Alfred Wainwright wrote seven illustrated guides to the Lake District fells between 1955 and 1966. He described 214 named summits in detailed hand-drawn form. Completing all 214 has become an objective for thousands of walkers. This is what you need to know before you start.
What counts as a Wainwright
A Wainwright is any summit included in Wainwright's seven-book series covering the eastern, western, northern, southern, central, north-western, and far eastern fells. The 214 fells range from 100-metre outcrops like Castle Crag in Borrowdale (not many fells have their own book chapter below 300m) to Scafell Pike at 978 metres. They are not simply the highest hills — Wainwright included them based on a combination of character, viewpoints, and intrinsic interest.
Where to start
Catbells is the standard recommendation and it deserves the reputation. 451m, accessible from the Keswick Launch, with an excellent ridge walk and views over Derwentwater. It is a genuine fell, not a hill, and feels like a proper mountain to a beginner. The return journey on the boat from Hawes End completes the experience.
Other good starter Wainwrights: Loughrigg Fell (350m, above Ambleside), Silver How (395m, above Grasmere), Helm Crag (405m, directly above Grasmere), and Haystacks (597m, Buttermere — Wainwright's own favourite).
How long does it take
Most people who set out to complete the Wainwrights never do. Of those who do, the average completion time is somewhere between 10 and 20 years of regular visits. A very committed walker doing 4 to 5 Wainwrights per trip, visiting 3 to 4 times a year, might complete in 5 to 7 years. The 214 fells include many that are remote, require multi-fell days to access efficiently, and need specific weather conditions to be enjoyable.
The books
Wainwright's seven pictorial guides are available in revised editions. The illustrations and handwriting are his own, the route notes have been updated for current paths and conditions. Buy them. They are genuinely useful on the hill and the illustrations are remarkable. The Westmorland Gazette published the originals and republishes updated editions. Most outdoor shops in Keswick and Ambleside stock the full set.
The practical reality
The Wainwrights in the Eastern Fells book, which includes Helvellyn and the popular summits, are the easiest to accumulate early because they are closest to the main tourist areas. The Western Fells (Great Gable, the Scafell group, Pillar) are more remote and require specific days. The Far Eastern Fells cover a large area including High Street and are often done as multi-fell horseshoe days. The Northern Fells (Skiddaw, Blencathra) are close to Keswick and accessible but distinct.
📖Wainwright's Pictorial Guides are sold in most outdoor gear shops in Keswick and Ambleside, and at the Keswick Museum and Grasmere Gift Shop.
Explore all 214 Wainwright fells on Hike The Lakes.
Wainwrights on Hike The Lakes →
Damian Roche
Founder, Churchtown Media. Builder of TheLakesGuide.co.uk, TheLakesWildlife.co.uk, and HikeTheLakes.com. Southport-based. Regular Lakes visitor for decades.
