Silver How

Last updated

Silver How
Grasmere and Silver How.jpg
Silver How above Grasmere village
from Stone Arthur
Highest point
Elevation 395 m (1,296 ft)
Prominence c. 30 m
Parent peak Harrison Stickle
Listing Wainwright
Coordinates 54°27′01″N3°02′33″W / 54.45029°N 3.04252°W / 54.45029; -3.04252 Coordinates: 54°27′01″N3°02′33″W / 54.45029°N 3.04252°W / 54.45029; -3.04252
Geography
Lake District National Park UK relief location map.png
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Silver How
Location in Lake District, UK
Location Cumbria, England
Parent range Lake District, Central Fells
OS grid NY325066
Topo map OS Explorer OL7

Silver How is a fell in the English Lake District, standing over the village of Grasmere. How, derived from the Old Norse word haugr, is a common local term for a hill or mound.

Contents

Topography

Silver How forms part of the Blea Rigg ridge and would be considered just another of the many tops on that fell, were it not for Wainwright's decision to accord it a separate chapter in his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells .

West of Silver How the ridge gains in height over a series of tops, principally Lang How, Swinescar Pike, Little Castle How and Great Castle How, toward Blea Rigg. South and then east of the summit, the ridge narrows and drops to the wooded depression of Red Bank, before rising to its terminus on Loughrigg.

The eastern slopes of Silver How above Grasmere are steep and carry trees to the intake wall at half height, the final rise to the summit being craggy. It is this aspect of the fell, seen to great effect from the lake of Grasmere, which has made it so popular with walkers and photographers where a number of footpaths cross the ridge. There are also crags on the southern side of the ridge, overlooking Chapel Stile in Great Langdale.

The Grasmere flank is drained by Wray Gill, which forms the northern boundary of the fell as it sweeps around to make a direct entry into the lake. Meg's Gill, a tributary of Great Langdale Beck, marks the eastern edge, dropping through a ravine above Elterwater village. Below the fell's eastern extremity of Dow Bank[ citation needed ], the depression of Red Bank carries a road from Grasmere to Langdale, a scenic route between the two. Near the road summit is High Close Youth Hostel, set amid woodland.

Summit

There are numerous paths on the fell, which added to the large selection of rounded tops can make navigation confusing. The true summit, marked by a large tumbled cairn, sits directly above Grasmere and provides fine all-round views. Grasmere and its valley provide the highlight, backed by the Fairfield horseshoe. The Langdale Pikes and Coniston Fells are also well seen. [1] [2]

Ascents

Ascents are possible from Grasmere, Chapel Stile, Elterwater and High Close, the climber being spoilt for choice by countless variations. The Grasmere approaches provide fine scenery throughout, whilst that from Elterwater starts in more dreary surroundings. The ascent from Chapel Stile is actually the shortest. Silver How can be combined with Blea Rigg to give a longer walk, making New Dungeon Ghyll (Great Langdale) another possible starting point. [1] [3]

Related Research Articles

Bowfell Mountain in the English Lake District, Cumbria, England

Bowfell is a pyramid-shaped mountain lying at the heart of the English Lake District, in the Southern Fells area. It is the sixth-highest mountain in the Lake District and one of the most popular of the Lake District fells for walkers. It is listed in Alfred Wainwright's 'best half dozen' Lake District fells.

Fairfield (Lake District) Fell in the English Lake District

Fairfield is a fell in the English Lake District. It is the highest of a group of hills in the Eastern Fells, standing to the south of the Helvellyn range.

Great End Mountain in the Lake District, England

Great End is the most northerly mountain in the Scafell chain, in the English Lake District. From the south it is simply a lump continuing this chain. From the north, however, it appears as an immense mountain, with an imposing north face rising above Sprinkling Tarn (lake). This is a popular location for wild camping, and the north face attracts many climbers.

High Raise (Langdale) Mountain in the English Lake District, Cumbria, England

High Raise is a fell in the Central Fells of the English Lake District, not to be confused with another High Raise situated in the Far Eastern Fells. High Raise is not one of the most spectacular mountains in the district; however, with a height of 762 metres (2,500 ft) it is the highest point in the central fells of Lakeland.

Great Langdale

Great Langdale is a valley in the Lake District National Park in North West England, the epithet Great distinguishing it from the neighbouring valley of Little Langdale. Langdale is also the name of a valley in the Howgill Fells, elsewhere in Cumbria.

