High-res version
The North Western Fells are described in book six of Wainwright’s Walking Guide to the Lake District Fells. The area is bounded by Crummock Water and Buttermere to the south west and by Bassenthwaite Lake and Derwent Water to the north and west respectively. There are 29 summits in this well-defined group of mountains.
The section was completed on 1st August 2017 with a visit to Catbells during the Newlands round walk.
The image above is looking due north from the top of a gully above Dove Crags on Grasmoor and shows the wonderful ridge walk from Whiteside to Hopegill Head. The climb to the top of Whiteside from Lanthwaite Green is a tough one but well worth doing for the rewarding, airy ridge walk, the fantastic skyline view to Hopegill Head and the equally superb views down into Gasgale Gill. One of the highlights of the North Western Fells. Photo taken 9th June 2017.
Wainwright’s lovely line drawing from the same viewpoint is shown on the right. It appears in the Whiteside chapter of the Guide to the North Western Fells. Although it was drawn more than 50 years ago, you can still see how accurate his drawings are; the detail in the scree between Whiteside summit and the east top is remarkably similar to that in the photo.
Map of the North Western Fells
The North Western Fells
| Fell name | Height | Bagged | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ard Crags | 581m |  | 31/07/2017 25/06/2025 |
| Barf | 468m |  | 28/07/2017 23/06/2024 |
| Barrow | 456m |  | 07/06/2017 26/06/2025 |
| Broom Fell | 511m |  | 28/07/2017 23/06/2024 |
| Castle Crag | 290m |  | 10/06/2017 13/05/2025 |
| Catbells | 451m |  | 01/08/2017 29/05/2021 |
| Causey Pike | 637m |  | 30/07/2017 25/06/2025 |
| Dale Head | 753m |  | 01/08/2017 30/06/2025 |
| Eel Crag | 840m |  | 07/06/2017 26/06/2025 |
| Grasmoor | 852m |  | 09/06/2017 29/06/2025 |
| Greystones | 456m |  | 28/07/2017 23/06/2024 |
| Grisedale Pike | 791m |  | 07/06/2017 26/06/2025 |
| High Spy | 653m |  | 01/08/2017 29/05/2021 |
| Hindscarth | 727m |  | 01/08/2017 30/06/2025 |
| Hopegill Head | 770m |  | 09/06/2017 29/06/2025 |
| Knott Rigg | 556m |  | 31/07/2017 25/06/2025 |
| Ling Fell | 373m |  | 11/06/2017 11/05/2025 |
| Lord's Seat | 552m |  | 28/07/2017 23/06/2024 |
| Maiden Moor | 576m |  | 01/08/2017 29/05/2021 |
| Outerside | 568m |  | 07/06/2017 26/06/2025 |
| Rannerdale Knotts | 355m |  | 09/06/2017 10/07/2019 |
| Robinson | 737m |  | 01/08/2017 30/06/2025 |
| Sail | 771m |  | 07/06/2017 26/06/2025 |
| Sale Fell | 359m |  | 11/06/2017 11/05/2025 |
| Scar Crags | 672m |  | 30/07/2017 25/06/2025 |
| Wandope | 772m |  | 09/06/2017 29/06/2025 |
| Whinlatter | 517m |  | 29/07/2017 23/06/2024 |
| Whiteless Pike | 660m |  | 09/06/2017 29/06/2025 |
| Whiteside | 707m |  | 09/06/2017 29/06/2025 |
References
The details in the table above are taken from various sources but most notably:
The North-Western Fells (Lakeland Fellranger guide, 1st edition) by Mark Richards
The North Western Fells (2nd edition) by A. Wainwright and revised by Chris Jesty
Lake District North (Superwalker XT25) by Harvey Maps