Peak Bagging: Wainwrights: 45 routes designed to complete all 214 of Wainwright's Lake District fells in the most efficient way

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First published in the Westmorland Gazette in the 1950's, Alfred Wainwright's Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells comprises seven volumes listing 214 mountains and tops - each with its own chapter. It is an ambition of many people to reach the summit of all 214 of these lakeland fells. It's one of the quieter hills,” says Dan. “Even though it's in the heart of Lakeland, south of Ullswater and Borrowdale. So many people set off from Seathwaite and head up Scafell Pike, and don't really consider other options. You come up Thorneythwaite Fell from Seathwaite, and then you do a bit of a scramble up to the top. The descent, over Rosthwaite Fell, is also great. Again, it's a knobbly ridge.” You can expect magnificent views, patches of woodland and easy grassy paths. It makes for a beautiful walk that will be manageable for most. Unlike park walks or forest walks, you really have to take into account the possibility of severe weather changes when fell walking.

I wasn’t specifically setting out to doing the wainwrights but having bagged quite a few over the years it now seems like finishing them is a reasonable challenge, especially since I now fell run. A person who summits all the Wainwrights doesn’t have a special name, and in fact, Alfred Wainwright probably never considered that doing so would become a significant feat to others. However, it is a popular pastime and if you have completed all of the Wainwrights, you can apply to be listed on a register held by the Long Distance Walkers Association.I walked the 33 Western Wainwrights over four days in May 2021 starting at the Honister Youth Hostel bus stop at Honister Slate Mine and hiking Grey Knotts first. The route ended with Fleetwith Pike and finished the circular at the same Honister YHA bus stop. The whole Western fells route was 99.5km in length.

Karen and Dan Parker's 'Peak Bagging Wainwrights' provides clear, concise route descriptions with brilliant accompanying maps, route profile and timing table (plus transport, parking and refreshment stop advice) for each of their 45 selected routes, which as they say have been 'designed to complete all 214 of Wainwright's Lake District Fells in the most efficient way'.Superior Rooms are even more spacious en-suite guest rooms offering upgraded views of the surrounds. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, body lotion, shower gel), and a 32-inch TV. Extras include bathrobes, slippers, and comfortable mattresses. There are some great ideas for collecting some of the more obscure summits, those small enough to be potentially rubbish walks. However, ideas like encircling Elterwater will link these up perfectly. Orrest Head holds a particularly special place in the repertoire of any Wainwright Bagger. This is the spot where the great man himself is said to have first fallen in love with the area. It also happens to be one of the easiest mountains to climb in the Lake District! When you’re heading out for a fell walk with younger children, there’s a different level of preparation that’s needed.

If you’re starting out, though, you perhaps don’t want to be reaching for the highest heights right away. Wainwrights such as England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike, and the infamous ridge of Helvellyn can be left for another day. For now, why not warm up and ease yourself into it with these easy Wainwright walks? They’re the perfect Lake District walks for beginners! Furthermore, using our professionally produced walk routes, you can Walk the Wainwrights and avoid the potentially vertigo inducing arétes of Sharp Edge and Striding Edge if you want to.

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Anyone who knows me knows that one of my favourite things to do is plan peak bagging routes. I enjoy it almost as much as the hiking itself! Our 'Walk the Wainwrights - The Central Fells' planning map - along with over 50 sample walks and GPS Waypoint data files - is available FREE from a link in the current issue of our monthly Newsletter. I walked the 29 North Western Wainwrights over three days in June 2021 starting at the Rosthwaite General Store bus stop in Rosthwaite and hiking Castle Crag first. The route ended with Sale Fell and finished at the Dubwath (Junction with A66) bus stop in Dubwath. The whole North Western fells route was 73.9km in length.