Pike of Blisco Mountain in the English Lake District, Cumbria, England

Pike of Blisco, or Pike o' Blisco, is a mountain in the Lake District in Cumbria, England. Located between the valleys of Great Langdale and Little Langdale, its relative isolation from neighbouring fells together with slopes falling away immediately from the summit in all directions mean it has excellent views: the view of the Langdale Pikes across Great Langdale is particularly arresting.

Loughrigg Fell Fell in the Lake District, Cumbria, England

Loughrigg Fell is a hill in the central part of the English Lake District. It stands on the end of the long ridge coming down from High Raise over Silver How towards Ambleside, and is separated from its neighbours by the depression of Red Bank.

Thunacar Knott Fell in the Lake District, Cumbria, England

Thunacar Knott is a fell in the central part of the English Lake District in the county of Cumbria.

Sergeant Man

Sergeant Man is a fell in the English Lake District. It is properly a secondary summit of High Raise, but is given a separate chapter by Alfred Wainwright in his third Pictorial Guide nonetheless, as it "is so prominent an object and offers so compelling a challenge". Its rocky cone is indeed in great contrast to the grassy dome of High Raise.

Ullscarf Fell in England

Ullscarf is a fell in the English Lake District close to the geographical centre of the Cumbrian hills. It forms part of the watershed between the Derwentwater and Thirlmere catchments, a ridge running broadly north-south.

Tarn Crag (Easedale) Fell in the Lake District, Cumbria, England

Tarn Crag is a fell in the Central Fells of the English Lake District. Strictly the name refers only to the rock face looking down upon Easedale Tarn, but Alfred Wainwright applied it to the entire ridge lying between the Easedale and Far Easedale valleys in his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells

Heron Pike

Heron Pike is a fell in the English Lake District, two kilometres east of Grasmere. It is part of the Fairfield group in the Eastern Fells. It should not be confused with the Heron Pike that forms part of Sheffield Pike, although it appears that, by coincidence, both Heron Pikes are exactly the same height.

Blea Rigg is a fell in the English Lake District, lying between the valleys of Easedale and Great Langdale. One of the Central Fells, it is a broad plateau with a succession of rocky tops. Many routes of ascent are possible, beginning either from Grasmere or Great Langdale, though the paths are often poorly marked and hard to follow.

Great Rigg

Great Rigg is a fell in the English Lake District, 7 kilometres north-west of Ambleside and reaching a height of 766 metres. It is most often climbed as part of the Fairfield horseshoe, a 16-km circular walk which starts and finishes in Ambleside. The fell's name originates from the Old English "Rigg", meaning a bumpy or knobbly ridge.

Lingmoor Fell Fell in the Lake District, Cumbria, England

Lingmoor Fell is a fell in the English Lake District, situated eight kilometres west of Ambleside. The fell reaches a height of 469 m (1,540 ft) and divides the valleys of Great Langdale and Little Langdale. The fell's name originates from the Old Norse word lyng meaning “heather covered”. The actual summit of the fell is named as Brown How on Ordnance Survey maps.

Stone Arthur is a fell in the English Lake District, an outlier of the Fairfield group in the Eastern Fells. It stands above Grasmere village.

Rossett Pike

Rossett Pike is a fell in the English Lake District. It is located at the head of Mickleden, one of two tributary valleys of Great Langdale.

Grike (Lake District)

Grike is a hill in the west of the English Lake District, near Ennerdale Water. It is part of the Lank Rigg group, the most westerly Wainwright as the fells diminish toward the coastal plain. It can be climbed from Kinniside or Ennerdale Bridge.

The Central Fells are a group of hills in the English Lake District. Reaching their highest point at High Raise, they occupy a broad area to the east of Borrowdale. The Central Fells are generally lower than the surrounding hills, the Lake District's dome-like structure having a slight dip in the middle. The range extends from the boggy ridge between Derwentwater and Thirlmere in the north, to the rock peaks of the Langdale Pikes in the south.

Southern Fells

The Southern Fells are a group of hills in the English Lake District. Including Scafell Pike, the highest peak in England, they occupy a broad area to the south of Great Langdale, Borrowdale and Wasdale. High and rocky towards the centre of the Lake District, the Southern Fells progressively take on a moorland character toward the south-west. In the south-east are the well-known Furness Fells, their heavily quarried flanks rising above Coniston Water.

References

  1. 1 2 Wainwright, A (1958). A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, Book 3 The Central Fells. Westmorland Gazette.
  2. Mark Richards: The Central Fells: Collins (2003): ISBN   0-00-711365-X
  3. Bill Birkett: Complete Lakeland Fells: Collins Willow (1994): ISBN   0-00-713629-3