Monday, 21 June 2021

Guest Contributor – Ronnie Bowron

 

Introduction 

If readers would like to contribute an article for the Guest Contributor page heading please contact me, my email address appears on the About Me page heading. The 0nly two things I ask is that the article should be hill related and importantly I should not end up in court through its publication! Otherwise the choice of subject matter is down to the Guest Contributor. 

 

 

About the Author; Ronnie Bowron

 



Ronnie Bowron developed a passion for the mountains through Scouting where as a Cub Scout over the Easter weekend in 1976 he visited the Lake District for the first time.  Since then he has walked extensively around the UK, with various trips to the Alps and Himalaya.

Ten years ago he decided to have greater objectives to walking the fells and subsequently completed the Wainwrights and then the Outlying Fells, Birketts, Nuttalls and Simms.  Having completed a round of English and Welsh mountains he then refocused on the Lake District completing the Synges. 

His current projects revolve around documenting all recognised hills/mountains from any bagging list in each of the UK’s 15 National Parks.  He calls these “The Definitive Lists©” of the National Parks of the United Kingdom.  This has now followed on with selective Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) such as the North Pennines and the Forest of Bowland. 

In the last few years he has completed rounds of all 1,040 summits in the Lake District National Park and all 195 summits within the Yorkshire Dales National Park.  His attention then turned to documenting and climbing all English/Welsh Mountains over 2,000 feet/600 metres on the same basis as his Definitive Lists, with a completion of the 920th summit on Tryfan North Top in May 2019 thus becoming the first known person to complete all the recognised lists for the LDWA Hillwalkers Register 1 since Frank Yates in 1993.

Current objectives resolve around completing the English and Welsh Deweys, the 216 summits within the North Penines AONB and closer to home all 511 summits within the historic county boundary of Yorkshire. 



The Wainwright Summits

Introduction

The challenge of completing all 214 Wainwright summits as detailed in Alfred Wainwright’s set of Pictorial Guides is one of the most popular, if not the most popular hill bagging challenges in the UK.

The Pictorial Guides were not devised as a hill bagging list per se, moreover Wainwright’s ethos was more about exploring each individual fell, and Wainwright did devote a section of each chapter to the summit area.  As such it’s entirely appropriate that lovers of the Lake District want to visit each and every summit.

In the last decade technology has come to dominate our day to day lives and this is no different to exploring the great outdoors.  GPS has taken over our navigation whether it’s via aeroplanes, boats, motor vehicles and now shank’s pony.  Walking GPS’s whether via dedicated units or apps on mobile phones greatly improve the accuracy of navigation in the mountains and as a result improves safety for all.

The explosion of GPS units and apps means there is a need for even greater data accuracy with GPS units requiring 10 figure GR10s which create a position of one metre square.

How do I find or create an accurate list of 10 figure grid references for each summit?  What appears to be a simple question has finished up with hundreds of hours of research over the last couple of years to arrive at a consolidated list.


The Issue

Within the UK the Database of British and Irish Hills (DoBIH) is regarded by most other hill bagging websites and hill list apps as the ‘golden source’ of their data feeds.

This leads to a fundamental issue as to the identification of the summit location between DoBIH and many (older) lists such as Wainwright: -

·      The DoBIH define the Summit of a hill as a single point that is the highest natural ground above sea level (Ordnance Datum Newlyn in mainland Britain or Malin Head for all Ireland) on that hill.

·       However as noted by DoBIH Wainwright's preference was for a recognisable feature such as a cairn, shelter of trig point.  Wainwright did not use grid references to identify summit locations instead relying upon a combination of summit sketch, map identifying the summit location and Wainwright’s description of the summit area.

The importance of this distinction was not material when people used paper maps and six figure GR10s, as the rounding in the latter largely addressed the differences.  However, with GPS units requiring much more accurate ten figure GR10s the issue becomes more acute.

The DoBIH have sought to address these differences by adding a Note Field where differences between the true summit and the Wainwright summit are noted.  This is fine if one is planning routes from the Hillbagging (and some other) websites but most apps and other hill listings only take the data feed of the ten figure GR10 in DoBIH.

To illustrate the point let’s use an example of Gray Crag.

DoBIH/ Hill Bagging notes the true summit to be at NY 42756 11709 with a note “this is Nuttall summit S of wall; Wainwright summit is N of wall at NY 42672 11869”.

The excellent IOS App Hill Lists by Graham Haley lists Gray Crag summit location as NY 42756 11709.



