Explore 28 magnificent Lake District summits above Borrowdale, from the iconic ridgeline of Catbells and the commanding presence of Great Gable to the hard-won top of Scafell Pike, England's highest mountain. This corner of the Lake District offers some of the finest fell walking in Britain, with outstanding views and a genuine sense of adventure on every ascent.

Whether you're a seasoned Lakeland fell walker ticking off summits or a keen hillwalker ready to take on a classic Lake District challenge, this trusted Cicerone guidebook gives you everything you need to walk in Borrowdale with confidence. It combines complete step-by-step route descriptions with HARVEY mapping and hand-drawn topos, with clear guidance on difficulty and experience level, so you can plan each ascent thoroughly.

• Complete fell-by-fell coverage across all 28 Borrowdale summits, with every ascent, descent and ridge connection described, not just the main path, so you can choose the route that's best for you
• HARVEY mapping, hand-drawn topos and panoramas are included for each fell, so you can identify your line of ascent and know exactly what views to expect from the top
• Ridge route combinations, including the High Spy ridge, Gillercomb Skyline and Glaramara ridge walk, let you link fells into longer days with no two outings the same
• Practical valley base information for Keswick, Rosthwaite, Seatoller and Seathwaite, with guidance on difficulty, seasonal conditions and access
• Summit tick lists to log all 28 Borrowdale fells, part of a series covering all 230 Lake District summits — a lifetime of Lakeland exploration in eight volumes

Author Mark Richards, encouraged to begin outdoor writing by Alfred Wainwright himself, brings expert knowledge and fresh perspectives to the famous summits and hidden corners of the Lake District's UNESCO World Heritage landscapes. Climb the Borrowdale fells with the knowledge, confidence and inspiration to make every ascent memorable with this Lake District fell walking guide. 

Borrowdale is just the beginning: the full Walking the Lake District Fells series covers all 230 Lake District summits across eight volumes, giving dedicated fell walkers a complete companion from first ascent to final top.

Walking the Lake District Fells - Borrowdale - Quick Facts

Series: Walking the Lake District Fells  
Area: Borrowdale, Lake District, Cumbria, England   
Designation: Lake District National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site   
Summits covered: 28 fells  
Valley bases: Keswick, Rosthwaite, Seatoller, Stonethwaite, Seathwaite, Newlands Valley, Thirlmere   
Highlighted summits: Scafell Pike, Great Gable, Catbells, Great End, Glaramara, Walla Crag  
Highest summit: Scafell Pike (978m) — England's highest mountain   
Route format: Fell-by-fell description, with multiple ascent, descent and ridge route options per summit   
Navigation: Step-by-step route descriptions with HARVEY mapping and hand-drawn topos  
Difficulty: Straightforward to moderate — navigational skills required; easy scrambling on some routes with non-scrambling alternatives always provided   
Best season: Year-round, though winter walking on higher fells requires experience and appropriate equipment

Author Highlight

“The modern fellwanderer should show a new ‘green’ awareness by choosing to tread lightly on the land and to find new ways around the hills. One of the underlying impulses of this guide is to protect these beloved fells by presenting a diversity of route options for each and every fell – and also, in this new edition, recommending ‘fell-friendly’ routes to each summit which are less susceptible to erosion.”

- Mark Richards, author of Walking the Lake District Fells - Borrowdale and the complete Fellranger series

Map key
Volumes in the series
Author preface
Starting points

Introduction
Valley bases
Fix the Fells
Using this guide
Safety and access
Additional online resouces

Fells
1 Allen Crags
2 Armboth Fell
3 Base Brown
4 Bell Crags
5 Bleaberry Fell
6 Brandreth
7 Castle Crag
8 Catbells
9 Eagle Crag
10 Glaramara
11 Grange Fell
12 Great Crag
13 Great End
14 Great Gable
15 Green Gable
16 Grey Knotts
17 High Rigg
18 High Seat
19 High Spy
20 High Tove
21 Maiden Moor
22 Raven Crag
23 Rosthwaite Fell
24 Scafell Pike
25 Seathwaite Fell
26 Sergeant's Crag
27 Ullscarf
28 Walla Crag

Ridge routes
1 The High Spy ridge
2 Around the Jaws of Borrowdale
3 The Gillercomb Skyline
4 Glaramara ridge walk
More to explore

Useful contacts
A fellranger's glossary
The Lake District Fells

Seasons

Year-round walking. Winter walks, even on the lower fells, are not for the inexperienced or under-equipped.

Centres

Keswick, Grange-in-Borrowdale, Rosthwaite, Seatoller, Stonethwaite, Seathwaite, Little Town (Newlands valley), Legburthwaite (St Johns in the Vale)

Difficulty

Straightforward ascents on sometimes clear, sometimes faint paths, and occasionally pathless terrain, to be used as a basis for readers' own walks. Navigational skills are needed but no specialist equipment. Any scrambling is easy and non-scrambling alternatives are always provided.

Must See

A fresh perspective on classic summits in the Lakes including Catbells, Scafell Pike, Great End, Great Gable, Glaramara and Walla Crag, and an inspiring introduction to lesser-known Lakeland fells such as Grange Fell and Bell Crags

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