Sail (Lake District)

Sail
Sail
Highest point
Elevation	773 m (2,536 ft)
Prominence	c. 32 m
Parent peak	Crag Hill
Listing	Wainwright, Hewitt, Nuttall
Coordinates	54°34′16″N3°14′31″W / 54.571°N 3.242°W Coordinates: 54°34′16″N3°14′31″W / 54.571°N 3.242°W
Geography
	Sail Location in the Lake District National Park Sail Location in Allerdale, Cumbria
Location	Cumbria, England
Parent range	Lake District, North Western Fells
OS grid	NY198204
Topo map	OS Landranger 89, 90, Explorer OL4

Last updated April 12, 2022

Sail is a hill in the English Lake District, lying between Derwentwater and Crummock Water.

Topography

The North Western Fells occupy the area between the rivers Derwent and Cocker, a broadly oval swathe of hilly country, elongated on a north-south axis. Two roads cross from east to west, dividing the fells into three convenient groups. The central sector, rising between Whinlatter Pass and Newlands Pass, includes Sail. The highest ground in the North Western Fells is an east-west ridge in this central sector, beginning with Grasmoor above Crummock Water and then gradually descending eastwards over Crag Hill, Sail, Scar Crags and Causey Pike.

Sail is in every sense a satellite of Crag Fell, although having sufficient prominence to be listed as a Hewitt. From the summit of Crag Hill the eastward ridge narrows between opposing walls of crag. This rocky crest is The Scar, the depression being at around 2,425 ft. The roughness decreases as the rounded top of Sail is reached, and the ridge then turns east north east. A further depression at 2,015 ft leads to the summit of Scar Crags. This col is unnamed on maps of the Ordnance Survey, but Alfred Wainwright termed it Sail Pass in his influential Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells ^[1]

Sail has a further connection to the south of the main ridge, a high level bridge to Ard Crags. Ard Crags and its neighbour, Knott Rigg, form a lower parallel ridge to the south of the main range.

The main drainage to the north of Sail runs to Coledale. This is a long uninhabited valley which exits into the floodplain of the Derwent at the village of Braithwaite. Near its head are two successive steps of crag, each bearing a waterfall. The southern flanks of the fell are drained by Sail Beck and its tributaries, flowing south west between the slopes of Wandope and Knott Rigg to Buttermere village. Sail thus stands on the main watershed of the North Western Fells, a virtue not shared by the higher Grasmoor.

Sail's slopes are steep and rough throughout, with the ridge to Crag Fell being bounded by rock, Scott Crag to the north and Scar Crag to the south. The other principal face is Long Crag which overlooks High Moss and Outerside.

Geology

The summit areas of Sail are composed of the Ordovician Kirkstile Formation. This is the typical rock of the Skiddaw fells and is composed of laminated mudstone and siltstone. Beneath this are the Greywacke sandstone turbidites of the Loweswater Formation. The Causey Pike Fault runs across the southern flanks of the fell, beyond which are the rocks of the Buttermere Formation. This is an olistostrome of disrupted sheared and folded mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.^[2]

On the northern side of Sail Pass are the remains of a cobalt mine. The vein runs north-south and, although showing some cobalt, was found to contain a great deal more arsenic. The mine was opened in 1848, after great sums had been spent on a roadway and dressing plant. The total yield of cobalt was only a few ounces and the venture was swiftly abandoned. Several levels can be seen at the surface.^[3]

Force Crag mine in Coledale was a much more successful enterprise, but is properly within the territory of Hopegill Head.^[3]

Summit

The top of Sail is a heathery dome bearing a small cairn. The main path along the ridge passes by to the south to take its heavily eroded course up Crag Hill. The view, other than where blocked by this lower neighbour, is excellent. The head of Coledale is laid out to the north while eastward is the full sweep of the Helvellyn range above Catbells. The High fells around Ennerdale, Wasdale and the head of Eskdale complete the panorama southward. Bassenthwaite Lake can be seen from the summit and a few steps will bring Buttermere and Derwentwater into view.^[1]