Highlighting this issue is not to disparage DoBIH or any of the websites/ apps that take data feeds, but to highlight the different methodology; DoBIH taking the highest natural ground and Wainwright taking a summit cairn, wind shelter or trig pillar as the summit position ahead of any natural feature.  Wainwright would often refer to “there is no summit cairn” in his summit description if the summit was absent a man-made feature.  

In this case, people often climb it as an out and back from Thornthwaite Crag, therefore may miss out on the Wainwright summit by not walking the extra 150 metres or so to the Wainwright summit position.

The object of this research was therefore to identify and highlight all those Wainwright summits where the GR10 cell in the DoBIH differs from the actual Wainwright summit position.


Identifying the Wainwright summit positions

How did Wainwright choose his 214 fells and summit positions?  This is a question that has always intrigued me and many others for that matter.

I have always related this question to Mark Jackson's list of Relative Wainwrights (P30+) of the Lake District over 1000ft as described in the Long Distance Walkers Association (LDWA) Hillwalkers' Register Annual Report of 2011.  In using the UIAA definition of separate summits of P30+ Jackson’s excellent research removed 56 Wainwrights and added in 59 new Relative Wainwrights to arrive at his total of 217 Relative Wainwrights.

In percentage terms this is 26% of the 214 listing of which only five [Gray Stones, High Style, Seathewaite Fell, Whiteside and Whinlatter Top] can be explained away by there being a separately recognised higher top close by.

Even these additions/ deletions numbers are understated.  The original list missed Gowbarrow Fell P100 and Rough Crags (Riggindale) P33.  Later surveys after Jackson’s work was published would now add Silver How P31 upgraded May 2018, Striding Edge (High Spying How) P31.2 upgraded September 2018 and Wansfell Pike P30.8 upgraded June 2018.  There would be others within Wainwright’s geographic definition of Lakeland from Book 1 which could also be considered.

Why is there such disparity between the two Wainwright lists?  Why did Wainwright choose less significant fells over many more prominent summits?

The answer to these questions I believe largely rests in understanding the OS maps he had available to him when he was developing the idea of the Pictorial Guides.  This will also explain many of the summit positions.

 

 

1947

1948

1949

1950

1951

1952

1953

1954

1955

1956

Wainwright

Books

 

Developed Idea

Book

1

 

OS 6Th Series

 One Inch

82,83

88,89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OS 7Th Series

 One Inch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

82

83,88

89

 

 

 

1957

1958

1959

1960

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

Wainwright Books

Book 2

Book 3

 

Book 4

 

Book 5

 

Book 6

 

Book 7

OS 6Th Series One Inch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OS 7Th Series

 One Inch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The above table shows the inter relationship timeline between researching the Pictorial Guides and the year of publication of each of the seven books.  In the 1940s – 1960s the mapping of Lakeland was covered by four maps:

Sheet 82 – Keswick

Sheet 83 – Penrith

Sheet 88 – Barrow in Furness

Sheet 89 – Lancaster and Kendal



During these decades there were two series of One-Inch maps published by the Ordnance Survey: -

·         The 6th Series also known as the New Popular Edition

·         The 7th Series

Whilst the 7th Series was available by the time Book 1 was published in 1955, the vast majority of the research period for the Pictorial Guides would have been covered by the New Popular Edition.  That is not to discount that Wainwright did not use the 7th Series particularly in latter books; there are examples in Wainwright’s commentary that could only have come from 7th Series mapping.

Also there are references in the Pictorial Guides to 2½ inch mapping for example in the chapters for Sheffield Pike, Southern Fell and Stybarrow Dodd which are available on the National Library of Scotland website as 1:25,000 1937-61.

There is a vitally important difference between the 6th and 7th Series in relation to what we now regard as the trig symbol:

The 6th Series mapping used the trig symbol to identify the old trig station positions that was a carry forward from the Six-Inch mapping of the late 1800’s.

However in the 7th Series the trig symbol was changed to represent the trig pillars we know on current OS mapping.  The first trig pillar in the UK was built in 1936.

To understand Wainwright’s choice of fells and many of the summit positions one needs to understand the work of the OS surveyors of the late 1880’s.  These surveyors used trig stations to map the UK to what is still regarded as an incredible degree of accuracy.  As per trig pillars, a trig station needed to be in line of sight of at least another two trig stations.  Therefore, more often than not these trig stations were not on the true summit of a fell but on ridge ends for better sight lines.

To allow the OS surveyors to return to the same spot to continue their survey work these trig stations were very often marked by a cairn.

