twofourteen
The stone cairn at the top of Wansfell. In the background you can see Red Screes with a little snow on top. The sky is clear blue with just a few white clouds.

Our first Wainwright, Wansfell

Posted

Date of trip

Written by:

Martin

At the end of February, after living in the Lake District for about 3 months, we finally set off one morning to tackle our first of the 214 fells that Alfred Wainwright described in his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells. The morning started out with some light cloud coverage, with a bit of remaining wind from the recent storms; Dudley, Eunice and Franklin.

We found a walk that started in Ambleside and would take us up the western side of Wansfell Pike, to the summit of Wansfell, and then back down the eastern side through Troutbeck before returning to Ambleside. Alfred describes this as a “pleasant approach” to the summit, but the “ridge is less attractive”. He also notes that the Troutbeck side of the fell is “rather dreary” – though I think due to our luck with the weather, and it being our first Wainwright fell, this didn’t bother us.

Setting Out

From Ambleside, the walk actually starts by going past Stock Ghyll Force. A beautiful 70-foot waterfall, set in some woodlands at the foot of Wansfell. It felt strange, however, as the other side of the waterfalls and stream was housing. We didn’t want to sit and admire them as it felt weird staring at people’s homes.

The Stock Ghyll Force waterfall found on the trail to Wansfell from Ambleside. Three falls converge into one as the water tumbles down the rocks. A small wooden bridge can be seen at the top. The surrounding area is a mossy, bare woodland.
Stock Ghyll Force, Ambleside

The climb up from Ambleside was rather steep, apparently, one of the steeper fell climbs. As we’re not the fittest of climbers (yet!), we took our time, stopping to take in the incredible views over towards Fairfield, Red Screes and the surrounding fells.

The long windy stone stairs that lead up to Wansfell. A smoother dirt track winds alongside it.
A photo looking down the long stone path that leads up to Wansfell. April stood half-way looking up with her hands on her hips and smiling. In the background in the town of Ambleside and fells in the distance. Bright blue skies with clouds on the horizon.
A PeakFinder image highlighting the surrounding fells seen on the ascent to Wansfell Pike. Fairfield (873), High Pike (656), Dove Crag (792), Red Screes (776), Caudale Moor (763), and Stony Cove Pike (763).

The clouds above these fells were some of the last clouds we saw that day, as the skies cleared to a crystal clear blue. We stopped halfway up to snap a few photos with my telephoto, though we didn’t stop here too long as the wind was still bitter cold.

Martin is seen peering through the viewfinder of his camera on a tripod. He's wearing a black wooly hat and gloves.
Three birds flying above the ascent to High Pike. The sun is illuminating the stone wall that climbs the fell, making it stand out against the stormy clouds in the sky behind it.
A single, circular cloud above Red Screes. The tip of the fell just hidden slightly – like it's wearing the cloud as a hat.

As we climbed higher, we had to watch our step due to some black ice hidden on the rocky pathway we were following. The grass to the side wasn’t any safer as that had frozen over too!

Wansfell Pike Summit

A final scramble near the top, brought us to the summit of Wansfell Pike – this is not the Wainwright but has far better views of the lake Windemere and the surrounding areas of Ambleside. The wind, still gusting between 20-30mph, kept us on our toes.

A selfie of Martin and April with Windermere in the background. Both dressed in winter clothes with wooly hats and scarfs.

After taking in the incredible views of Wansfell Pike, we continued north down and up to the cairn found on top of Wansfell. Though between Wansfell Pike and Wansfell was a bit of an adventure itself…

We followed the stone wall down and into what was a huge area of marshy grassland. We definitely took the wrong path and ended up running across some parts trying not to sink and get stuck! Needless to say, our feet got a little bit wet, even with our waterproof hiking shoes on.

A stone wall leads off into the distance over an undulating terrain. Clear blue sky above with just a few clouds sitting above some distant fells.
The stone walls in the Lake District are endless.
Martin walking around a boggy marsh on the way to Wansfell. A stone wall trails off into the distance on the left, and the surround fells can be seen in the background. Clear blue skies with just a few clouds sitting on top of the distant fells.

Wansfell (Baystones) Summit

The views at the top of Wansfell include the Froswick, Ill Bell and Yoke as well as views back towards Wansfell Pike (where we just came from).

A path leading to the cairn in the distance. Blue skies above and fells in the background.

We began the descent down the boggy side of the fell, stopping just past the boggy part that we had to cross again. Here we sat just by a small crag to have our sandwiches and a cookie.

Alfred wasn’t wrong – this side of the fell was very muddy! This part was almost uncrossable, we literally hugged the wall and sidestepped across. Normally, this kind of crossing wouldn’t phase me, but with the camera strapped to my shoulder strap, I was trying not to smash it against the wall. Quickly giving up, I just sprinted across the remaining mud, trying not to slip up or get stuck.

An extremely muddle single-track path with stone walls either side.

The weather kept getting better, the sun was now high up in the sky, and being lower down the fell we were now shielded from some of the wind.

Troutbeck

In Troutbeck, we stopped off in The Old Post Office Tearoom here. They served the most amazing Farrers coffee and a delicious treacle tart. The staff here we very welcoming, kind and friendly, making it somewhere we definitely want to go back to.

A slice of treacle tart on a plate, with a dusting of icing sugar on.
An old stone building with single-pane windows. A bright red post box is situated outside by the front door, along with a Farrer's Coffee sign. The woodwork of the building is a teal-green colour.

After leaving the tearoom, we stopped off just around the corner to let April sit down and do some drawing. There was a bench at the top of the hill with a view down to Troutbeck.

A view over a stone wall, looking down a green field that leads to the village of Troutbeck at the bottom. A few small white houses in the middle, with feels in the background and a clear blue sky.

A bit further along, we stopped once again. This time with views of Windemere. As April drew her second vista, I wandered about taking photos of sheep, and a buzzard being pestered by a crow (perhaps a rook or a raven?).

Sloping hills lead down into Windermere lake. Fells are seen in the background, still with a little snow on the top. Clear blue skies.
A flock of sheep grazing in a field on a hill hear Windermere. Clear blue skies above with the sun high up. Stone walls surround the sheep.
A winding single-track road with stone walls either side. A few puddles reflect the clear blue sky. Fields with bare trees surround it. Fells in the distant background.
A grazing sheep on a hill near the lake. Clear blue skies above.
A black crow chasing down a buzzard in flight.

The next part of our journey took us along a path with a large gate and an even larger puddle. After staring at the puddle, debating if we could jump across to some rocks we could see just below the water surface, we decided not to risk it and instead climb over a broken gap in the stone wall. We re-joined the path just past the giant puddle, where there was a wire fence that we squeezed through.

April is standing at the edge of a large puddle at the gate we needed to go through. She's staring at the puddle trying to work out how to cross it.
That’s a big puddle…

Skelghyll Woods

As we continued along the path, we eventually ventured into Skelghyll Woods. A beautiful woodland with a stream running through it. We stopped to draw and photograph a small waterfall section of the stream. The sun was a little lower now and created a beautiful bloom through the trees in the background.

April is seen with her red backpack on walking on a gravel path through the forest. The afternoon sun is casting long shadows across the path from the trees.
A view looking up a tall tree.
A small brook in a forest leading away into the sun. Lighter parts of the water bloom. The water blurred from a long exposure. The woodland around it is mossy and vibrant green.

Returning to Ambleside we popped into Greggs to get a cold sausage roll that we instantly regretted – especially once we walked around the corner to see a Cornish Bakery that we could have gone into instead. Nevermind.

One down, 213 to go.

Suggested posts