Sail as seen from The Scar during the descent from Crag Hill

Sail

Height773m (2,536ft)

Prominence32m (104ft)

RegionNorth Western Fells

Climbed2 Times

Sail serves primarily as a satellite peak to its grander neighbor, Crag Hill, though it retains just enough independent prominence to be officially cataloged as a Hewitt in its own right. A dramatic, narrow wall of crag known as The Scar neatly links the two summits, offering a scenic traverse. On its eastern face, Sail features a highly distinctive, heavily engineered zig-zag gravel path—the result of extensive and controversial trail restoration work aimed at fixing severe erosion. While structural mountain maintenance is undeniably vital, this particular staircase arguably pushes the boundary of natural wild aesthetics.

“Sail is the least obtrusive of the 2500-footers, being completely dominated by its vaster and more rugged neighbour, Eel Crag, and an absence of attractive or interesting features adds to its inferiority complex.” — Wainwright 1957, Book Two

The high point of the fell is marked by an unusual summit cairn that appears to exist in a permanent state of partial submergence within its own shallow, boggy tarn. Despite its modest profile, standing by this high pool reveals brilliant, expansive views tracking straight down into the bowl of Coledale, alongside a spectacular sighting of the entire Helvellyn range stretching across the skyline far beyond the familiar humps of Catbells.

The summit cairn of Sail, resting inside its signature mountaintop tarn

Trip Reports

The Coledale Round16/04/2016

The Coledale Round11/08/2013

Return to Lake District – North Western Fells