Central Fells
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The Central Fells are a group of hills in the
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
Lake District The Lake District, also known as the Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous for its lakes, forests, and mountains (or ''fells''), and its associations with William Wordswor ...
. Reaching their highest point at High Raise (2,500 ft or 762 metres), they occupy a broad area to the east of
Borrowdale Borrowdale is a valley and civil parish in the English Lake District in the Borough of Allerdale in Cumbria, England. It lies within the historic county boundaries of Cumberland. It is sometimes referred to as ''Cumberland Borrowdale'' t ...
. The Central Fells are generally lower than the surrounding hills, the Lake District's dome-like structure having a slight dip in the middle. The range extends from the boggy ridge between
Derwentwater Derwentwater, or Derwent Water, is one of the principal bodies of water in the Lake District National Park in north west England. It lies wholly within the Borough of Allerdale, in the county of Cumbria. The lake occupies part of Borrowda ...
and
Thirlmere Thirlmere is a reservoir in the Allerdale, Borough of Allerdale in Cumbria and the English Lake District National Park, Lake District. The Helvellyn ridge lies to the east of Thirlmere. To the west of Thirlmere are a number of fells; for inst ...
in the north, to the rock peaks of the
Langdale Pikes Great Langdale is a valley in the Lake District National Park in North West England, the epithet Great distinguishing it from the neighbouring valley of Little Langdale. Langdale is also the name of a valley in the Howgill Fells, elsewhere in ...
in the south.


Partition of the Lakeland fells

The Lake District is a
National Park A national park is a nature park, natural park in use for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state dec ...
in the north-west of the country which, in addition to its
lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...
s, contains a complex range of hills. These are locally known as
fells A fell (from Old Norse ''fell'', ''fjall'', "mountain"Falk and Torp (2006:161).) is a high and barren landscape feature, such as a mountain or moor-covered hill. The term is most often employed in Fennoscandia, Iceland, the Isle of Man, par ...
and range from low hills to the highest ground in England. Hundreds of tops exist and many writers have attempted to draw up definitive
lists A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to: People * List (surname) Organizations * List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America * SC Germania List, German rugby unio ...
. In doing so the compilers frequently divide the range into smaller areas to aid their description. The most influential of all such authors was
Alfred Wainwright Alfred Wainwright MBE (17 January 1907 – 20 January 1991), who preferred to be known as A. Wainwright or A.W., was a British fellwalker, guidebook author and illustrator. His seven-volume ''Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells'', published ...
, whose ''
Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells ''A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells'' is a series of seven books by A. Wainwright, detailing the fells (the local word for hills and mountains) of the Lake District in northwest England. Written over a period of 13 years from 1952, they ...
'' series has sold in excess of 2 million copies,: The Wainwright Society - The Alfred Wainwright Centenary 2007
being in print continuously since the first volume was published in 1952. Wainwright divided the fells into seven geographical areas, each surrounded by valleys and low passes. While any such division must be arbitrary – and later writers have deviated to a greater or lesser extent from this blueprintBirkett, Bill: Complete Lakeland Fells: Collins Willow (1994) Richards, Mark: Lakeland Fellranger series: Collins (2002)ff: Central Fells – Wainwright's sevenfold division remains the best-known partitioning of the fells into "sub ranges", each with its own characteristics. The Central Fells are one of these divisions, covered by volume 3 of Wainwright's work.
Alfred Wainwright Alfred Wainwright MBE (17 January 1907 – 20 January 1991), who preferred to be known as A. Wainwright or A.W., was a British fellwalker, guidebook author and illustrator. His seven-volume ''Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells'', published ...
: ''
A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells ''A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells'' is a series of seven books by A. Wainwright, detailing the fells (the local word for hills and mountains) of the Lake District in northwest England. Written over a period of 13 years from 1952, they ...
'', Book 3:


