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.

Line drawing of Whiteside by AWThe 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 nameHeightBaggedDates
Ard Crags581mBagged31/07/2017
Barf468mBagged28/07/2017
Barrow456mBagged07/06/2017
Broom Fell511mBagged28/07/2017
Castle Crag290mBagged10/06/2017
Catbells451mBagged twice01/08/2017
29/05/2021
Causey Pike637mBagged30/07/2017
Dale Head753mBagged01/08/2017
Eel Crag840mBagged07/06/2017
Grasmoor852mBagged09/06/2017
Greystones456mBagged28/07/2017
Grisedale Pike791mBagged07/06/2017
High Spy653mBagged twice01/08/2017
29/05/2021
Hindscarth727mBagged01/08/2017
Hopegill Head770mBagged09/06/2017
Knott Rigg556mBagged31/07/2017
Ling Fell373mBagged11/06/2017
Lord's Seat552mBagged28/07/2017
Maiden Moor576mBagged twice01/08/2017
29/05/2021
Outerside568mBagged07/06/2017
Rannerdale Knotts355mBagged twice09/06/2017
10/07/2019
Robinson737mBagged01/08/2017
Sail771mBagged07/06/2017
Sale Fell359mBagged11/06/2017
Scar Crags672mBagged30/07/2017
Wandope772mBagged09/06/2017
Whinlatter517mBagged29/07/2017
Whiteless Pike660mBagged09/06/2017
Whiteside707mBagged09/06/2017

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