Scafell Pike seen across the intervening ridges in summer haze, its rocky summit crown above the crags

Collection · 30 fells

Walking the Southern Fells

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The Wainwright and Outlying fells we group as the Southern area of the Lake District — each with its height, a typical round time, the bus where there’s one, and today’s predicted conditions. Grouped by our own area tag (a practical guide, not a fixed authored canon). Check the live conditions and the mountain forecast before the tops.

fells

The count is of the list on this page. How we check →

2 of these are rated good to climb on 27 October — see live conditions →
A prediction from our daily fell score (clear summits, wind, rain, visibility), not a guarantee — always check the mountain forecast before you go. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (opens in new tab).

Too windy for the topsScafell Pike978 m~6–7¼ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberEngland's highest mountain, Scafell Pike stands at 978m (3,209ft) and is the supreme objective for every Lakeland walker.
Too windy for the topsScafell964 m~5½–6¾ hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberThough 14m lower than its neighbour, Scafell at 964m (3,162ft) is in many respects the grander fell.
Too windy for the topsGreat End910 m~5–6 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberGreat End at 910m (2,984ft) is the northern fortress of the Scafell massif, its great crags plunging dramatically into upper Borrowdale and forming one of the most imposing cliff faces in Lakeland.Hazard notes checked by Lee McCoy: Great End (13 June 2026); they draw on Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team and Keswick Mountain Rescue Team.
Too windy for the topsBowfell903 m~5–6 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberBowfell at 903m (2,962ft) was one of Wainwright's great favourites.
Too windy for the topsEsk Pike885 m~5½–6¾ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberEsk Pike at 885m (2,904ft) stands at the crossroads of the high Lakeland passes, above Esk Hause where the main routes to Scafell Pike, Bowfell and Great Gable all converge.
Too windy for the topsCrinkle Crags - Long Top (Second Crinkle)859 m~5½–6¾ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberCrinkle Crags at 859m (2,818ft) is exactly what its name suggests — a jagged, entertaining ridge of five distinct tops above the head of Great Langdale.
Too windy for the topsLingmell807 m~4½–5½ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberLingmell at 807m (2,648ft) stands sentinel above Wasdale Head, a broad grassy dome that Wainwright described as providing one of the finest close-up views of Scafell Pike — the great crags of Pikes Crag and the Corridor Route are seen to dramatic effect from its summit.
Too windy for the topsSwirl How802 m~3½–4¼ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberSwirl How at 802m (2,633ft) is the central hub of the Coniston Fells, from whose summit the ridges radiate like spokes to the Old Man, Wetherlam, Grey Friar and Great Carrs.
Too windy for the topsThe Old Man of Coniston (Coniston Old Man)802 m~3½–4¼ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberThe Old Man of Coniston at 802m (2,633ft) stands guardian over the Coniston valley, its summit the finest viewpoint on the Coniston fells and one of the most popular destinations in southern Lakeland.
Too windy for the topsBrim Fell796 m~3½–4¼ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberBrim Fell at 796m (2,611ft) is the intermediate summit between the Old Man of Coniston and Swirl How on the main Coniston ridge, a broad, grassy top that most walkers cross without pausing.
Too windy for the topsGreat Carrs785 m~3½–4¼ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberGreat Carrs at 785m (2,575ft) is a Wainwright summit in the Southern Fells, forming the rocky northern arm of the Swirl How ridge above Wrynose Pass.
Too windy for the topsAllen Crags785 m~5½–6¾ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberAllen Crags at 785m (2,575ft) sits above Esk Hause between the paths to Glaramara and Great End.
Too windy for the topsGlaramara783 m~5–6 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberGlaramara at 783m (2,568ft) is the great ridge fell of upper Borrowdale, a long, complex summit with multiple rocky tops and a character quite unlike its smoother neighbours.
Too windy for the topsDow Crag778 m~3½–4¼ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberDow Crag at 778m (2,552ft) is one of the great rock climbing crags of the Lake District, its eastern face dropping in a series of buttresses and gullies to the dark waters of Goat's Water below.
Too windy for the topsGrey Friar773 m~3½–4¼ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberGrey Friar at 773m (2,536ft) is the most westerly of the main Coniston Fells, a stony, twin-topped summit with wide views westward to the Scafell massif across the Duddon valley, and south-west to the coast and the sea.
