The impressive pyramid of Hartsop Dodd

Hartsop Dodd

Height618m (2,028ft)

Prominence24m (79ft)

RegionFar Eastern Fells

Climbed1 Time

Hartsop Dodd is a fell of two distinct appearances. From the valley floor in Hartsop, it presents as an independent, steeply sided, symmetrical pyramid of significant height. From other vantage points, however, its true nature is revealed as the prominent northern spur of the larger Stony Cove Pike massif.

"For a few miles along the road from Patterdale to Kirkstone, Hartsop Dodd has the form of a steep-sided conical hill, rising like a giant tumulus from the flat floor of the valley; a high ridge connecting to Caudale Moor behind is unseen and unsuspected." — A. Wainwright

The ridge bears the historical marks of human industry, specifically the remains of the Low Hartsop Mine (also known as Myers Head Mine), which was briefly exploited for lead between 1867 and 1870. The summit itself is defined by a stone wall, with a distinct timber post serving as the official high-point marker.

The wooden post in the wall marks the summit

Though an off-shoot of a higher peak, the summit offers fine prospects over the surrounding eastern landscape. The view of Dovedale is particularly impressive, standing out as a highlight among the wide-reaching vistas of the eastern and far eastern ranges.

Trip Reports

Fairfield via Stony Cove Pike & Red Screes03/05/2014

Return to Far Eastern Fells

Thunacar Knott from Harrison Stickle

Thunacar Knott

Height723m (2,372ft)

Prominence27m (89ft)

RegionCentral Fells

Climbed4 Times

"From north, south, east and west Thunacar Knott is completely unphotogenic, and the best that any illusion can produce is a slight roughness of the slowly-swelling curve that forms its broad summit. This uninspiring characteristic extends to the whole fell, which is quite deceitful in interest." — A. Wainwright

Despite occupying a high position in one of the most heavily frequented areas of the Lake District, Thunacar Knott is frequently bypassed by walkers. Standing as a broad, undulating rise along the high moorland tableland between Harrison Stickle and High Raise, its modest profile often leads fellwalkers to view it merely as a subsidiary hump on the main ridge system rather than an independent fell.

Holding 27 metres of relative height, the fell satisfies the criteria for both Nuttall and Wainwright status, forming an essential connecting hub across the central high ground.

A large cairn caps the summit

The high plateau features twin summits separated by a shallow dip. While the southern top reaches the absolute highest point, the northern top holds the more substantial, prominent stone cairn and is commonly treated as the functional summit. Despite its unassuming appearance, the top yields surprisingly extensive perspectives westward towards the Scafells and the Western Fells.

Trip Reports

The Langdale Pikes via Jack's Rake29/09/2018

A Langstrath Round13/08/2017

The Langdale Pikes & Rossett Pike26/07/2014

Thunacar Knott, Sergeant Man, High Raise, Rossett Pike & Esk Pike07/09/2013

Return to Central Fells

Great Carrs from Swirl Hawse

Great Carrs

Height785m (2,575ft)

Prominence20m (66ft)

RegionSouthern Fells

Climbed3 Times

Standing watch directly above the classic mountain pass of Wrynose, Great Carrs is a peak defined by a beautiful, sweeping topography. It forms the high focal point of a massive, sickle-shaped arm thrown out by Swirl How, curving north and then striking east toward the low fields of Little Langdale. Following the crest of Rough Crags and tracking along Wet Side Edge makes for a fantastic mountain line, gradually gaining altitude until you step onto an exceptionally airy perch.

"Curved like a scythe, the shapely ridge rising from the fields of Little Langdale to the crest of Rough Crags and climbing gradually thence along the rim of Wet Side Edge to a lofty altitude between deep valleys. The airy summit of Great Carrs follows at once, a splendid perch on the edge of the profound abyss of Greenburn." — Wainwright 1958, Book Three

Like many of its neighbors in the Coniston group, Great Carrs shows two completely different faces to the world. To the west, its slopes fall away gently, covered in a smooth blanket of grass. But look to the east, and the mountain drops away with breathtaking violence. The crags plunging directly from the high ridge form the massive, bowl-like headwall of the Greenburn valley—a dark, yawning abyss that adds a proper sense of exposure to the ridge walk.

