A “Wainwright” is one of the 214 fells Alfred Wainwright described in his seven-volume Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, published between 1955 and 1966. Bagging them is a popular pastime, and you can start with a gentle one. This guide explains how to choose a first fell and gives a shortlist, being clear about which details we have checked and which we haven’t.
Low doesn’t always mean easy
The 214 range from Scafell Pike at 978 m down to Castle Crag at 290 m (heights from the Database of British and Irish Hills, via Wikipedia). It is tempting to pick the smallest ones, but height isn’t difficulty. The British Mountaineering Council makes the point itself: Yewbarrow (628 m) and Middle Dodd (654 m) “are not the highest” but the ascents are steep, which makes them a real physical challenge. (The same DoBIH table gives Yewbarrow as 627 m; we have kept the BMC’s figures in that sentence.)
For a first fell, look for:
- A short, clear path and a gradual start, with a published route you can follow on an OS map.
- A bail-out. Somewhere you can turn round without regret.
- A way to get there that doesn’t depend on a tiny car park (see our bus guide to Cat Bells).
- A good forecast. Even a small fell is no fun in cloud and a gale. Read the mountain weather guide first.
A starter shortlist
The BMC names Catbells, Hallin Fell, High Rigg and Binsey as popular fells that people of average fitness can enjoy, and calls Latrigg “one of the lowest fells” and “a great walk for almost everyone”. The table uses that list. We have checked official or published route pages for Latrigg, Cat Bells and High Rigg. Hallin Fell and Binsey stay on the shortlist as BMC suggestions, but we have not yet checked a measured route or parking against an official route page.
| Fell | Book (area) | Height | What we’ve verified | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Latrigg | Northern Fells | 368 m | The National Park’s Miles Without Stiles route is 1 km each way (1.01 km / 0.63 miles) from the car park at the head of Gale Road, about half an hour, graded “for some”. The steepest section is 1:7 for 150 m. It leads to a viewpoint with a bench and views over Derwentwater and Borrowdale. The summit itself is “not far away” but the path to it is steep and uneven, so this route stops short of the top. | Checked against the National Park route page |
| Cat Bells | North Western Fells | 451 m | Classic circular walk from Hawes End: about 3.5 miles (5.7 km), moderate, 2 to 3 hours plus stops depending on the source, with a short steep section and minor scrambling (Visit Keswick, Ramblers). Parking is very limited: read our bus and boat guide. | Checked against two route sources |
| Hallin Fell | Far Eastern Fells | 388 m | Named by the BMC as a popular fell for average fitness. The usual short ascent is from Martindale, on the east side of Ullswater, where there is a small parking area by St Peter’s Church. We have not checked a measured route or the parking against an official National Park or National Trust route page, so treat this as a suggestion only: use an OS map and check parking on the day. The lane into Martindale is narrow. | Heights checked; route not yet verified against an official page |
| High Rigg | Central Fells | 357 m | Named by the BMC. Visit Keswick publishes a 5.2-mile circular from the United Utilities car park at Legburthwaite (grid NY318195, postcode CA12 4TQ), taking 2.5 to 3 hours, along the undulating ridge with a return through St John’s in the Vale. The path is clear; Visit Keswick notes it can be boggy, and that care is needed with younger children because of steep drops on the later section. There is also a shorter walk up from St John’s Church, but we have not checked a measured version of that against a published route page. | Checked against Visit Keswick’s published circular |
| Binsey | Northern Fells | 447 m | Named by the BMC. A standalone grassy fell north of Skiddaw, usually climbed by a clear path from a minor lane on its south-west side, near Binsey Lodge. Parking is limited. We have not checked a measured route or parking against an official route page, so use an OS map and check parking on the day. | Heights checked; route not yet verified against an official page |
Books and heights are from Wikipedia’s list of Wainwrights, which uses Database of British and Irish Hills figures from October 2018. That is also the source for the heights in the table above. Heights vary slightly between sources, and older printed guides give slightly different numbers for some fells. We would re-check a height against DoBIH before giving a fell its own guide.
A note on Gummer’s How
You’ll often see Gummer’s How (321 m, near the foot of Windermere) on “easy Wainwright” lists. It is one of Wainwright’s Outlying Fells, a separate set of 116 from his 1974 book, so it doesn’t count towards the 214. It’s still a good short fell. It just won’t tick a box on the main list.
What to take, and who to tell
The BMC’s basic list for the Wainwrights is a map, compass, torch, whistle, watch and first aid kit. Don’t rely on your phone, as there may be no signal, but do charge it fully. The National Park adds: tell someone where you’re going, leave route details and an estimated time of completion, and let them know when you’re safely back. In winter, even a small fell can hold snow and ice: read the mountain weather guide and don’t go onto winter ground without the skills and kit.
Next steps
- Read how to plan the full 214.
- Check how to read the mountain forecast before you go.
- Looking for something step-free? See Miles Without Stiles in plain English.
Sources
Checked on 14 November 2026. Official pages change: confirm anything time-sensitive (buses, car parks, closures) before you travel.
- A beginner's guide to Wainwright bagging (British Mountaineering Council)
- Latrigg (Miles Without Stiles route) (Lake District National Park Authority)
- Seven ideas for walks in early summer (what the 214 are) (Lake District National Park Authority)
- List of Wainwrights (books, heights from the Database of British and Irish Hills) (Wikipedia)
- Walking safety (Lake District National Park Authority)
- Cat Bells: The family fell (Ramblers)
- Catbells walk (Visit Keswick)
- High Rigg walk (Visit Keswick)
Spotted something out of date? Tell us via the contact page and we’ll check it.