Away from the desk
The Hills
A hill, a flask, and a questionable weather forecast
Walking the Wainwrights, slowly.
There's something about being on a hill that fixes things. Not permanently, but just enough.
We're working our way through the Wainwrights: Alfred Wainwright's 214 fells in the Lake District. 13 down, 201 to go. Slowly. The hills aren't going anywhere.
As the list grows, I'll add others. The Wainwrights won't be the last.
13
of 214 Wainwrights
201 to go. No rush.
Walks
-
Far Eastern
Hallin Fell
No note yet.
-
Central
Blea Rigg, Calf Crag, Tarn Crag, Gibson Knott, Helm Crag
A brilliant day that ended badly. Jen picked up severe sunburn, the kind that stops being embarrassing and gets dangerous. Lesson learnt the hard way: suncream, hat, water. Every time. Even in the Lakes.
-
Far Eastern
Stoney Cove Pike & Hartsop Dodd
Jen's first time on properly exposed terrain. Steep, open, no hiding from the drop. She took it steady and nailed it.
-
Southern
The Old Man of Coniston & Dow Crag
Weather closed in fast. Cut the walk short. The hills aren't going anywhere.
-
Far Eastern
Great Mell Fell
The first one. Walked with Jen: a gentle introduction to what would become a habit.
The list
| Fell | Book | Date | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Old Man of Coniston | Southern | 803 m | |
| Dow Crag | Southern | 778 m | |
| Stoney Cove Pike | Far Eastern | 763 m | |
| Hartsop Dodd | Far Eastern | 618 m | |
| Blea Rigg | Central | 541 m | |
| Calf Crag | Central | 537 m | |
| Great Mell Fell | Far Eastern | 537 m | |
| Little Mell Fell | Far Eastern | 505 m | |
| Tarn Crag (Easedale) | Central | 485 m | |
| Gowbarrow Fell | Far Eastern | 481 m | |
| Gibson Knott | Central | 420 m | |
| Helm Crag | Central | 405 m | |
| Hallin Fell | Far Eastern | 388 m |
By book
- Eastern0 of 35
- Far Eastern6 of 36
- Central5 of 27
- Southern2 of 30
- Northern0 of 24
- North Western0 of 29
- Western0 of 33
Who was Alfred Wainwright?
Alfred Wainwright (1907–1991) was a fell walker, illustrator, and writer from Blackburn, Lancashire. Between 1955 and 1966 he produced seven hand-drawn, hand-lettered pictorial guides to the Lake District fells: each page a careful mix of route notes, drawings and his own opinions.
He wasn't a professional writer or cartographer. He was a borough treasurer who spent his weekends on the fells and his evenings documenting them. The guides were originally produced for himself. They became the standard reference for generations of walkers anyway.
His ashes were scattered at Innominate Tarn on Haystacks, a small tarn at 520 metres in the Western Fells, and by his own account his favourite place in the Lakes. Fair enough, for a man who spent his life arguing the fells were worth the effort.