We know from his work that Wainwright was a highly visual person and secondly he liked to a ‘The View’ 360 degrees spiral in many chapters.  Therefore both the OS surveyors and Wainwright wanted the same locations; positions with excellent surrounding views.

Let me show three examples to demonstrate this thesis:

Rosthwaite Fell – Bessyboot.  The New Popular Edition mapping shows the trig station 1,807ft at Bessyboot, although Wainwright could have chosen the higher 2,000ft contour circle on Rosthwaite Fell.

 


Seathwaite Fell.  Again Wainwright used the trig station 1,970ft position rather than the 2,050ft contour circle of the true summit.


 

High Pike (Scandale).  This is only a P6 and an example of a ridge end trig station.


 

On the 6th Series mapping there are 182 trig stations related to Wainwright fells plus seven benchmarks lead by Scoat Fell at the famous cairn in the wall.  But a word of caution, Wainwright was not consistent in using trig station positions over true summit positions where sometimes he went for the latter: 

Mungrisdale Common.  The trig station 2,038 is well off the summit plateau.

 


Rossett Pike.  The trig station is at Mickleden Cairn (a far better view) but Wainwright used the cairn at the benchmark (a boundary corner) with a height of 2,134.2 ft.



Data Accuracy

How accurate should the GR10 be?

A 10-figure GR10 is suitable for input to most hand-held GPS instruments.

Three independent studies have shown that the error in on the ground measurements has been determined as ±8.5m (three standard deviations), with the majority accurate to within ±5m of the summit feature.  Any measurements with survey grade GPS receivers (indicated in the Survey field) will be accurate to 1m.

Different brands of GPS units may result in slightly different readings depending on their software and atmospheric conditions may mean data accuracy of 3 to 5 metres.

I am 99% confident that the GR10s are accurate to within 5 metres given the vagaries of a) GPS unit error b) the minor difference between OSGB36/ WGS84 datum and the fact many cairns are more than one metre wide.  The GR10’s are based on WGS84 as the dominant mapping datum globally both in mobile phones/ Satnav systems and mapping websites.


Group A

Where the Wainwright summit is a different recognised summit from the summit recorded on DoBIH.  There are five summits in this group.

Glaramara

GR: NY 24719 10563

Hill Name

Glaramara North Top

DoBIH Name

Glaramara

Hill ID

500023

DoBIH Number

2389

Height

781m / 2562ft

Height

783m / 2569ft

Summit Feature

Rocky platform bearing two Cairns

Summit Feature

pointed rock 10m south of Cairn

GR10

NY 24719 10563

GR10

NY 24600 10456

 

Note DoBIH Observation:  “Nuttall summit; Wainwright summit (Cairn) 160m NE at NY 24722 10561 and Cairn 55m W are lower”.

Pointers to the Wainwright summit position from the Pictorial Guide:

The sketch map shows the summit position as the southern of two Cairns on the North East Top.  This ties in with latest OS mapping.

 



Wainwright states “Twin summits of rock….but indisputably the finer is that to the north east…bearing two Cairns”.

 


Sixth Series New Popular Edition shows a 2,550ft contour in the north-east of the 2,500ft contour.  The separate 780m contour south-west should have had a second 2,550ft contour.


The Seventh Series has a similar ‘error’ but now dropping the trig station to a spot height on the North Top.

 

Old imperial mapping did not recognise the current true summit of Glaramara with a contour circle and as such various hill bagging lists identified Glaramara North Top as the summit of Glaramara:  Corbett25, Docharty, Falkingham, Moss2000 and Simpson.

 

 

Haystacks (Buttermere)

GR: NY 19333 13204

Hill Name

Haystacks North Top

DoBIH Name

Haystacks (Buttermere)

Hill ID

501446

DoBIH Number

2457

Height

595m / 1952ft

Height

597m / 1958ft

Summit Feature

Cairn

Summit Feature

Cairn

GR10

NY 19333 13204

GR10

NY 19335 13151

 

Note DoBIH Observation: “Wainwright/Birkett is Cairn 50m north at NY 19336 13204”.

Pointers to the Wainwright summit position from the Pictorial Guide:

The Wainwright sketch map shows the summit position as the northern of two Cairns.

Spot Height of “1,900 feet approx.”. – no OS spot height but instead twin 1,900 feet contour circles.

Wainwright states “The highest part of the fell is a small rocky ridge [running north-south], fifty yards in length, with a Cairn at each end, and a tarn alongside to the west.  The two Cairns are at approximately the same elevation, but the north one, lying on the line of the path across the top of the fell, is usually reckoned to be the true summit”.

