Peak Bagging: Wainwrights: 45 routes designed to complete all 214 of Wainwright's Lake District fells in the most efficient way

Product Information

Based on The Mountains Of England And Wales books by husband and wife duo John and Anne Nuttall, a ‘Nuttall’ is defined as any summit of 2,000ft or more which rises above its surroundings on all sides by at least 50ft or, in metric terms, 610m and 15m. There are 257 in England and 189 in Wales – that should keep you busy for a few years. Though not easy, bagging the Wainwrights is a popular pastime in part because the majority of the peaks are relatively accessible. If you want to get started, here’s what we recommend: A person who summits all the Wainwrights doesn’t have a special name, and in fact, Alfred Wainwright probably never considered that doing so would become a significant feat to others. However, it is a popular pastime and if you have completed all of the Wainwrights, you can apply to be listed on a register held by the Long Distance Walkers Association. Sitting in the far eastern fells, the hill is part of a 15.1km Fusedale Circuit which features in Karen and Dan's book, with 860m of ascent involved. That round from Patterdale is a wonderful route. It's not the standard route either, so it's slightly quieter than certain other routes, even in the summer.” Wainwright Five: Glaramara (783m) Rosthwaite Fell as seen from Glaramara. Photo: Getty

The Wainwrights have become a right of passage for many Lake District locals, as well as being a draw for ramblers all over the UK. This collection of Fells offer an incredible variety with the Wainwrights walks encompassing some of the best views in the Lakes. Walking the Wainwrights has become a challenge for many with walkers using the Wainwrights list to ‘bag’ as many as possible. What Is Wainwright Bagging? Over fifty years ago, renowned British hillwalker and guidebook author Alfred Wainwright described 214 peaks in the English Lake District in his seven-volume illustrated Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells. Over fifty years ago, renowned British hillwalker and guidebook author Alfred Wainwright described 214 peaks in the English Lake District in his seven-volume illustrated Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells. Like the Munros in Scotland, bagging all the Wainwrights has become a popular and significant challenge for walkers and runners, often taking many years in fits and starts because of the absence of a clear plan for how to link them together.Also included are overview details of Steve Birkinshaw's then-record-breaking sub-seven-day Wainwrights run in 2014 - current record holder Sabrina Verjee completed the round in under six days. Karen continues: "It's a good example of one of the fells that people probably wouldn't bother to go up if it wasn't a Wainwright. So it's great that it encourages people to get up something different." Wainwright Two: Blencathra (868m) Looking out over the Lake District from Sharp Edge, Blencathra. Photo: Getty Possibly the Lake District’s finest horseshoe hike, this rugged ramble takes in a handful of Wainwrights

Central Fells14 The Langdale Pikes 11.6km15 Above Thirlmere 21.4km16 Grasmere Common 17.2km17 Stonethwaite Fells 17.9km North-Western Fells32 Wythop Wanderings 19.9km33 Grasmoor & More 15.7km 34 Dale Head Horseshoe 15.4km 35 Coledale Horseshoe 14.5km 36 A Newlands Round 15.9km There were no specific criteria to select the 214 distinctive peaks that would be (intimately) chronicled in Alfred Wainwright's seven-volume pictorial guide. Rather, their inclusion was based on Wainwright's appreciation for their prominence and character within the landscape.

Stuart Kenny

Karen and Dan have been running, walking and orienteering in the Lake District fells for over three decades now. "It's been part of my whole life," says Dan. We caught up with the Parkers to ask for five of their favourite Wainwrights routes. Wainwright One: Gowbarrow Fell (481m) Despite being a low fell, surrounding views mean Gowbarrow can feel quite mountainous. Photo: Getty Their favoured path? "Hall's Fell is a good route,” says Dan. “There's a bit of scrambling - though you can avoid it if you'd like - and then there's nothing too exposed. The key thing is that you pop out straight at the top. Then you’re able to look south, along The Dodds towards Helvellyn." A classic Lakeland day outing, starting with a boat ride across Derwentwater before a hike to the top of Cat Bells and peek at Peter Rabbit’s scrumping ground

It's one of the quieter hills,” says Dan. “Even though it's in the heart of Lakeland, south of Ullswater and Borrowdale. So many people set off from Seathwaite and head up Scafell Pike, and don't really consider other options. You come up Thorneythwaite Fell from Seathwaite, and then you do a bit of a scramble up to the top. The descent, over Rosthwaite Fell, is also great. Again, it's a knobbly ridge.”

Peak Bagging: Wainwrights

The best way to begin your Wainwright Bagging Adventure is to find a list of all the Wainwrights. Print it off or save it to your computer and then you can start recording your walks. If you prefer an online log of your Wainwrights, I log mine on Go4aWalk.com Alfred Wainwright completed a seven-volume series called A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells , in which he detailed the 214 Lake District Fells now known as The Wainwrights. What is interesting about this selection of Fells is that they were not chosen for their scale or grandeur… they were chosen because they were his favourites. What Are The Wainwrights These ‘Wainwrights’ have now become the definitive list for anyone wanting to visit the summits of all the fells in the Lake District,” writes endurance athlete Steve Birkinshaw, who ran all of the Wainwrights in 2014, in the introduction to ' Peak Bagging: Wainwrights'. The new guidebook, written by Karen and Dan Parker (sister and brother-in-law of Steve) and published by Vertebrate Publishing is a complete guide to climbing all 214 of Wainwright’s Lake District fells in the most efficient way - with 45 routes included in the book. Arguably the Lakes’ loveliest short outing, this circular walk takes you to the top of iconic Latrigg

When I first started winter fell walking with Dan and his family, we went up Fairfield,” says Karen. “It was actually the first time I had ever been out and about in the winter. I almost didn't know that you were allowed to go up proper mountains at that time of year. It was just very memorable for that! There was snow everywhere, and I think that changed my view of walking in the mountains.” Start with the smaller peaks such as Castle Crag, Latrigg and Loughrigg and work you way up to the big ones.We usually take the route straight from our house,” says Dan. “That's from the east side; the Askham/Bampton side. There are several ridges that lead up. The central ridge is nice and gentle and it takes you to the top. There's a trig point at the top, but actually the trig point wasn't there when Wainwright wrote his books, so the Wainwright summit is about 50 metres south of there. Then to come down we would normally go north to Bonscale Pike. That's another interesting hill. There are some cairns, and towers, and good views out over Ullswater.” Wainwright Four: Fairfield (873m) Always a welcome sight; sunshine breaking through the clouds and shining on the fells of the Lake District. Photo: Getty Karen adds: "And you can run along the main ridge, the east-west ridge, and take a gentle route down. So it's a really good route." Eastern Fells01 Fairfield Horseshoe 19.1km02 Glenridding Horseshoe 16.4km03 Deepdale Horseshoe 16.5km04 The Dodds 18.1km05 The Dunmail Loop 12.5km06 A Tour of Matterdale 16.1km A hike through an enchanting and enigmatic landscape to the Howitzer – an optional scrambling challenge that will separate the lions from the lambs It's no wonder so many have been inspired to follow in the writer’s footsteps, and that Wainwright bagging - in similar style to Scotland's munros - has taken off.