Too windy for the topsWetherlam763 m~3½–4¼ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberWetherlam at 763m (2,503ft) is the eastern buttress of the Coniston Fells, a broad, craggy summit that Wainwright described as giving some of the best views of the Helvellyn range of any southern fell.
Too windy for the topsSlight Side762 m~5½–6¾ hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberSlight Side at 762m (2,500ft) forms the southern shoulder of Scafell, a long, grassy ridge that extends the fell's bulk towards the Eskdale valley.
Too windy for the topsPike of Blisco703 m🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberPike of Blisco at 703m (2,306ft) is a shapely, rocky little summit above the head of Great Langdale, beloved by Wainwright for its excellent views and its distinctive, pointed profile when seen from the valley.
Too windy for the topsCold Pike700 m~4¼–5½ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberCold Pike at 700m (2,297ft) is a rocky little summit on the ridge between Pike of Blisco and Crinkle Crags, its three small tops each providing slightly different views.
Too windy for the topsHarter Fell (Eskdale)653 m~4½–6¼ hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberHarter Fell at 653m (2,143ft) is a shapely, rocky summit between upper Eskdale and the Duddon valley, quite distinct in character from the Mardale fell of the same name.
Too windy for the topsRossett Pike651 m~5½–6¾ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberRossett Pike at 651m (2,136ft) guards the head of Mickleden in Great Langdale, a rocky summit above the well-worn path to Esk Hause and Scafell Pike.
Too windy for the topsIllgill Head609 m~4–5 hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberIllgill Head at 609m (1,997ft) is the highest point of the famous Wastwater Screes — one of the most dramatic and photographed features in the Lake District.
Too windy for the topsSeathwaite Fell (Wainwright summit)601 m~2½–3 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberSeathwaite Fell at 601m (1,972ft) sits above the head of Borrowdale on the watershed between Styhead Gill and Grains Gill.
Too windy for the topsRosthwaite Fell - Bessyboot551 m~2½–3 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberBessyboot at 551m (1,808ft) is the distinctive rocky summit of Rosthwaite Fell in the Southern Fells above Stonethwaite and Borrowdale.
Too windy for the topsHard Knott550 mSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberHard Knott at 550m (1,803ft) stands above the infamous Hardknott Pass, its rocky summit giving superb views down to the Roman fort of Mediobogdum directly below — one of the most evocative historical viewpoints in the Lake District.
Too windy for the topsWhin Rigg (Wasdale)537 m~4–5 hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberWhin Rigg at 537m (1,762ft) is the southern end of the Wastwater Screes ridge, its summit giving outstanding views of Wast Water and south to the Cumbrian coast.
Too windy for the topsGreen Crag489 m~2½–3 hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberGreen Crag at 489m (1,603ft) is a delightful rocky summit above the Ulpha Fells in Dunnerdale, its small crags and bilberry-covered knolls quite different in character from the high fells to the north.
Too windy for the topsLingmoor Fell (Brown How)470 m~2½–3 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberLingmoor Fell at 470m (1,542ft) is a heathery ridge between Great Langdale and Little Langdale, its summit giving one of the finest aerial views of Great Langdale available from any low fell.
Dry, firm underfootBlack Fell323 m~2–2½ h🚌 BusDecent · 68 · rated on 27 OctoberBlack Fell at 323m (1,060ft) is a small, heathery summit above Tarn Hows, its top giving fine views of this most popular of Lakeland beauty spots.
Dry, firm underfootHolme Fell316 m~2–2½ h🚌 BusDecent · 66 · rated on 27 OctoberHolme Fell at 316m (1,036ft) is a delightful, craggy little summit above Yewdale near Coniston, its rocky outcrops of Uskdale Gap and Ivy Crag providing surprisingly varied and interesting walking for such a modest height.

Walks in the Southern Fells

Every walk we offer that starts in this area, by our own area tag. All walks has each one with its distance, climb and time.

Map

● fells within ~5 km

More collections

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Classic horseshoes & roundsLakeland ridge rounds — circular routes that link four or more summits and finish near where they started.103 walks Dog-friendly walksWalks where our gate-by-gate census found no stiles blocking a dog's way round — honest verdicts, lead advice included.26 walks Easy & family walksLow-level lakeshores, waterfalls, tarns and gentle viewpoints under 500 m of climb and graded no harder than Moderate on any measure — with honest pushchair, young-kids, view and underfoot flags.31 walks