South Lake District Fell Walks
In 2006 a novice fell walker from Wigan, over a beer or two in a Lake District campsite, declared “I’m going to climb all these fells, one day I’m going to climb all these fells”…. And he did.
Still living in Wigan with a young family, and now working in Manchester, Paul Sharkey has since walked more than 3,956 miles over the fells and ascended 1,217,147 feet in completing 434 walks. He has photographed, mapped and documented each Lake District walk.
Unfailingly modest, frequently funny and always sharply honest, Sharkey’s words and pictures take you up out of the valleys and into the high tops where silence reigns and the Lake District wilderness is found. His passion is infectious. Whether you use his maps to physically follow in his footsteps or merely ascend with him from the comfort of your armchair, his work is an absolute joy.
Words on this page are written by Visit Cumbria. Image links and links marked with an * go to the relevant pages on *Sharkey’s Dream website and open in a new tab. Unmarked links go to Visit Cumbria pages.
The Southern Lake District Fells
*Allen Crags
: Borrowdale / Langdales : 2,272 ft – 785 m
Usually regarded as one of the Scafell group of fells, Allen Crags is often walked in conjunction with Glaramara when starting from Borrowdale. Walks including Allen Crags also start from the Langdales.
7 walks including Allen Crags, ranging from 7 to 15 miles and from 6 to 8.5 hours.
Starting points:
*Black Fell (Black Crag)
: Ambleside / Tarn Hows : 1,056 ft – 323 m
Black Fell rises north of Tarn Hows, encircled by Ambleside, Coniston and Hawkshead. The (usually) grassy summit is reached by walks that pass through woods and by waters and provides views of Grasmere and Windermere lakes.
3 walks including Black Fell, ranging from 6.7 to 15.7 miles and from 4 to 9.5 hours.
Starting points:
*Bow Fell
: between Wastwater and the Langdales : 2,960 ft – 902 m
Pyramid shaped Bow Fell is the sixth highest fell in the Lake District. From the summit there are majestic views of Scafell Pike as well as every major group of fells in Lakeland.
10 walks including Bow Fell, ranging from 6.2 to 12.8 miles and from 3.25 to 8.5 hours.
Starting points:
*Brim Fell
: Coniston: 2,611 ft – 796 m
Rising just north of the Old Man of Coniston. Sharkey describes the walk between the summits of the Old Man and Brim Fell as “on a personal note …. possibly the best half mile ridge walk in the whole of Lakeland”.
14 walks including Brim Fell, ranging from 5.6 to 14.1 miles and from 4 to 8 hours.
Starting points:
*Cold Pike
: Langdales : 2,299 ft – 701 m
Described by Wainwright as “a Crinkle Crags in miniature”, Cold Pike has three widely separated summits. Views from the tops take in the northern Coniston Fells, the Langdales and, distantly, the Pennines and Morecambe Bay.
4 walks including Cold Pike, ranging from 6 to 12.8 miles and from 4.6 to 8.3 hours.
Starting points:
*Coniston Old Man
: Coniston : 2,633 ft, 803 m
Visitors to Coniston will be familiar with the Old Man, which looms dramatically over the village. It was the inspiration for Arthur Ransom’s “Kanchenjunga” in his Swallows and Amazons book “Swallowdale”.
15 walks including Coniston Old Man, ranging from 5.6 to 14.1 miles and from 4 to 8 hours.
Starting points:
*See all Coniston Old Man walks >>
*Crinkle Crags
: Langdales : 2,816 ft – 859 m
With the archetypal gnarled landscape of the south Lake District fells, Crinkle Crag’s five high “crinkles” or “knolls” are some of the tops that encircle the Great Langdale valley.
10 walks including Crinkle Crags, ranging from 7.5 to 12.8 miles and from 5 to 8.3 hours.
Starting points:
*See all Crinkle Crags walks >>
*Dow Crag
: Langdales : 2,555 ft – 778 m
Facing the Old Man of Coniston across Goat’s Water, Dow Crag’s steep eastern face is a favourite of rock climbers and sometimes the haunt of Peregrine Falcons. Walking routes take the more practical approach from the flanks.
10 walks including Dow Crag, ranging from 5.2 to 14.1 miles and from 3.75 to 8 hours.
Starting points:
More walks from Sharkey’s Dream are being added weekly, for all Lake District walks see Sharkey’s Dream website >>
