Few areas of the Lake District pack as much fell walking ambition into a single valley as Patterdale. Helvellyn, the third highest mountain in England, Striding Edge, one of the most iconic scrambles in British fell walking, and the Fairfield Horseshoe, one of the finest circular ridge routes in the national park, all begin here.

This guidebook by Mark Richards, who was encouraged to begin writing by Alfred Wainwright himself, covers all 35 summits accessible from Patterdale, Ambleside and the Grasmere, Thirlmere and Ullswater valleys. Complete fell-by-fell route descriptions are paired with HARVEY mapping and hand-drawn topos, giving walkers of all abilities everything needed to explore these outstanding fells with confidence.

• Complete fell-by-fell coverage of all 35 summits in Patterdale, with every ascent, descent and ridge connection described, from Helvellyn and Fairfield to Catstycam, Dollywaggon Pike, St Sunday Crag and Red Screes
• HARVEY mapping, hand-drawn topos and panoramas for each fell, helping you identify your line of ascent and anticipate the views from every top
• Four classic ridge routes are described, including the Fairfield Horseshoe, the Helvellyn Ridge, the Dodds through-route and the Deepdale Round, covering some of the finest high-level walking in the Lake District
• Fell-friendly routes designed to minimise environmental impact and protect the landscapes of the Lake District UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Valley base information for Patterdale, Glenridding, Ambleside, Grasmere and Thirlmere, with guidance on difficulty, seasonal conditions and access for every fell
• Summit tick lists for all 35 Patterdale fells, part of a series covering all 230 Lake District summits across eight volumes

Helvellyn and the Fairfield Horseshoe are bucket-list Lake District walks for good reason, but this volume holds far more than its headline acts. Order now, pick a fell and discover why Patterdale is one of the finest fell walking bases in the Lake District National Park. 

The Patterdale volume is one of eight in the Walking the Lake District Fells series, together covering all 230 fells across the Lake District National Park.

Walking the Lake District Fells - Patterdale - Quick Facts

Series: Walking the Lake District Fells (one of eight volumes) 
Total series coverage: 230 fells across 8 volumes 
Area: Patterdale and the central eastern fells, Lake District, Cumbria, England 
Designation: Lake District National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site 
Summits covered: 35 fells 
Valley bases: Patterdale, Hartsop, Glenridding, Ambleside, Rydal, Grasmere, Thirlmere, Threlkeld
Summit highlights: Helvellyn, Fairfield, Catstycam, Dollywaggon Pike, St Sunday Crag, Red Screes, Striding Edge, Nethermost Pike, Raise, Clough Head 
Notable features: Helvellyn — the third-highest mountain in England; Striding Edge — one of the most iconic scrambles in British fell walking 
Ridge routes: Fairfield Horseshoe, Helvellyn Ridge, the Dodds through-route, Deepdale Round 
Route format: Fell-by-fell, with multiple ascent, descent and ridge route options per summit 
Difficulty: Straightforward to moderate — navigational skills required; easy scrambling on some routes with non-scrambling alternatives always provided 
Best season: Year-round; winter walking on higher fells requires experience and appropriate equipment 
Mapping: HARVEY maps included; hand-drawn topos and panoramas for each fell

Author Highlight

“This extended family of fells running north by Fairfield and Helvellyn to Clough Head and sustaining the highest continuous ground in the National Park is the great focus of this guide. For the most scenic introduction to the massif, arrive from the northeast, along the shore of unparalleled Ullswater, taking time to stop, stare and anticipate some truly great fell days.”

- Mark Richards, author of Walking the Lake District Fells - Patterdale 

Map keys
Area covered by this guide
Author preface
Starting points

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

Fells
1    Arnison Crag
2    Birkhouse Moor
3    Birks
4    Catstycam
5    Clough Head
6    Dollywaggon Pike
7    Dove Crag
8    Fairfield
9    Glenridding Dodd
10    Gowbarrow Fell
11    Great Dodd
12    Great Mell Fell
13    Great Rigg
14    Hart Crag
15    Hart Side
16    Hartsop above How
17    Helvellyn
18    Heron Pike
19    High Hartsop Dodd
20    High Pike
21    Little Hart Crag
22    Little Mell Fell
23    Low Pike
24    Middle Dodd
25    Nab Scar
26    Nethermost Pike
27    Raise
28    Red Screes
29    Seat Sandal
30    Sheffield Pike
31    St Sunday Crag
32    Stone Arthur
33    Stybarrow Dodd
34    Watson's Dodd
35    White Side

Ridge routes
1    The Fairfield Horseshoe
2    The Helvellyn Ridge
3    The Dodds (through-route)
4    The Deepdale Round

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

Patterdale, Hartsop, Ambleside, Rydal, Grasmere, Thirlmere, Threlkeld, Dockray, Glenridding

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 Helvellyn, Fairfield, Catstycam, Dollywaggon Pike, St Sunday Crag and Red Screes, and an inspiring introduction to lesser-known Lakeland fells such as Sheffield Pike and Clough Head; superlative ridge walking including the iconic Fairfield Horseshoe

We do not yet have any updates available for this book

We are always grateful to readers for information about any discrepancies between a guidebook and the facts on the ground. If you would like to send some information to us then please use our contact form. They will be published here following review by the author(s).

Free Royal Mail 48 postage on UK orders. European postage is £3.50 per item. Worldwide postage is £5.50 per item. If you're not happy with your purchase for any reason, we'll give you a full refund.