Tracing the high ridge southward toward Swirl How across the 'Top of Broad Slack' brings you to one of the most poignant historic sites in the Lake District. This high, exposed plateau was the scene of a tragic wartime disaster in 1944, when a Royal Canadian Air Force Handley Page Halifax bomber crashed into the fell during a night navigation exercise. Today, the heavy metal undercarriage of the aircraft remains on the ridge line, preserved alongside a quiet wooden cross and a memorial cairn, while the rest of the twisted wreckage is scattered down the steep, grassy funnel of Broad Slack below.

The cairn perched on the summit outcrop

The actual summit of Great Carrs is an unforgettable spot, featuring a modest, neatly compiled stone cairn perched right on a rocky nose of bedrock that juts out directly over the plunging headwall of Greenburn. It feels less like a rounded hill top and more like a high balcony suspended over the valleys. Standing by the stones reveals an extensive, majestic vista; looking north unlocks an endless, layered grid of massed Lakeland giants, while scanning the wider horizon allows you to spot the distant, dark spine of the Pennines and the shimmering blue waters surrounding the Isle of Man far out to sea.

Trip Reports

Dow Crag via the South Rake & the Coniston Fells09/12/2018

A Greenburn Round23/07/2017

The Coniston Round17/05/2014

Return to Lake District – Southern Fells

Hart Side from Watermillock Common

Hart Side

Height756m (2,480ft)

Prominence23m (75ft)

RegionEastern Fells

Climbed2 Times

"The main watershed at Stybarrow Dodd sends out a long spur to the east which curves north from the subsidiary height of Green Side and continues at an elevated level until it is poised high above Ullswater. The principal height on this spur is Hart Side, which with its many satellites on the ridge forms the southern wall of the long valley of Deep Dale." — A. Wainwright

Hart Side, historically translating to "the hill side frequented by harts", serves as a significant subsidiary summit branching off the grand eastern ridges of Stybarrow Dodd. Tracing the high path across this sprawling plateau reveals a landscape composed primarily of smooth, rolling mountain grasses, periodically interrupted by pockets of weather-worn boulders showing through the upland turf.

The geography here is heavily marked by the area's rich Cumbrian industrial history. Just a few metres south of the summit area, walkers will cross a long, distinct east-west trench, alongside a shallow rectangular hollow located to the north. These intriguing features date back to 1947, when a vigorous surface exploration programme was launched in a desperate bid to locate an extension to the lucrative mineral vein worked at the neighbouring Greenside Mine. Though miners sought to secure the industry's future before the main shafts were exhausted, no further deposits were ever discovered, leaving these quiet earthworks behind as structural ghosts of the mining era.

Hart Side's summit cairn

The absolute high point is marked by a modest pile of stones, with an additional stone cairn standing roughly 50 metres further north. Because Hart Side sits slightly lower than the primary spine of the Helvellyn range rising directly to the west, the giant ridges naturally truncate the long-range western horizons. Easing out toward the eastern margins reveals an expansive panorama, though the intervening folds of the lower fells neatly conceal the main body of Ullswater from the immediate summit view.

Trip Reports

Hart Side, The Dodds & Clough Head29/10/2017

Clough Head & The Dodds04/10/2014

Return to Eastern Fells

Birkhouse Moor from Glenridding

Birkhouse Moor

Height718m (2,356ft)

Prominence21m (69ft)

RegionEastern Fells

Climbed4 Times

"The east ridge of Helvellyn starts as a narrow rock arête, known to all walkers as Striding Edge, and then gradually widens into the broad sprawling mass of Birkhouse Moor. A long grassy promenade is the main characteristic of the top." — A. Wainwright

Birkhouse Moor constitutes a key geographical outlier of the grand Helvellyn range, forming an essential section of the vast eastern ridge that drops away from the high plateau down toward the waters of Ullswater. Although technically a subsidiary height of the main massif, Alfred Wainwright chose to afford it dedicated status as an individual fell in his classic pictorial guides, securely cementing its importance for modern hillwalkers.

The topography of the fell undergoes a dramatic transformation across its layout. Moving away from the sharp, rocky spine of Striding Edge, the ridge broadens considerably, unrolling into a sprawling, mile-wide high-altitude grassy plateau. This broad expanse throws out three distinct subsidiary shoulders: the prominent wood-crowned lookout of Keldas, the eastern ridge of The Nab, and an unnamed northern spur flanking the Glenridding valley.

