Walk Summary
A short walk to the top of Wansfell Pike. Great views over the surrounding fells and along Lake Windermere. As an alternative, do the walk in the evening and enjoy the sunset.
Date: 30/12/2022
Length: 2.71 miles
Height Gain: 404 m
Terrain: Short section of woodland trail, boggy fell, stone track, stone steps.
Navigation: Map and compass. GPS may be required in bad conditions. The ascent could be confusing in bad weather since there are a number of potential tracks. The stone step descent is obvious.
Start: Ambleside Carpark (near Hayes Garden Centre)
Route: Ambleside Carpark (near Hayes Garden Centre), Redbank Wood, Wansfell Southwest Ridge, Wansfell Pike, Wansfell Pike West Flank, Redbank Wood
Map: OL5 North Eastern Lake District
Weather: Grey, very windy, night
Walkers: Nun
Ambleside From Wansfell Pike
Captain's Log
Leg Stretcher
I'd spent the last 3.5 days with my nose firmly pressed against the living room window watching Lakeland rain pour down. The confinement had made me a little agitated. Half an hour before sundown, the rain finally stopped, and I decided to take the opportunity of the weather window, to have a quick trot up Wansfell Pike. It'd mean walking a lot of the outing in darkness and so I didn't take my camera (hence all of the photos on this page are from previous walks on Wansfell Pike). Since I didn't take my camera, I didn't have to take my rucksack, and since I didn't have to take my rucksack, I could walk a lot faster. In fact, after 3.5 days of sitting on my backside, I positively sprinted up the first half of Wansfell's slope.
I decided to take a direct line up Wansfell Pike's southwestern ridge. Beyond Redbank Wood there are a few stone walls to negotiate, but the obvious paths normally lead to a stile or a gate, allowing you to breach them. Up until this point, due to the impending dusk, the views had been rather grey and gloomy. Suddenly the surrounding hills were lit with a golden sunlight. It was that time of day when the sun squeezes between the distant bottom edge of the clouds and the horizon. I stood a while to savour these moments before the sun would finally disappear. The illuminated landscape was so pretty I kicked myself for not bringing my camera. As the sun dipped below the horizon, I turned my back on it and continued my journey upwards.
Wansfell Pike
The strength of wind increased, the higher I climbed. Fortunately it was a westerly and provided some assistance by blowing me uphill. By the time I approached Wansfell Pike's summit, it felt gale force and my walk became a blown stagger. The last remnants of daylight had disappeared and I put on my headtorch. On Wansfell's rocky top I braced myself against the wind and looked down on Ambleside and over to Windermere. I could see the Christmas lights and it all looked rather cosy and homely down there. I wondered if the people enjoying a drink in the bars of Ambleside realised it was blowing a gale 500 metres above them. After a few more moments contemplating this, I decided to make my way down to join them.
Wansfell Pike's Southwestern Ridge
Wansfell Pike's Stone Step Descent
Return To Ambleside
I started down the stone steps on Wansfell's western flank. After about 5 minutes I'd dropped down out of the wind completely. It seemed eerily silent in the darkness. Halfway down the stone staircase I met a couple making their way up. We exchanged greetings and they continued upwards. Two ships in a storm, as they say. They'll be in for a shock I thought, when they poke their head above Wansfell's parapet and feel the full force of that wind.
At the bottom of the stone steps, I followed the path back towards Redbank Wood. The recent rain had made it resemble more of a stream than a path. It felt a bit weird walking back into the Fisherbeck Estate and re-entering civilisation. All those multi-coloured Christmas lights and decorations were a world apart from the gale on the top of Wansfell. At 2 hours, the walk was only a leg stretcher, but was really enjoyable after the cabin fever of the last few days.