The elegant, unmistakable profile of Catbells as seen across Derwentwater from Friar's Crag

Catbells

Height451m (1,480ft)

Prominence87m (285ft)

RegionNorth Western Fells

Climbed3 Times

Catbells sits as an undisputed crown jewel of the Lake District, widely celebrated as one of the single most popular and deeply cherished fells in the entire national park. Anchored gracefully along the western shorelines of Derwentwater within a brief three miles of Keswick, this diminutive peak commands an affectionate presence out of all proportion to its height. The fell's highly unusual and distinct title is widely believed by historians to stem from an old linguistic corruption of "Cat Bields"—a term translating from ancient dialect to mean the shelter or den of the wildcat—recollection of a time when native felines roamed these steep slopes.

"Catbells is one of the great favourites, a family fell where grandmothers and infants can climb the heights together, a place beloved. Its popularity is well deserved; its shapely topknot attracts the eye offering a steep but obviously simple scramble to the summit". — Wainwright 1957, Book Two

The high peak itself is an entirely rocky domain, where small, weathered outcrops rise out of pockets of loose stones and scree. Gaining the summit area introduces a beautifully designed bronze toposcope layout, which helps walkers orient themselves amidst the sprawling high-altitude panorama. Because the ground drops away so cleanly on either side, the vantage point treats walkers to a masterfully detailed, aerial layout of Derwentwater on one side, perfectly countered by the rolling green fields of the Newlands Valley sweeping away toward the west.