The flat pile of stones on Birkhouse Moor

The plateau technically features two high points along its structure. The absolute geographical summit lies directly on the main ridge path leading toward Striding Edge, easily located by tracing the path of a historic drystone wall that crosses the high ground. While a flat pile of stones has been built slightly further to the west to serve as a summit cairn, the true maximum height rests right beneath the baseline of the wall. Regardless of where you stand on the turf, the grand highlight remains the exceptional close-up view of Helvellyn looming ahead, flanked by its two legendary arêtes.

Trip Reports

The Glenridding Horseshoe25/08/2019

Helvellyn via Striding Edge, Nethermost Pike & Dollywaggon Pike11/06/2016

Helvellyn & Catstye Cam via Striding Edge and Swirral Edge26/09/2015

Helvellyn via Striding Edge19/06/2010

Return to Eastern Fells

Brim Fell

Brim Fell

Height796m (2,612ft)

Prominence21m (69ft)

RegionSouthern Fells

Climbed3 Times

Brim Fell is the great, high-altitude highway of the Coniston range. Stretching out as a mile-long, whale-backed ridge, it serves as the crucial upland bridge linking the bustling summit of the Old Man with the rugged crossroads of Swirl How. Covered in a beautifully thick, springy mountain turf, it makes for some of the most pleasant, easy-going ridge walking in the Southern Fells, letting you cover ground effortlessly while soaking in the vast views.

"Brim Fell is the mile-long whale-backed ridge linking Coniston Old Man with Swirl How, the latter fell being joined at the narrow depression of Levers Hause. Throughout its length, the ridge is furnished with a most excellent turf, but the featureless top is without interest." — Wainwright 1958, Book Three

Geographically, the mountain is quite unique because it doesn't actually touch the valley floor on either side. Instead, it sits entirely suspended up in the clouds. To the east, its slopes are cut short by converging mountain streams, allowing Wetherlam and the Old Man to drop down to the lake. To the west, it is neatly clipped off by the towering crags of Dow Crag and Grey Friar at a massive altitude. It acts as a massive grand central station for the fells, branching paths out to every major corner of the Coniston range.

The proud cairn with The Old Man beyond

Wainwright might have dismissed the plateau as a bit featureless, but stepping up to the true high point reveals a summit with plenty of charm. The highest ground is marked by an exceptionally well-built, proud slate cairn that stands out beautifully against the grass. Pulling up a seat on the turf here reveals an incredible perspective. While the long, rolling back of the ridge blocks out the immediate valley floor below, it opens up a spectacular, sweeping look over the wider Southern Fells, with a particularly iconic view of the Old Man of Coniston cutting a sharp silhouette against the sky just a short stroll away.

Trip Reports

Dow Crag via the South Rake & the Coniston Fells09/12/2018

A Coniston Round03/12/2016

The Coniston Round17/05/2014

Return to Lake District – Southern Fells

Birks from Boredale Hause

Birks

Height622m (2,041ft)

Prominence20m (66ft)

RegionEastern Fells

Climbed3 Times

"The spur falling from St. Sunday Crag lacks a distinctive summit but is sufficiently well defined to deserve a separate name; but, being an unromantic and uninteresting fell, it has earned itself nothing better than the prosaic and unassuming name of Birks." — A. Wainwright

Forming a broad, intermediate shoulder along the grand northeastern ridge falling away from the mighty massif of St. Sunday Crag, Birks is a fell frequently traversed but rarely targeted as a primary objective. The mountain's modest name derived from old Cumbrian dialect, historically denoting a specific hillside area where native birch trees once predominated and blanketed the lower slopes.

Upland walkers routinely sweep across the crest of Birks as an entry or exit point when tackling the high ridge traverse to or from Patterdale. While initial impressions suggest a simple ridge undulation, it possesses 20 metres of localized topographic independence. This drop ensures its official status as an independent Nuttall fell, validating Alfred Wainwright's decision to award the high ground its own dedicated chapter due to its clear structural borders above the valleys.

The summit

The absolute summit is an expansive, grassy plateau marked simply by a humble, low-lying pile of stones. Because the massive bulk of St. Sunday Crag looms heavily immediately to the southwest, the mountain naturally blocks the classic high-alpine mountain horizons in that direction. However, shifting your gaze out toward the northern rim opens up a highly satisfying vantage point, treating walkers to magnificent, drop-down panoramic views tracking over the winding lower reaches of Ullswater and the rolling, green profiles of the border fells framing the lake.

Trip Reports

The Deepdale Horseshoe27/02/2015

Fairfield via Stony Cove Pike & Red Screes03/05/2014

The Deepdale Horseshoe03/06/2012

Return to Eastern Fells