Ascents

Perhaps most walkers will arrive at Sail as part of a ridge-top traverse, starting either with Grasmoor or Causey Pike. Direct routes from the north east begin at either Braithwaite or Stair. From the former the track to High Coledale Farm is the initial objective, before crossing the Outerside ridge in the vicinity of Stile End. The path then rises to Sail Pass from the north. Starting from Stair, the Stoneycroft Mine Road also gives access to Sail Pass, via the cobalt mine. From Buttermere village a long walk up Sail Beck and 'behind' Ard Crags can be used to gain Sail Pass from the other side.^[1]^[4]

Related Research Articles

Dale Head is a fell in the north-western sector of the Lake District, in northern England. It is 753 metres or 2,470 feet above sea level and stands immediately north of Honister Pass, the road between Borrowdale and Buttermere.

Robinson is a fell in the English Lake District, its southern slopes descending to Buttermere, while its northern side is set in the Newlands Valley. Paths lead to the summit from the village of Buttermere, from the nearby summit Dale Head and from various locations in the valleys to the north.

Grasmoor is a mountain in the north-western part of the Lake District, northern England. It is the highest peak in a group of hills between the villages of Lorton, Braithwaite and Buttermere, and overlooks Crummock Water.

Crag Hill is a mountain in the North Western part of the English Lake District. It was formerly known as Eel Crag; however, the Ordnance Survey now marks Eel Crag as referring to the northern crags of the fell. It is not to be confused with another Crag Hill lying on the border of North Yorkshire.

Causey Pike is a fell in the English Lake District. It is situated in the Newlands Valley, 5 km south-west of the town of Keswick. Even though it has a modest height of 637 metres (2,090 ft) it is one of the most distinctive fells when viewed from the Derwent Water and Keswick area due to its distinguishing summit "knobble" which catches the eye. The fell is one of 214 fells described by Alfred Wainwright in his series of Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells: Causey Pike features in Book Six, The North Western Fells.

Mellbreak is a hill in the Western part of the English Lake District. Despite being surrounded on all sides by higher fells, it stands in isolation. It is surrounded on three sides by a "moat" of deep marshy land, and on the east side by the lake of Crummock Water. The fell forms a partnership with the lake, running parallel to it, falling sheer into it, and regularly providing the backdrop for pictures of it.

Rannerdale Knotts is a fell in the Lake District of Cumbria, England. Rising from the Buttermere valley, it is one of the smaller Cumbrian hills and is overlooked by a number of surrounding fells, such as Grasmoor, Whiteless Pike and, across Crummock Water, Mellbreak and the High Stile ridge. Rannerdale Knotts is said to be the site of a battle between the native Cumbrians and Norsemen and the invading Normans in the late 11th or early 12th century.

Ard Crags is a fell in the Lake District in Cumbria, England, it is situated in the Newlands Valley just off the minor road between Keswick and Buttermere. The Ordnance Survey officially records the fell's altitude at 581 metres (1,906 feet), considerably more than the approximate 1,860 feet that Alfred Wainwright attributed to it in his Pictorial Guide to the North Western Fells, published in 1964 well before the advent of satellite mapping. Ard Crags is situated close to other higher fells such as Causey Pike and Eel Crag and can be easily overlooked. However, viewed from certain points in the Rigg Beck or Newlands valley area it presents a clearly defined and pyramidal shape which catches the eye.

Grisedale Pike is a fell in the Lake District, Cumbria, England, situated 4.5 miles (7.2 km) west of the town of Keswick in the north-western sector of the national park. At a height of 791 m (2593 feet) it is the 40th-highest Wainwright in the Lake District; it also qualifies as a Hewitt, Marilyn and Nuttall. Grisedale Pike presents a striking appearance when viewed from the east, particularly from the vicinity of Keswick. It possesses two subsidiary summits: one unnamed ; the other Hobcarton End.

