What are the Wainwrights?

The Wainwrights are a collection of 214 fells (that's 'hills & mountains' to most of us) scattered across the Lake District. They were immortalised by Alfred Wainwright in seven lovingly hand-drawn guidebooks published between 1955 and 1966.

Today, walking all 214 Wainwrights has become something of an obsession for hill walkers across Britain. Some spend decades ticking them off. Others tackle the whole lot in a matter of days. And some are perfectly happy just to climb a few, admire the view, and head back down in time for a pie.

But what exactly makes a hill a Wainwright, and why are so many people determined to climb them all?

Map of the Wainwright Regions in the Lake District (C) Wainy Days

Who Was Alfred Wainwright?

Alfred Wainwright was a man with a notebook, a love of the Lake District, and absolutely zero time for unnecessary enthusiasm.

Between 1955 and 1966, he published seven volumes of his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, documenting 214 of the Lake District's fells in extraordinary hand-drawn detail.

Wainwright's books aren't just walking guides. They're love letters to the hills, with the odd angry complaint thrown in for balance.

Each fell was given its own chapter, complete with hand-drawn maps, route diagrams, descriptions of the views, and terse commentary on topics such as bracken, boots, and the general state of the world.

The books remain popular with walkers today, not just for their practical guidance but for Wainwright's unmistakable character, attention to detail, and obvious affection for the landscape.

“I went whenever I could... I was to find a spiritual and physical satisfaction in climbing mountains and a tranquil mind upon reaching their summits...” - Alfred Wainwright, Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, The Eastern Fells (1955)

Why Are There 214 Wainwrights?

Unlike other hill lists, which use tidy metrics like height or prominence, Wainwright's selection was deeply personal.

There was no strict minimum height or technical qualification for inclusion. If a fell had a fine view, a curious shape, an interesting character, or simply struck him as being in a good mood that day, it might make the cut.

The result was a collection of 214 Lake District fells, ranging from relatively gentle hills to England's highest and most dramatic mountains.

They're spread across the Lake District and documented in seven geographical volumes, each covering a different area of the National Park. Though Wainwright never intended his guidebooks to become the basis of an obsessive hill-bagging challenge, that's exactly what happened.

The summit of Binsey, enhanced by a cup of tea. It's an unfortunate myth that long walks have to involve drinking out of plastic flask lids.

What Does It Mean To 'Bag' A Wainwright?

In hill-walking language, bagging a Wainwright simply means reaching the summit of one of the 214 fells on Wainwright's list.

Do that 214 times, making sure they're all different fells, and you've completed the Wainwrights.

For reasons no one has ever fully explained, climbing all 214 has become a cherished (and often obsessive) goal for generations of walkers.

There's no compulsory order, no time limit, and no particular prize waiting at the end. Just the simple satisfaction of gradually ticking off fells and turning the Lake District from a damp blob on the map into a lifelong friend.

How Long Does It Take To Complete All 214 Wainwrights?

How long have you got?

Some people chase records, completing the full round in a matter of days, often running, barely sleeping, and consuming concerning amounts of Kendal Mint Cake.

Others take things rather more sensibly, ticking them off over years or even decades.

Some walk solo. Others drag spouses, children, dogs, and baffled friends along for the ride. Some don't even realise they're walking the Wainwrights until someone points out they've already done about 40 by accident.

The beauty of the challenge is that there's no right way to approach it. You can tackle them over a summer, across a lifetime, or whenever the weather forecast looks marginally less threatening than usual.

Are All The Wainwrights Difficult To Climb?

Not at all. One of the greatest joys of walking the Wainwrights is just how varied they are.

Some are grand and dramatic, like Helvellyn, Great Gable and Bowfell, demanding big days, a reasonable level of fitness, and possibly some preparatory squats.

Others, like Latrigg and Loughrigg Fell, offer more approachable walks, ideal for walking off a Sunday roast and convincing reluctant family members that hill walking doesn't always have to involve blisters and sideways rain.

Some fells are smooth and grassy. Others are rocky, awkward, or suspiciously boggy in all four seasons.

There are long ridge walks, short scrambles, hidden gems, sudden views, abandoned quarries and, optionally, the occasional Cumberland sausage when you get back.

You'll encounter wildflowers, fell ponies, dry stone wall wonders, smiling sheep, and more types of weather than you thought could fit into a single afternoon.

Of course, even the smaller Wainwrights deserve respect. Lake District weather can change quickly, and a supposedly easy hill can become considerably less friendly when the clouds roll in.

Which Wainwrights Are Best for Beginners?

If you're new to fell walking, the good news is that you don't need to start with the biggest mountain you can find.

Latrigg, near Keswick, is a popular introduction, offering wonderful views over Derwentwater and the surrounding fells without requiring a full-scale mountaineering expedition. You can even get most of the way up it on four wheels and just stroll to the convenient bench to see what all the fuss is about.

Dodd is another excellent starting point, with a winding upward trek through a lovely forest that rewards you with a semi-sheltered viewpoint beside the grandeur of Skiddaw.

The trick is to choose a route that suits your fitness and experience, check the weather, carry suitable equipment and get comfortable navigating before tackling anything more adventurous.

There's no shame in starting small. In fact, it's considerably more enjoyable than discovering halfway up a mountain that your waterproof jacket is neither waterproof nor particularly jacket-like. The most important thing is to get home safely and it's always best to be a little bit over-cautious than underprepared. 

Some views can't be experienced from the road.

Why Do People Love Walking the Wainwrights?

Perhaps the biggest appeal of the Wainwrights is that they give people a reason to explore parts of the Lake District they might otherwise never visit.

Without a list to follow, it's easy to return to the same familiar summits. The Wainwrights encourage you to venture beyond the obvious favourites, discovering quieter valleys, unexpected viewpoints, and hills you might never have considered climbing.

It's not always about reaching the highest point or finding the most spectacular view. Sometimes it's about a peaceful morning above the clouds, a conversation with a stranger or a dog on a summit, or the satisfaction of reaching the car just before the rain begins.

And if you have a thoroughly miserable time trudging through a swamp and wondering why on earth Wainwright included Armboth Fell in his guides, at least you get another tick on the list.

Do You Have to Walk All 214 Wainwrights?

Absolutely not.

You don't need a spreadsheet, a carefully colour-coded map, or an increasingly strained relationship with your hiking boots to enjoy the Wainwrights.

You can walk one, ten, fifty, or all 214. You can spend years working towards completing the list, or just enjoy whichever fell happens to take your fancy on a particular day.

What matters is getting out into the hills and enjoying everything the Lake District has to offer.

Although, be warned. It often starts with one or two innocent walks.

Then you discover the Wainy Days Wainwright Journal.

Before you know it, you're planning your weekends around obscure summits, discussing contour lines over dinner, and referring to a seven-hour walk in every variety of rain as "a lovely day out".

Wainwright would probably have approved. Quietly, of course.