern Fells

Sadly I have no pictures of Beda Fell. After losing our way towards Angle Tarn and walking a good hour or so around the desolate fells, when we did come to a trig and viewpoint across a valley, I wasn’t in the best frame of mind to snap a photo. Though in hindsight I wish I had because the view was beautiful!

Castle Crag:

• 290m
• Classification, Wainwright
• North Western Fells

Derwentwater from Castle Crag

Though the smallest of the Wainwrights, David and I had difficulty in following the path towards Castle Crag. We ended up taking the direct route! We did enjoy wondrous views across Derwentwater once we got to the summit!

Latrigg:

• 368m
• Classification, Wanwright
• Northern Fells

Derwentwater from Latrigg

Our most recent visit to the newly awarded World Heritage Site, The Lake District, saw us visit Latrigg. Over the past two years we had tried to visit this popular fell but time and weather had prevented us. However we visited on a summer-like day in April 2018, where the sun shone fiercely and the views were breathtaking!

Though we are not actively seeking Wainwrights, we have accumulated eight of the 214 fells. I can’t see (especially) me walking the likes of Helvellyn or Scafell Pike but I am enjoying the views from the lower fells.

If you’ve bagged all the Wainwrights, which ones do you think I could tackle in the future?

Thanks for reading,

Christine x

Wainwrights #1

Recently I saw a post on the I Love the Lake District Facebook page, asking members to name ‘what was their first Wainwright’. Any walker visiting Cumbria will have heard of these Wainwrights, hills or mountains outlined by British Fell Walker Alfred Wainwright.  On my many swim walks of 2016, David and I had not intentionally walked any of the routes, so notice my surprise when I checked the list of 214 fells, and read that David and I had bagged three! With Cat Bells a sorry attempt at a fourth!

Loughrigg Fell

Loughrigg Fell:

• 335m
• Classification, Marilyn (hill)/Wainwright
• Central Fell

Unknown to us as we walked towards Loughrigg Fell after a magical swim at Rydal Water, Loughrigg would be our first Wainwright! It was a hard slog up steep steps cut into the hill, but after a few blind summits, we finally managed to get to the top!

Derwentwater from Walla Crag

Walla Crag:

• 379m
• Wainwright
• Central Fell

Our second and third Wainwrights were Walla Crag and Gowbarrow Fell respectively. We did both these walks back to back on a break to the Kewsick area. No wonder we were both knackered after just Walla Crag! To then walk 100m higher the next day, is testament to our grit and determination!

Gowbarrow Fell:

• 481m
• Wainwright
• Eastern Fell

Gowbarrow Fell

Way back in May 2016, we attempted Cat Bells, which would have been our first Wainwright, but with a scramble to the summit, sadly it eluded us! This was the highest we got!

Below Cat Bells

Cat Bells:

• 451m
• Wainwright
• North Western Fell

So, even though we are not actively seeking Wainwright routes to bag, you will probably read about a few more in 2017 as I embark on my wild swim walks once again!

Have you attempted to walk the Wainwrights? How many have you done, and what was your favourite?

Thanks for reading,

Christine x