Boundaries

In the north is the Vale of Keswick, providing wide and total separation from
Skiddaw Skiddaw is a mountain in the Lake District National Park in England. Its summit is the sixth-highest in England. It lies just north of the town of Keswick, Cumbria, and dominates the skyline in this part of the northern lakes. It is the ...
and the
Northern Fells The Northern Fells are a mountain range in the English Lake District. Including Skiddaw, they occupy a wide area to the north of Keswick. Smooth, sweeping slopes predominate, with a minimum of tarns or crags. Blencathra in the south-east of the ...
. To the west runs the long valley of Borrowdale, flowing in this instance from
Stake Pass Hill passes of the Lake District were originally used by people in one valley travelling to another nearby without having to go many miles around a steep ridge of intervening hills. Historically, in the Lake District of northwest England, trave ...
at the head of Langstrath all the way to Keswick. The parallel eastern boundary is created by Thirlmere and the Vale of St John, all of these valleys ultimately joining the River Derwent. At the head of Thirlmere is the pass of Dunmail Raise, crossed by the
A591 road The A591 is a major road in Cumbria, in the north-west of England, which lies almost entirely within the Lake District national park. A 2009 poll by satellite navigation firm Garmin named the stretch of the road between Windermere and Keswick ...
. South of Dunmail Raise the Vale of Grasmere runs down to
Windermere Windermere (sometimes tautology (language), tautologically called Windermere Lake to distinguish it from the nearby town of Windermere, Cumbria (town), Windermere) is the largest natural lake in England. More than 11 miles (18 km) in leng ...
, forming the remainder of the eastern boundary. In the west, Stake Pass descends into
Great Langdale Great Langdale is a valley in the Lake District National Park in North West England, the epithet Great distinguishing it from the neighbouring valley of Little Langdale. Langdale is also the name of a valley in the Howgill Fells, elsewhere i ...
. This also descends, via the River Brathay, to Windermere. As the name suggests, the Central Fells are the only group to be entirely surrounded by other Lakeland ranges. However, topographical links only exist with two of the surrounding groups. South-west across Stake Pass are
Rossett Pike Rossett Pike is a fell in the English Lake District. It is located at the head of Mickleden, one of two tributary valleys of Great Langdale. Topography A bridge of high ground connects the Southern and Central Fells, running from Bow Fell in t ...
and the
Southern Fells Image:Annotated Scafell range.jpg, 300px, The Scafells rect 23 372 252 419 Slight Side, Slight Side (762 m) rect 173 794 560 834 Sca Fell, Scafell East Buttress rect 707 787 893 861 Esk Pike, Esk Pike or Crag (885 m) rect 245 303 409 358 Sca Fe ...
, while Dunmail Raise connects to
Seat Sandal Seat Sandal is a fell in the English Lake District, situated four kilometres (2½ miles) north of the village of Grasmere from where it is very well seen. Nevertheless, it tends to be overshadowed by its more illustrious neighbours in the Easte ...
in the
Eastern Fells The Eastern Fells are a group of hills in the English Lake District. Centred on Helvellyn they primarily comprise a north–south ridge running between Ullswater and Lakeland's Central Valley. Partition of the Lakeland fells The Lake District i ...
. The North Western and
Western Fells The Western Fells are a group of hills in the English Lake District. Centred on Great Gable they occupy a triangular area between Buttermere and Wasdale. The Western Fells are characterised by high ridges and an abundance of naked rock. Partitio ...
are cut off by the long gash of Borrowdale.


