Illgill Head

✎️ Whin Rigg and Illgill Head are the two fells that cap the Wastwater Screes, looking down England’s deepest lake. A magnificent but serious round — and the rule that matters most: resist any urge to drop down the Screes; the only safe way down is the walking route.

⬇️ Download GPX

Best season: Late spring to autumn, in clear and dry conditions. It’s a long, exposed day; near the edge in poor visibility is no place to be, and the tops are boggy in stretches.

⚠️ Warnings: Do not try to cut the walk short down the Screes to the lake. It looks like a shortcut and is a serious mistake — the Wastwater Screes are steep, loose and boulder-choked, and the shoreline beneath them is a notorious, hazardous boulder-scramble, not an escape. The only safe way off is to finish the route.; A high, exposed edge above a huge drop to Wastwater — keep well back from the crumbling rim, especially in wind or poor visibility.; A long day (nearly 17 km, 680 m of ascent) with boggy stretches — carry map, compass and enough food and water, and start early.; Livestock on the lower fields; keep dogs under close control.

Full route guide ↗

✎️ Planned route — drawn but not personally walked or checked yet.

A planned line is a suggestion, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate independently and carry a map & compass.