Introduction
The Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells is a revered seven-book set that serves as a comprehensive and visually stunning resource for hikers and nature enthusiasts exploring the Lake District in England. Authored by renowned British mountaineer Alfred Wainwright, this collection has become an essential reference for anyone seeking to traverse the picturesque landscape of the Lakeland Fells.
Each book in the set focuses on a specific geographical area within the Lake District, providing detailed descriptions, meticulously hand-drawn illustrations, and meticulously researched routes for ascending the various fells (hills and mountains). Wainwright's love for the region shines through in his exquisite illustrations, which bring the landscapes to life and capture the essence of the fells' unique character.
Tiles in this Set
The Eastern Fells
The Far Eastern Fells
The Central Fells
The Sothern Fells
The Northern Fells
The North Western Fells
The Western Fells
Description
The Eastern Fells
The Eastern Fells includes the greatest single concentrated mass of high ground in Lakeland: a tremendous barrier running north and south, high and steep all along its length, rising to above 3000 feet on Helvellyn – the most-often climbed mountain in the Lake District. Popular resorts such as Ambleside and Grasmere lie in this sector of the fells, as does the beautiful Patterdale valley (the best base, in Wainwright's view, for exploring the area)
The Far Eastern Fells
A Lakeland Fellranger walking guide by Mark Richards exploring 33 summits in the Far Eastern Fells of the Lake District, including a wide range of walks old and new, between Pooley Bridge to the north and Windermere to the south. Among the summits featured are Hallin Fell and Place Fell on the shores of Ullswater, Kidsty Pike above Haweswater and the fells of the famous Kentmere horseshoe to the south.
The Central Fells
The Central Fells of the Lake District include treasures such as the ever-popular Langdale Pikes, the supremely lovely foothills overlooking Borrowdale and the 'silent forests and gaunt crags' above the dark waters of Thirlmere. For walkers heading in this direction, and lovers of the Lakeland fells, this is the guide to take.
The Sothern Fells
The Southern Fells include the highest, roughest, grandest fells in Lakeland including the highest mountain in England, Scafell Pike. Wainwright – a fell-walking legend in his own lifetime – knew the terrain and conveyed its grandeur and beauty like nobody else. In this unique Pictorial Guide, he writes of the glorious curves and simple grandeur of Great Langdale; of Wasdale, 'an emerald amongst sombre hills'; of enchanting Borrowdale; of the sparkling radiance of the Duddon; and of the most delectable valley of all – Eskdale, 'sanctuary of peace and solitude'.
The North Western Fells
The North Western Fells are bounded by the River Derwent and the River Cocker – an area lauded by A. Wainwright as first-class fell-walking territory. The ridge walking here is some of the finest in the Lake District, offering views of unsurpassed beauty. There is something for all walkers: steep, high mountains such as Grasmoor, rugged individualists such as Castle Crag, and destinations such as Catbells, which Wainwright calls 'a family fell where grandmothers and infants can climb the heights together, a place beloved'.
The Western Fells
The Western Fells lie within a wide sector, driving deep into the heart of Lakeland at Sty Head. They are bounded in the north-west by the Cocker valley, 'jewelled by the lovely lakes of Buttermere and Crummock Water'. South-west their boundary is Wasdale, running towards the sea.
The Northern Fells
The Northern Fells include the rolling Caldbeck and Uldale Fells – 'serene and restful, a perfect sanctuary for birds and animals and fell-walkers who prefer to be away from the crowds'; Skiddaw – 'an affable, friendly giant'; majestic Blencathra – 'the mountaineer's mountain'; Latrigg – the favourite of visitors to Keswick – and many more. They offer the walker excellent tramping and exhilarating freedom to wander at will.