The summit sketch shows a metal stake extending from the summit cairn.  This is still there.

Modern surveying equipment now show the southern cairn as the true summit but Wainwright sits alongside Birkett and Docharty in declaring the north cairn as the summit.

Interestingly Docharty is the only known hill list author to declare twin summits here recognising the second 1,900 foot contour circle in his research work.




Illgill Head

GR: NY 16541 04800

Hill Name

Illgill Head (Docharty summit)

DoBIH Name

Illgill Head

Hill ID

501445

DoBIH Number

2454

Height

605m / 1985ft

Height

608.8m / 1997ft

Summit Feature

Cairn

Summit Feature

rock

GR10

NY 16541 04800

GR10

NY 16898 04924

 

Note DoBIH Observation: “Wainwright summit is a Cairn at NY165048 which is at least 3m lower than true summit”.

Pointers to the Wainwright summit position from the Pictorial Guide:

The Wainwright sketch map shows the summit position at the western end of the summit contour overlooking the Wasdale Screes. 


The spot height of 1,983 feet ties into the western of the two trig stations.
  The old OS maps incorrectly showed the Wainwright summit as the higher of the two spot heights on Illgill Head.



Low Fell

GR: NY 13595 22264

Hill Name

Loweswater Fell (Low Fell)

DoBIH Name

Low Fell

Hill ID

3780

DoBIH Number

2493

Height

412m / 1352ft

Height

423m / 1388ft

Summit Feature

Cairn on rock

Summit Feature

ground by small Cairn

GR10

NY 13595 22264

GR10

NY 13732 22616

 

Note DoBIH Observation: “An alternative location for the Wainwright is the south top at NY136223 (412m)”

Pointers to the Wainwright summit position from the Pictorial Guide:

The Wainwright sketch map shows the summit position at the southern end of the 1,300 feet contour circle and south of the fence line running WNW to ESE.  Low Fell 5 also references “map shows ‘1350’ contours at both places”.



Wainwright states “The most southerly eminence has the main Cairn” and “two Cairns 100 and 120 yards southeast of the main Cairn indicate better viewpoints”.

The Wainwright sketch map indicates the summit is south of the wall and ties into the 1:25k mapping from 1937-61. 



The summit page also has a separate smaller sketch entitled ‘Cairn on the north top’.

Wainwright estimated the summit height as approximately 1360’ which is much closer to the Loweswater Fell current height than Low Fell.


Thunacar Knott

GR: NY 27907 08135

Hill Name

Thunacar Knott North Top

DoBIH Name

Thunacar Knott

Hill ID

500026

DoBIH Number

2413

Height

715m / 2346ft

Height

723m / 2372ft

Summit Feature

Cairn

Summit Feature

rock 3m NNE of Cairn

GR10

NY 27907 08135

GR10

NY 27975 07992

 

Note DoBIH Observation: None relating to Wainwright summit location.

Pointers to the Wainwright summit position from the Pictorial Guide:

The Wainwright sketch map shows the summit position north of a small tarn.

Wainwright states “The recognised summit, surmounted by a well-made Cairn, is a mound north of the tarn; the benchmark height is 2351’”.  This ties in with the mapping of the era with the 2351ft spot height on the northern summit.





Group B

Some 46 Wainwright summits which are greater than 10 metres from the current true summit recorded in the DoBIH.  The average deviation (excluding Mellbreak see note) is 63.6 metres.  With Mellbreak the average deviation is 84.4 metres.

Ahead of detailing the full list four summits deserve special mention as there have been considerable doubts as to the correct Wainwright summit position.

 

Dodd

Of all the Wainwright summits Dodd has changed the most from Wainwright’s era although the historic forestry remains are still there for all to view.  Wainwright’s sketch was of a cairn in a small clearing on tussocky grass surrounded by Pinus mugo, the mountain pine.

 




Wainwright described the cairn as “twenty yards from the fire break” as part of the descent route description.  His attention to detail on the forest trails and fire breaks helps unlock the Wainwright summit position.  Using Google Earth and satellite photos most of the fire break lines drawn by Wainwright can still be seen and can be plotted as follows:


n the strong balance of probabilities, the Dodd (Skiddaw) true summit position is most likely to be the same as the Wainwright summit position.  Interestingly, whilst Wainwright used the trig station height for Dodd’s height in this case he didn’t use it for the summit.  The trig station would have predated the forestry and is again an excellent view point for surveying.

