The Outlying Fells
Having documented the main fells of Lakeland in his seven volumes, Wainwright cast his eyes elsewhere for a few years before returning to finish the job by describing the remaining fells and summits lying within the Lake District National Park.
He described 116 fells in 56 walks. Most are considerably lower in elevation than the central peaks though Black Combe at 600m equals many. Some tops are essentially part of the central fells but omitted from the original seven volumes - Walna Scar being a good example.
Like most with eyes to the central massif I had ignored these tops, I already had “ticked some off” but that is slightly cheating since two of them lie on the family farm plus a small handful lay very close by. Somewhat fortuitously the majority of the tops lie to the SE and SW of the district so are more convenient for those of us coming from the SE up to the Lakes.
Wainwright’s 56 chapters have been further aggregated, partly due to legislation like the CRoW act and degredation of walls over the years meaning that only some 37 or so walks need to be undertaken, the longest of these being 20km or thereabouts (and I’ve already done those!). Thus a new campaign. There’s a complete list here
First off were the group to the east of Staveley (the Kendal one): Potter Fell. On this occasion I wasn’t in any rush as I had all day before heading to Langdale to meet Cath. Finding a parking spot proved to be the first challenge, not many available on the narrow country lanes. Soon it was off and up a steady farm track onto the open fell. Surprisingly there was a decent path to follow, obviously even these fells are becoming popular, and before long I was at the highest point of the day on Brunt Fell. An annoyingly persistent shower meant that it was on with the overtrousers ready to head back into the wind. Somehow I lost the path, such as it was, for the final top - Ulgraves - then the usual maze of walls to negotiate back to the lane and the van.
The Potter Fell group is actually one of five that lie in the South East round to the East of the park with a total of 37 tops or a third of the total. The next group going counter-clockwise form a horseshoe around the virtually unknown Bannisdale. I say “unknown”, I didn’t know of it despite growing up only a few miles away! Definitely a secret.
Valentine’s Day 2026 was the first decent day in over a month so I headed over with the dog for a winter walk. The first job was finding the very small road leading into the dale, by luck I got it first time but my intended parking spot had been dug out and I wasn’t sure once parked there if I could get out. So I parked back down the road but that meant there would be a short road climb at the end of the day.
The first top, Whiteside Pike, was a little cracker being a prominent rocky ridge rising above the surroundings. The pity was that the rest of the horseshoe was basically bog-trotting. Ah well. Wainwright notes that this is the toughest walk in the book but the intervening years and a modicum of popularity have led to there being a faint path to follow. Also all the walls and fences either have gates or stiles so obviously a bit more trodden than in his day.
The general going underfoot was soft snow over unfrozen ground which made things a bit of a drudge - even more so when one part turned particularly soft and I went in up to my knee! It took quite a bit of effort to get out and meant that I was generally quite wet. Not good in temperatures around freezing. It was however sunny and my trousers were fleece softshell so soon warmed up.
After Capplebarrow there isn’t much of interest until the trig point on White Howe, just about the only indication that anyone has found these hills worthy of attention. Eventually I dropped down to Dry Howe Bridge where I saw the first person I’d seen all day. Strava activity here.
Going anti-clockwise from Bannisdale the next walk is around Crookdale. Wainwright has this as two walks, his Crookdale “Horseshoe” isn’t really - it goes up the valley to return via the tops on the south side, the north side is reserved for a horseshoe around the valley to the north (a second Wasdale) which in the walks I’m following is part of a big yomp around Wet Sleddale.
Anyway after a couple of weeks of yet more yukk weather a fine day appeared so over to The Lakes we go. I wasn’t sure if I could park on he road leading to the end of the valley but it turned out to be fine.
A steep pull up on depressingly soggy ground soon led to the first top, High House Bank. As with the Bannisdale Circuit once on top there was a faint path to follow though this was even less well trodden. It intertwined with a more obvious quad-bike track and from here-on most of the rest of the round followed one or the other.
Next up was the rather curiously named Robin Hood quite what Robin of Loxley was doing round here I’ve no idea as I thought he wandered down from Hadrian’s Wall via the Dales (?). The quad bike track led on to Lord’s Seat.
Rather than go all the way round the valley head I cut across directly to Great Yarlside the highest point of the day and a fine viewpoint for lunch.
It was looking rather black to the SW so no time to linger. Down the steep drop to follow the old wall to Little Yarlside and then up to the final top of Whatshaw Common. All that was left was to work my way back down to the start. I got to the van just as the rain came on so really well timed. Another six tops done, another really boggy day underfoot. Strava activity