Whiteside

The impressive, undulating spine of the Whiteside ridge as captured from Grasmoor

Whiteside (Wainwright Summit)

Height707m (2,320ft)

Prominence15m (49ft)

RegionNorth Western Fells

Climbed1 Time

An anchoring presence at the westernmost tip of the sprawling Grisedale Pike to Hopegill Head massif, Whiteside stands directly above the shimmering expanse of Crummock Water. Structurally, the fell describes a wide, shallow crescent that shapes a sheer, south-facing amphitheatre dominated by the precipitous wall of Gasgale Crags. This imposing feature drops a clean 500 feet into the valley floor below. While the eastern limits of the ridge flow effortlessly into the shoulder of Hopegill Head with minimal loss of elevation, its western flanks descend abruptly via Whiteside End into the peaceful lowlands of the Vale of Lorton.

"As travellers make their way up the Vale of Lorton, eager for sight of the thrilling Buttermere skyline, their enthusiasm is kept in check by the successive buttresses of Whiteside, which descend steeply into the valley. These steep acclivities are rough and stony." — Wainwright 1957, Book Two

The mountain incorporates three individual knolls along its airy crest. This particular western peak, recording an altitude of 707 metres, stands as the official "Wainwright" summit. Although Alfred Wainwright acknowledged that the true geographic high point lay 400 metres further east at the 719-metre East Top, he chose this western position for his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells due to its superior stance above the lakes. Today, this peak preserves separate classification as a Nuttall. Gaining its broad, elevated platform reveals an exceptional grand-stand panorama over West Cumberland, the wide waters of the Solway Firth, and the distant hills of Scotland.

Standing at the western summit platform, tracking the superb ridge route back toward Hopegill Head

Trip Reports

Whiteless Pike, Grasmoor, Hopegill Head & Whiteside27/09/2015

Return to Lake District – North Western Fells