Outerside is a fell in the Lake District in Cumbria, England. It is located 6 kilometres west of Keswick in the north western part of the national park and is a smaller member of the Coledale group of fells with a height of 568 metres (1863 feet). The fell is part of a ridge on the southern side of Coledale which descends from the higher fell of Scar Crags and continues over the neighbouring smaller fell of Barrow before reaching the valley at the village of Braithwaite.

Scar Crags is a fell in the north western part of the English Lake District in the county of Cumbria. It is one of the Coledale group of fells situated seven kilometres south west of Keswick and reaches a height of 672 metres (2205 feet).

Red Pike is a fell in the High Stile range in the western English Lake District, which separates Ennerdale from the valley of Buttermere and Crummock Water. It is 2,476 ft (755 m) high. The direct ascent of Red Pike from Buttermere is very popular and the ridge walk from Red Pike to Haystacks is regarded as one of the finest in the area, with excellent views of the Scafells, Great Gable and Pillar.

Hopegill Head is a fell in the English Lake District in Cumbria. It is located nine kilometres west of the town of Keswick and is well seen from the B5292 road which crosses the Whinlatter Pass.

Whiteside is a fell in the north-western area of the English Lake District. It stands at the western end of the Grisedale Pike- Hopegill Head ridge overlooking Crummock Water.

Wandope is a fell in the north-western area of the English Lake District. It lies to the east of Crummock Water and south of Crag Hill. From the summit there are excellent panoramas of the Sca Fell and High Stile ranges.

Whiteless Pike is a fell in the north-western English Lake District. It stands immediately east of Crummock Water and forms a pyramid shape when viewed from Rannerdale. In his celebrated guide to the Lakeland fells, Alfred Wainwright called it "the Weisshorn of Buttermere". There are good views of Great Gable and the Scafells from the summit.

Knott Rigg is a fell at the head of the Newlands Valley in the English Lake District. It is situated some 8.5 kilometres south west of Keswick and has a modest height of 556 metres (1825 feet). Its name is derived from the Old English language and means “hill on a knobbly ridge”. Because of its moderate height, the fell fails to be listed on any significant hill lists but it does merit a separate chapter in Alfred Wainwright’s Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells.

Starling Dodd is a fell in the western part of the English Lake District, located between the valleys of Ennerdale and Buttermere, on the ridge between Great Borne to its west and Red Pike to its east. Not visible from Buttermere and rounded in profile, Starling Dodd is a relatively unfrequented top.

The North Western Fells are a group of hills in the English Lake District. Including such favourites as Catbells and Grisedale Pike, they occupy an oval area beneath the Buttermere and Borrowdale valley systems. The North Western Fells are characterised by soaring east-west ridges and an absence of mountain tarns.

The Coledale horseshoe, or Coledale Round, is a semi-circle of fells surrounding Coledale in the Lake District.

References

1 2 3 Alfred Wainwright: A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, Book 6, The North Western Fells: Westmorland Gazette (1964): ISBN 0-7112-2459-5
↑ British Geological Survey: 1:50,000 series maps, England & Wales Sheet 29: BGS (1999)
1 2 Adams, John: Mines of the Lake District Fells: Dalesman (1995) ISBN 0-85206-931-6
↑ Bill Birkett: Complete Lakeland Fells: Collins Willow (1994): ISBN 0-00-713629-3

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[wainwright-1] 1 2 3 Alfred Wainwright: A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, Book 6, The North Western Fells: Westmorland Gazette (1964): ISBN 0-7112-2459-5

[BGS-2] British Geological Survey: 1:50,000 series maps, England & Wales Sheet 29: BGS (1999)

[adams-3] 1 2 Adams, John: Mines of the Lake District Fells: Dalesman (1995) ISBN 0-85206-931-6

[birkett-4] Bill Birkett: Complete Lakeland Fells: Collins Willow (1994): ISBN 0-00-713629-3

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]