The distinctive summit cairn rocks (long thin slate) as drawn by Wainwright are in the locality but not in the correct position.  At the time of my last visit in 2019 they had regrettably been used by wild campers as part of a fire.


Mellbreak

Mellbreak with its North and South tops both recognised uniquely by Wainwright in his sketch Map on Mellbreak 3 – is this the 215th Wainwright?

 


On the OS 6th Series New Popular Edition mapping Wainwright would have noted trig stations on both the north and south tops hence the double summit markers.

 


Additionally, on the north top Wainwright sketched a cairn triangle marker (not coloured in, a magnifying glass is useful here) to the south-west of the trig station.


 

The Wainwright summit sketch is of a cairn with a description “south-east from the north top”, behind the cairn Wainwright sketched and named outlines of various fells including the South Top.  He also commented “The more attractive of the two is the heathery north top” and “An odd thing about both summits is that the cairn on each is not quite on the highest ground”. 


Wainwright’s attention to detail is second to none and within the summit cairn is an unusually shaped rock with horizonal strata which is outlined in red.  I am indebted to Graham Jackson for this Mellbreak North Top summit photo above.  On the left of the cairn is a light-coloured rock of very similar shape and horizonal strata to that detailed in the Wainwright sketch.  

All this evidence points to the Wainwright summit of Mellbreak being a cairn 34 metres north-east of Mellbreak North Top true summit, this is the 1,668ft trig station at NY 14324 19495.


Sale Fell

The doubts over Sale Fell relate to the ‘cairn [as] described by Wainwright and Birkett has been largely destroyed’ particularly as there is little by way of cairn rocks in the immediate area.  As others have pointed out cairns come and go so the true summit may well be the Wainwright summit.

This required a site visit to test my theory.

There are two keys to resolving the doubts:

1.           The 1,170ft trig station position from Six-Inch mapping at NY 19461 29712.

2.      The ascent route from Bassenthwaite Lake Station as described by Wainwright.


Wainwright described within the route that “Upon reaching a broken wall turn right up the fell”.

This follows a natural ridge line up the fell until you arrive at the summit area and directly at the trig station cairn.  The cairn itself is an embedded rock with loose rocks on top.  As with many trig station positions of the late 1800’s it is not at the highest point but instead on a ridge end with excellent views.

Also the cairn is slightly on a down slope so is out of sight from the true summit position.

Once again we are indebted to Wainwright’s attention to detail in his summit drawing.  The two largest rocks, a rectangle shaped rock in the bottom right hand corner and a second rock above and left which appears to be two rocks but instead an indented rock are both still in the depleted summit cairn.

 



The panorama lines up perfectly with Wainwright’s summit drawing of Lothwaite and the Skiddaw range behind.

The Wainwright summit cairn of Sale Fell is at NY 19461 29711.


Sour Howes

Given its triangle shaped flat summit plateau with lots of grass hummocks it’s one of the most difficult to identify the true summit never mind the Wainwright summit.  So much so that on my last visit everyone I observed missed the true summit and went to what appears to be a more obvious summit.

The DoBIH Observation is “Wainwright's summit is probably shaly ridge 60m ESE NY 42832 03198; Wainwright's sketch map may be misleading as it indicates summit is further SW where ground is obviously lower”.

 


My contention is that Wainwright’s map is not misleading in the light of the Six-Inch and particularly the Sixth Series mapping available at the time.




The OS clearly believed that the highest point was in the 1,550ft contour circle in the south-west corner of the summit plateau.

The old trig station is spotted at NY 42660 03156 from Six-Inch mapping.

Following a site visit the trig station position is indeed a grassy hummock and the highest point on the western side of the fell.  The Wainwright summit sketch can be matched up with the foreground, a flat summit and sloping ground on the right side and the background fells as described by Wainwright.


 

The Wainwright summit of Sour Howes is at NY 42660 03156.


Bakestall

GR: NY 26631 30857

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

True

Summit Feature

Cairn near fence

Deviation

111m

DoBIH GR10

NY 26642 30747

 

Bannerdale Crags

GR: NY 33609 29076

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

rock 3m NE of pile of stones

Deviation

94m

DoBIH GR10

NY 33530 29026

 

Birks

GR: NY 38177 14485

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

no feature: grass mound

Deviation

203m

DoBIH GR10

NY 38020 14357

 

Bleaberry Fell

GR: NY 28566 19576

Wainwright Summit Feature

windshelter

 

DoBIH

Summit Feature

rock 10m E of windshelter

Deviation

11m

DoBIH GR10

NY 28577 19577

 

