Wainwright Walks

The Wainwrights are the beating heart of Lake District walking. Named after Alfred Wainwright (1907–1991), the Blackburn borough treasurer whose hand-drawn Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells became one of the best-loved works in all of British literature, they are the 214 fells he judged worthy of a walker's boots. To walk them is to explore every fold and corner of England's most beautiful National Park — and this guide brings our detailed route guides together in one place, explains how the list works, and helps you choose the right fell for your ability and the weather.

Whether you're planning your very first summit or closing in on your 214th, every route on this page is a self-contained guide with a free GPX download, an interactive Ordnance Survey map, live weather for the fell, honest notes on terrain, and step-by-step directions. Because "walk" and "hike" mean the same thing here, treat them interchangeably.

What are the Wainwrights?

Between 1955 and 1966, Alfred Wainwright produced seven meticulous volumes covering 214 Lakeland fells, each page hand-written and hand-illustrated in his unmistakable style. He never intended to found a craze — but in cataloguing every summit, ridge and ascent route, he created the definitive checklist of Lake District hills. Decades on, "the Wainwrights" remains the most popular hill-list in England, and completing all 214 is a celebrated rite of passage for walkers the world over.

What makes the list so rewarding is its range. It includes the roof of England at Scafell Pike (978m) and the humble rocky knoll of Castle Crag (290m) in equal measure. It sends you up sharp, exciting ridges and across quiet, heathery backwaters that you'd otherwise never think to visit. Following Wainwright is, in effect, a guided tour of the entire National Park — the honeypots and the hidden gems alike.

The seven fell groups

Wainwright divided his 214 fells into seven regional books, and those groupings still shape how walkers plan today:

• The Eastern Fells — the high Helvellyn range above Ullswater and Thirlmere.
• The Far Eastern Fells — the quieter High Street country around Haweswater and Kentmere.
• The Central Fells — the rocky spine from Loughrigg to High Raise, including the Langdale Pikes.
• The Southern Fells — the giants of the south: the Scafells, Bowfell, Crinkle Crags, the Coniston fells and gentle tops like Black Crag.
• The North Western Fells — the shapely hills between Borrowdale and Buttermere, including Castle Crag and Catbells.
• The Western Fells — the wild, remote country around Wasdale, Ennerdale and Pillar.
• The Northern Fells — the great rounded whalebacks of Skiddaw and Blencathra.

Tackling one group at a time is the smart way to plan: neighbouring summits link into satisfying multi-fell days, and you get to know each valley and its parking, pubs and paths in turn.

Featured Wainwright walks

Our route guides span the full spectrum, from a gentle family first-summit to England's highest and most serious mountain day. Here's how the current guides compare at a glance.

Each guide includes the full route description, a downloadable GPX file, an interactive map, live weather and detailed parking and safety notes — everything you need to plan the day with confidence.

Best Wainwrights for beginners

You don't have to start big. The perfect first Wainwright is a low fell with a short, well-made path and a view out of all proportion to the effort. Our Black Crag walk above Tarn Hows is ideal: a gentle circular past waterfalls to a 323-metre summit with a panorama over Windermere and Coniston Water. Equally rewarding is the Castle Crag walk in Borrowdale — the smallest Wainwright of all, yet with one of the finest views down Derwentwater.

Beyond our guides, classic beginner fells include Catbells on Derwentwater, Loughrigg Fell near Ambleside, Latrigg above Keswick and Loweswater's gentle tops. Build up your fitness and confidence on these before progressing to bigger days on the Old Man of Coniston or the serious mountain challenge of Scafell Pike.

If it's an easy, spectacular day out you're after — with no summit required — our family-friendly Rydal Caves walk and the Lake District waterfall walks collection are the perfect complement to your fell-walking.

Wainwright bagging: completing the 214

Wainwright bagging — climbing all 214 fells and ticking each off as you go — has become a beloved long-term challenge. There's no time limit and no rules beyond reaching each summit under your own steam, which is precisely its appeal: you can take a lifetime or a few intense years. Many walkers keep a log, and on completing the round can register with the Wainwright Society, joining thousands who have followed AW's footsteps across every corner of Lakeland.

The joy of bagging is that it takes you to fells you'd otherwise never climb — the quiet, unfashionable tops that turn out to offer the best solitude and the biggest surprises. It transforms a collection of day-walks into a personal journey across the whole National Park, and there's no wrong way to do it: fast or slow, in order or at random, solo or with friends.

Safety and preparation on the fells

The Wainwrights range from gentle strolls to serious mountains, and the higher fells demand respect. Mountain weather changes quickly and dramatically: it can be warm and calm in the valley and cold, wet and clouded on the tops within the hour. Always check the mountain forecast (the Lake District Weather Line and Met Office mountain forecasts are invaluable), carry warm and waterproof layers, plenty of food and water, and a fully charged phone — but never rely on the phone for navigation, as signal is patchy across much of the district.

Crucially, carry a paper OS map and a compass and know how to use them. Our GPX files and interactive maps are a superb planning aid, but batteries fail and screens crack. Tell someone your route and expected return time, wear proper footwear, and turn back if conditions deteriorate — the fell will still be there another day. In an emergency, call 999 and ask for the Police, then Mountain Rescue.

Best time of year to walk the Wainwrights

The fells are walkable year-round, but each season offers something different. Late spring and summer bring the longest days, firmest ground and safest conditions for the high tops — ideal for the big mountains. Autumn is arguably the most beautiful season, with golden bracken, low light and quieter paths. Winter transforms the high fells into a serious mountaineering environment: crampons, ice axe and winter skills become essential above the snow line, so inexperienced walkers should stick to the lower fells or join a guided group.

Whatever the season, an early start rewards you with the best parking, the quietest summits and a margin of daylight if the day runs long.

When you're ready for more

Every walk on this page is a stepping stone. Start low with Black Crag or Castle Crag, build towards the Old Man of Coniston, and set your sights on the roof of England at Scafell Pike. We're steadily adding full route guides, GPX files and maps for more of the 214 — so bookmark this page and check back as the collection grows.

Look out for bonus summits hidden in our other guides, too. The full circuit on our Aira Force and Gowbarrow walk crosses Gowbarrow Fell (481 m), a Wainwright in The Eastern Fells, while the Old Man of Coniston guide explains how to add neighbouring Dow Crag from Goat's Hause. For a gentler outlier with a huge view, Wainwright's Outlying Fells include Gummer's How above Windermere — the perfect first summit for young walkers.

Wherever you are on your Wainwright journey, walk safely, tread lightly, and enjoy every summit. As Alfred Wainwright himself wrote, the fells are there to be loved — and there's no finer way to know the Lake District than one summit at a time.