Lakeland Fellranger - Walking the Mid-Western Fells

• Location
• Description
• Contents
• Introduction
• Sample Route
• Maps
• Reviews

FROM FIRESIDE TO FELLSIDE

The Mid-Western Fells are in many respects the rugged mountain heart of Lakeland, defined by four high passes: the on-foot and saddleback Stake and Styhead, the motorable Wrynose and Hardknott. The group features the highest ground, many of the most revered crags and certainly several of the most coveted fells. The valley bases, too, are prime destinations for lovers of the finest of all fell country. Great Langdale, the Duddon, Eskdale, Wasdale and Borrowdale, all stake their claim as prime approaches into a wild, roadless hinterland.

These are wonderful fells deserving of a thorough and steady exploration and so I share the dismay of those who care for the fell paths on those occasions when literally thousands of Three Peak challengers descend on the area and race to the top of Scafell Pike, all too often a stumbling torchlight procession. Wandering among such giants brings the walker close to the soul and spirit of wild places, rising above the pure physical challenge. Come and savour them in your own measured pace, in your own good time. You will be grateful you did and will wish to return to revel in the changing seasons.

This guide

An enormous amount of care has gone into the preparation of this guide. It has taken 50 days of on-fell research – primarily conducted in 2003, which was exceptionally kind on the weather front – checking the existence and extent of paths, and the practicality of potential off-beat routes. Between March and September I encountered only six ‘iffy’ days of grey sky to foil my quest for a comprehensive and well-rounded collection of images.