Brandreth

GR: NY 21487 11930

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

rock

Deviation

36m

DoBIH GR10

NY 21454 11916

 

Broom Fell

GR: NY 19441 27191

Wainwright Summit Feature

tall cairn

True

Summit Feature

no feature: heather

Deviation

174m

DoBIH GR10

NY 19544 27051

 

Caw Fell

GR: NY 13192 11003

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

rock 13m E of Cairn

Deviation

19m

DoBIH GR10

NY 13210 10996


Crag Hill [Eel Crag]

GR: NY 19266 20364

Wainwright Summit Feature

trig point

DoBIH

Summit Feature

no feature 35m S of trig point

Deviation

32m

DoBIH GR10

NY 19274 20333

 

Dale Head

GR: NY 22304 15326

Wainwright Summit Feature

large Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

no feature 18m W of large Cairn

Deviation

15m

DoBIH GR10

NY 22289 15325


 

Fellbarrow - Mosser Fell

GR: NY 13220 24247

Wainwright Summit Feature

trig point

DoBIH

Summit Feature

no feature: ground 20m SE of trig point

Deviation

23m

DoBIH GR10

NY 13240 24235

 

Gavel Fell

GR: NY 11695 18382

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

No feature

Deviation

123m

DoBIH GR10

NY 11657 18499

 

Grange Fell [Brund Fell]

GR: NY 26408 16240

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn on rock tower

DoBIH

Summit Feature

Cairn on rock tor

Deviation

67m

DoBIH GR10

NY 26468 16276

 

Gray Crag

GR: NY 42669 11870

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

rock

Deviation

183m

DoBIH GR10

NY 42756 11709


Great Borne

GR: NY 12389 16382

Wainwright Summit Feature

Trig Point

DoBIH

Summit Feature

rock

Deviation

24m

DoBIH GR10

NY 12394 16358

 

Great Dodd

GR: NY 34270 20451

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn/ shelter

DoBIH

Summit Feature

no feature: ground 30m SSE of Cairn

Deviation

102m

DoBIH GR10

NY 34204 20529

 

Great Rigg

GR: NY 35581 10396

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

rock 15m NE of Cairn

Deviation

16m

DoBIH GR10

NY 35592 10406

 

Grey Crag [Sleddale Fell]

GR: NY 49711 07176

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

rocky outcrop

Deviation

44m

DoBIH GR10

NY 49714 07220

 

Hart Crag

GR: NY 36902 11208

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

outcrop

Deviation

100m

DoBIH GR10

NY 36818 11262

 

Hart Side

GR: NY 35889 19734

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn (western)

 

DoBIH

Summit Feature

rock within 20m of 2 Cairns

Deviation

14m

DoBIH GR10

NY 35902 19729



High Raise [High Raise (High White Stones)]

GR: NY 28076 09528

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn due South of Trig Pillar

DoBIH

Summit Feature

rock 15m SSE of trig point

Deviation

14m

DoBIH GR10

NY 28089 09523

 

Holme Fell

GR: NY 31531 00657

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn on large rock outcrop

DoBIH

Summit Feature

rock 60m SSW of Cairn

Deviation

57m

DoBIH GR10

NY 31503 00605



Ill Bell

GR: NY 43656 07721

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn (centre of three) at Trig Station

DoBIH

Summit Feature

N of two large cairns 30m apart

Deviation

32m

DoBIH GR10

NY 43649 07752

 

Latrigg

GR: NY 27845 24659

Wainwright Summit Feature

Green sward, top of path from south

DoBIH

Summit Feature

Ground by path

Deviation

87m

DoBIH GR10

NY 27922 24699

 

Ling Fell

GR: NY 17959 28593

Wainwright Summit Feature

Trig Pillar

DoBIH

Summit Feature

no feature

Deviation

68m

DoBIH GR10

NY 17994 28535

 

Loadpot Hill

GR: NY 45726 18083

Wainwright Summit Feature

Boundary Stone

DoBIH

Summit Feature

no feature: ground 80m SW of trig point

Deviation

97m

DoBIH GR10

NY 45636 18046


Lonscale Fell

GR: NY 28537 27173

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn (extension of wall line)

DoBIH

Summit Feature

no feature: ground 25m S of Cairn

Deviation

30m

DoBIH GR10

NY 28545 27144

 

Maiden Moor

GR: NY 23668 18203

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

no feature

Deviation

18m

DoBIH GR10

NY 23677 18188


Meal Fell

GR: NY 28258 33711

Wainwright Summit Feature

large shelter

DoBIH

Summit Feature

small Cairn

Deviation

68m

DoBIH GR10

NY 28301 33763

 