Topography

The Central Fells when seen in plan best resemble a boot. A broad ridge runs due south for about 10 miles, the valleys on either side being about apart. The range then narrows and turns south-east, the
Langdale Pikes Great Langdale is a valley in the Lake District National Park in North West England, the epithet Great distinguishing it from the neighbouring valley of Little Langdale. Langdale is also the name of a valley in the Howgill Fells, elsewhere in ...
forming the 'heel' and
Loughrigg Fell Loughrigg Fell is a hill in the central part of the English Lake District. It stands on the end of the long ridge coming down from High Raise over Silver How towards Ambleside, and is separated from its neighbours by the depression of ...
the 'toe'. Beginning with
Walla Crag Walla Crag is a fell in the English Lake District, near Keswick. The fell is a short walk from Keswick and overlooks Derwentwater. Topography The crag is the terminal cliff on a short ridge running north west from Bleaberry Fell, dropping abo ...
and
Bleaberry Fell Bleaberry Fell is a fell in the Lake District in Cumbria, England, with a height of 590 metres (1,936 feet). It stands on the main watershed between Borrowdale and Thirlmere and can be climbed from either flank. Walla Crag is a subsidia ...
in the north, the range climbs gradually to its apex at High Raise, the "ankle" in the boot analogy. This section is often termed the "Central Ridge" and consists of flat-topped, peat-covered hills. Many of the most extensive upland bogs of the district are in this area. South of Bleaberry Fell are High Seat,
High Tove High Tove is a fell in the English Lake District, close to the geographical centre of the Cumbrian hills. It forms part of the watershed between the Derwentwater and Thirlmere catchments, a ridge running broadly north-south. Topography Sitting ...
(home to The Pewits, the "worst" bog of all) and
Ullscarf Ullscarf is a fell in the English Lake District close to the geographical centre of the Cumbrian hills. It forms part of the watershed between the Derwentwater and Thirlmere catchments, a ridge running broadly north-south. Topography Ulls ...
, the land finally drying out here as High Raise is reached. To the west of the Central Ridge a lower spur encloses the valley of Watendlath. In this sector are
Great Crag Great Crag is a fell in the English Lake District, located near the hamlets of Rosthwaite and Stonethwaite in Borrowdale. Topography The higher slopes are heather-covered and quite rocky, while the lower steep slopes on the Borrowdale side are ...
and
Grange Fell Grange Fell is a small fell in the English Lake District in the county of Cumbria, situated in the Borrowdale valley overlooking the villages of Grange in Borrowdale and Rosthwaite. Topography The fell has a summit plateau which consis ...
, lower hills exposing more rock and popular as short climbs. On the eastern side a further low ridge surrounds Shoulthwaite, topped by the
Raven Crag Raven Crag is a fell in the English Lake District that overlooks Thirlmere reservoir. It has subsidiary summits The Benn and Castle Crag. Topography The fell is the high point on a 2-mile-long spur running up the western shore of Thirlmere, br ...
and High Rigg. High Raise itself is mostly grassy apart from the summit, and a broad plateau runs off south-west over Thunacar Knott. Beyond are a line of low tops, rimming this tableland and appearing nothing from this direction. From the south the Langdale Pikes are most clearly seen, falling direct from their rocky tops to the valley floor of Great Langdale, nearly below.
Pike of Stickle Pike of Stickle, also known as Pike o’ Stickle, is a fell in the English Lake District. It reaches a height of 709 metres (2,326 feet) and is situated in the central part of the national park in the valley of Great Langdale. The fel ...
stands at the western end, followed by
Loft Crag Loft Crag is a fell in the English Lake District, situated west of Ambleside in the valley of Great Langdale. Along with the neighbouring fells of Harrison Stickle and Pike of Stickle it forms the picturesque Langdale Pikes, which when viewed f ...
,
Harrison Stickle Harrison Stickle is a fell in the central part of the English Lake District, situated above Great Langdale. The fell is one of the three (although the number is debated) fells which make up the picturesque Langdale Pikes, the others being Pike o ...
and the cliff of Pavey Ark above Stickle Tarn. To the east of High Raise a complex system of minor ridges radiates out from the subsidiary top of Sergeant Man. Rising between the valleys of Wythburn, Easedale and Greenburn are Calf Crag,
Helm Crag Helm Crag is a fell in the English Lake District situated in the Central Fells to the north of Grasmere. Despite its low height it sits prominently at the end of a ridge, easily seen from the village. This, combined with the distinctive summi ...
, Gibson Knott,
Steel Fell Steel Fell is a fell in the English Lake District, lying between Thirlmere and Grasmere. It is triangular in plan, the ridges running north, west and south east. Steel Fell rises to the west of the Dunmail Pass road and can be climbed from the ...
and Tarn Crag. Along with Eagle Crag and
Sergeant's Crag Sergeant's Crag is a fell A fell (from Old Norse ''fell'', ''fjall'', "mountain"Falk and Torp (2006:161).) is a high and barren landscape feature, such as a mountain or moor-covered hill. The term is most often employed in Fennoscandia, ...
on the Borrowdale side these fells display steep flanks and plenty of rock on the summits. The main ridge descends south-east from High Raise as the ground between the Rivers Brothay and Rathay gradually narrows to a point at
Ambleside Ambleside is a town and former civil parish, now in the parish of Lakes, Cumbria, Lakes, in Cumbria, in North West England. Historic counties of England, Historically in Westmorland, it marks the head (and sits on the east side of the northern ...
. In this section are the many tops of
Blea Rigg Blea Rigg is a fell in the English Lake District, lying between the valleys of Easedale and Great Langdale. One of the Central Fells, it is a broad plateau with a succession of rocky tops. Many routes of ascent are possible, beginning either fr ...
,
Silver How Silver How is a fell in the English Lake District, standing over the village of Grasmere. How, derived from the Old Norse word ''haugr'', is a common local term for a hill or mound. Topography Silver How forms part of the Blea Rigg ridge and w ...
(a viewpoint over Grasmere) and finally
Loughrigg Fell Loughrigg Fell is a hill in the central part of the English Lake District. It stands on the end of the long ridge coming down from High Raise over Silver How towards Ambleside, and is separated from its neighbours by the depression of ...
, easily accessible from White Moss car park and often combined with a walk along the terrace path above
Rydal Water Rydal Water is a small body of water in the central part of the English Lake District, in the county of Cumbria. It is located near the hamlet of Rydal, between Grasmere and Ambleside in the Rothay Valley.Parker, 2004, page 35 The lake is 1, ...
.