Mellbreak

GR: NY 14324 19495

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn at 1,668ft Trig Station on North Top

DoBIH

Summit Feature

flat rock

Deviation

1020m

DoBIH GR10

NY 14843 18613

 

Nethermost Pike

GR: NY 34407 14156

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn 100 yards NE of circular wall

DoBIH

Summit Feature

cairn

Deviation

74m

DoBIH GR10

NY 34367 14217

 

Rampsgill Head

GR: NY 44224 12772

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

rock

Deviation

147m

DoBIH GR10

NY 44333 12871

 

Rest Dodd

GR: NY 43268 13700

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

grass mound

Deviation

55m

DoBIH GR10

NY 43256 13646

 

Robinson

GR: NY 20177 16873

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn (W)

DoBIH

Summit Feature

rock

Deviation

16m

DoBIH GR10

NY 20193 16872



Sale Fell

GR: NY 19461 29712

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

embedded rock in grass

Deviation

51m

DoBIH GR10

NY 19445 29664

 

Scar Crags

GR: NY 20749 20600

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

Cairn

Deviation

118m

DoBIH GR10

NY 20849 20662

 

Scoat Fell

GR: NY 15951 11382

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn on wall

DoBIH

Summit Feature

Rock N of wall

Deviation

16m

DoBIH GR10

NY 15941 11394

 

Seat Sandal

GR: NY 34387 11518

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

rock on knoll by ruined wall

Deviation

35m

DoBIH GR10

NY 34420 11530



Seatallan

GR: NY 13942 08407

Wainwright Summit Feature

large Cairn/ tumulus

 

DoBIH

Summit Feature

no feature: ground 12m SSW of small Cairn

Deviation

71m

DoBIH GR10

NY 14003 08443

                                                                                   

Selside Pike

GR: NY 49074 11181

Wainwright Summit Feature

Wind shelter

DoBIH

Summit Feature

grassy rise with embedded rocks 40m SSW of wind shelter

Deviation

38m

DoBIH GR10

NY 49062 11145



Sour Howes

GR: NY 42660 03156

Wainwright Summit Feature

grassy hummock

DoBIH

Summit Feature

grassy hummock

Deviation

121m

DoBIH GR10

NY 42765 03217

 

Stony Cove Pike [Caudale Moor]

GR: NY 41864 09998

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

rock

Deviation

82m

DoBIH GR10

NY 41782 10006

 

Thornthwaite Crag

GR: NY 43136 10008

Wainwright Summit Feature

Beacon

DoBIH

Summit Feature

rock 45m N of beacon

Deviation

44m

DoBIH GR10

NY 43150 10050

 

Troutbeck Tongue

GR: NY 42231 06388

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

grassy knoll

Deviation

40m

DoBIH GR10

NY 42240 06427



Ullock Pike

GR: NY 24425 28799

Wainwright Summit Feature

Heather dome with crags to west

DoBIH

Summit Feature

rock

Deviation

44m

DoBIH GR10

NY 24442 28759

 

Walla Crag

GR: NY 27664 21286

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn 60 yards from gate

DoBIH

Summit Feature

Rock by cairn

Deviation

20m

DoBIH GR10

NY 27686 21287



Wether Hill

GR: NY 45569 16781

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

no feature: rough grass

Deviation

30m

DoBIH GR10

NY 45597 16767

 

Group C

These Wainwright summits are correct in DoBIH but worth noting as an alternative true summit with the same/ similar name are close by.  Important not to get the summits confused when bagging the Wainwright summit.

 

Armboth Fell

Wainwright

Alternative Summit

Wainwright Name

Armboth Fell

Alternative summit name

Armboth Fell (Birkett)

Wainwright Summit Feature

rocky mound

DoBIH

Summit Feature

large smooth outcrop

Wainwright GR

NY 29581 15739

DoBIH GR10

NY 29679 15968

Height

475m / 1558ft

Height

480m / 1575ft

 

Brock Crags

Wainwright

Alternative Summit

Wainwright Name

Brock Crags (Wainwright)

Alternative summit name

Brock Crags

Wainwright Summit Feature

large cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

no feature: large grassy mound

Wainwright GR10

NY 41666 13660

 

NY 41903 13699

Height

561.2m / 1841ft

Height

564.3m (1851ft)



Gibson Knott

 