Access for walkers

In the north, Walla Crag and Bleaberry fell are an easy walk from Keswick, while the Borrowdale road provides access as far south as Eagle Crag and the foot of Langstrath. The A591 road runs the full length of the range in the east, and in combination with the minor road around Thirlmere gives good access at many points. Grasmere village is also a useful starting place for walks around Easedale and Far Easedale. The Langdale Pikes are generally climbed from Great Langdale, beginning from either of the Dungeon Ghyll Hotels. Loughrigg is surrounded by minor roads, including Red Bank, the only one crossing the Central Fells. Near the summit is the
youth hostel A hostel is a form of low-cost, short-term shared sociable lodging where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed in a dormitory, with shared use of a lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex and have private or shared ba ...
of High Close. In general, quieter walking can be had in the centre of the range from High Seat to Ullscarf, while many walkers will be met on Walla Crag or the Langdale Pikes.


See also

*
Eastern Fells The Eastern Fells are a group of hills in the English Lake District. Centred on Helvellyn they primarily comprise a north–south ridge running between Ullswater and Lakeland's Central Valley. Partition of the Lakeland fells The Lake District i ...
*
Far Eastern Fells The Far Eastern Fells are a group of hills in the English Lake District. Reaching their highest point at High Street (828 metres or 2.718 ft.), they occupy a broad area to the east of Ullswater and Kirkstone Pass. Much quieter than the ...
*
Southern Fells Image:Annotated Scafell range.jpg, 300px, The Scafells rect 23 372 252 419 Slight Side, Slight Side (762 m) rect 173 794 560 834 Sca Fell, Scafell East Buttress rect 707 787 893 861 Esk Pike, Esk Pike or Crag (885 m) rect 245 303 409 358 Sca Fe ...
*
Northern Fells The Northern Fells are a mountain range in the English Lake District. Including Skiddaw, they occupy a wide area to the north of Keswick. Smooth, sweeping slopes predominate, with a minimum of tarns or crags. Blencathra in the south-east of the ...
*
North Western Fells The North Western Fells are a group of hills in the English Lake District. Including such favourites as Catbells and Grisedale Pike, they occupy an oval area beneath the Buttermere and Borrowdale valley systems. The North Western Fells are chara ...
*
Western Fells The Western Fells are a group of hills in the English Lake District. Centred on Great Gable they occupy a triangular area between Buttermere and Wasdale. The Western Fells are characterised by high ridges and an abundance of naked rock. Partitio ...
{{Central Fells


References

Fells of the Lake District