Wainwright

Alternative Summit

Wainwright Name

Gibson Knott

Alternative summit name

Horn Crag

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn on rocky outcrop

DoBIH

Summit Feature

Ground by cairn

Wainwright GR10

NY 31689 10036

DoBIH GR10

NY 31855 09924

Height

420.1m / 1,378ft

Height

421.9m / 1,384ft

 

Gowbarrow Fell

Wainwright

Alternative Summit

Wainwright Name

Gowbarrow Fell (Wainwright summit)

Alternative summit name

Gowbarrow Fell

Wainwright Summit Feature

trig point

DoBIH

Summit Feature

embedded rock

Wainwright GR10

NY 40761 21821

DoBIH GR10

NY 40731 21722

Height

481.2m / 1579ft

Height

481.2m / 1579ft **

 

** NB: the Wainwright summit hill (rock 3m SE of trig point) is 1cm lower hence no difference in height quoted due to rounding.


Graystones

Wainwright

Alternative Summit

Wainwright Name

Graystones

Alternative summit name

Graystones (Birkett)

Wainwright Summit Feature

small cairn on rocky outcrop

DoBIH

Summit Feature

no feature

Wainwright GR

NY 17614 26622

DoBIH GR10

NY 17783 26420

Height

450.4m / 1478ft

Height

455.3m / 1494ft



High Stile

Wainwright

Alternative Summit

Wainwright Name

High Stile

Alternative summit name

High Stile (Grey Crag - High Stile)

Wainwright Summit Feature

large cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

small cairn

Wainwright GR

NY 16738 14792

DoBIH GR10

NY 17009 14817

Height

806m / 2644ft

Height

807m / 2648ft

 

Rosthwaite Fell - Bessyboot

Wainwright

Alternative Summit

Wainwright Name

Rosthwaite Fell - Bessyboot

Alternative summit name

Rosthwaite Fell (Rosthwaite Cam)

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

rock tor

Wainwright GR

NY 25829 12480

DoBIH GR10

NY 25586 11828

Height

551m / 1808ft

Height

612m / 2008ft



Seathwaite Fell

Wainwright

Alternative Summit

Wainwright Name

Seathwaite Fell (Wainwright summit)

Alternative summit name

Seathwaite Fell (Great Slack - Seathwaite Fell)

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

Cairn on rock

Wainwright GR

NY 22901 10183

DoBIH GR10

NY 22736 09710

Height

601m / 1972ft

Height

632m / 2073ft



Wansfell

Wainwright

Alternative Summits

Wainwright Name

Baystones [Wansfell]

Alternative summit name 1

Wansfell (Baystones)

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

DoBIH

Summit Feature

no feature: mound

Wainwright GR

NY 40316 05143

DoBIH GR10

NY 40356 05275

Height

486.9m / 1597ft

Height

486.1m / 1595ft

 

Alternative summit name 2

Wansfell Pike

DoBIH

Summit Feature

outcrop 6m S of fence

DoBIH GR10

NY 39416 04169

Height

484.3m / 1589ft

 

In respect of Wansfell, the Wainwright summit is the true summit in this area.  The naming conventions between Wansfell and Baystones make it confusing.  Also, some people confuse Wansfell with Wansfell Pike at the south-western end of the ridge mainly because it’s the visible summit from Ambleside.



Group D

The final grouping to note is where the Wainwright summit is correct but there is a true summit nearby which is not recognised as a summit in the DoBIH.

 

Blea Rigg

GR: NY 30164 07835

Wainwright

True Summit

Wainwright Summit Feature

Cairn

True

Summit Feature

rocky knoll

Deviation

90m

GR10

NY 30079 07807

Height

541m / 1775ft

Height

544m / 1785ft



Bonscale Pike

GR: NY 45348 20085

Wainwright

True Summit

Wainwright Summit Feature

small cairn

True

Summit Feature

Cairn

Deviation

138m

GR10

NY 45314 19950

Height

524m / 1719ft

Height

529m / 1736ft

 

Tarn Crag (Easedale)

GR: NY 30368 09303

Wainwright

True Summit

Wainwright Summit Feature

cairn on rocky outcrop

True

Summit Feature

No feature

Deviation

97m

GR10

NY 30277 09335

Height

549m / 1801ft

Height

552m / 1811ft

 


1 comment:

Coiruisg said...

A very interesting article, thank you.
In Wainwright's comments about the summit of Bakestall he says about the cairn "This cairn does not occupy the highest point of the summit ..." suggesting to me that he saw the summit of a fell as an area, not a point. A view that differs from that held by many current hill enthusiasts, but is possibly shared with many of the general public. This, I think, helps explain many of the so-called 'discrepancies'.