Stone Arthur | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 503 m (1,650 ft) |
Prominence | c. 2 m |
Parent peak | Great Rigg |
Listing | Wainwright |
Coordinates | 54°28′29″N3°00′28″W / 54.47485°N 3.00765°W Coordinates: 54°28′29″N3°00′28″W / 54.47485°N 3.00765°W |
Geography | |
Location | Cumbria, England |
Parent range | Lake District, Eastern Fells |
OS grid | NY348093 |
Topo map | OS Explorer OL5, OL7 |
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.
Stone Arthur is properly the south western ridge of Great Rigg, but was given the status of a separate fell by Alfred Wainwright in his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells and that convention is followed here. His decision was based on it having a summit tor with"a short wall of rock like a ruined castle.". [1] This outcrop appears particularly impressive from Grasmere village, from where the higher fells are hidden.
From the top of Great Rigg the main ridge ploughs on due south, descending over the tops of Heron Pike and Nab Scar and carrying the ever popular Fairfield horseshoe walk. A second shorter ridge descends steadily to the south west over gradually roughening ground, until after three quarters of a mile a rock outcrop is thrust up. This is Arthur's Chair and the ridge upon which it stands is Stone Arthur. Prominence is negligible, and other than the low outcrop itself, the "summit" is merely the point at which the gradient steepens markedly.
Between Stone Arthur and Heron Pike is the little valley of Greenhead Gill. This bears evidence of former mining activities, beginning at around 600 ft above sea level with a trial. Further up the fellside are the remains of Grasmere Lead Mine. This was operated by the Mines Royal between 1564 and 1573 and there are several levels and shafts around the 1,000 ft contour. [2]
To the north west of Stone Arthur is the valley of Tongue Gill, separating it from the lower slopes of Seat Sandal. This side of the ridge is craggy with the main features being Brackenwife Knotts and Rigg Crags. Both Tongue and Greenhead Gills are tributaries of the River Rothay, which passes through Grasmere village to the lake of Grasmere. The lower slopes have been planted with areas of woodland.
The summit tor is an example of the pebbly sandstone and breccia of the Pavey Ark Member. [3]
The summit of Stone Arthur is difficult to locate exactly amongst the upthrust rocks of Arthur's Chair. The view is excellent, particularly over Grasmere with Easedale Tarn showing across the valley. [1]
Stone Arthur is most commonly ascended from a path turning left immediately after passing through the gate giving access to Greenhead Gill, repaired in recent years, this path rises steeply before crossing the breast of the fell below Stone Arthur, and recent the summit rocks from the south. The summit can also be reached from either side of the ridge. Beginning at Mill Bridge, Tongue Gill can be followed until the footbridge, before making a pathless ascent on grass. From Grasmere, climbing alongside Greenhead Gill also provides access, climbing until a contouring traverse to the summit can be made.
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 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.
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.
Raise is a fell in the English Lake District. It stands on the main spine of the Helvellyn range in the Eastern Fells, between Thirlmere and Ullswater.
St Sunday Crag is a fell in the English Lake District, part of the Fairfield group in the Eastern Fells. It is a prominent feature in the Patterdale skyline, with a distinctive rounded shape. Indeed, it figures so finely in views from the upper reach of the lake that it is sometimes referred to as ‘the Ullswater Fell’.
Dollywaggon Pike is a fell in the English Lake District. It stands on the main spine of the Helvellyn range in the Eastern Fells, between Thirlmere and the Ullswater catchment.
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.
Helm Crag is a fell in the English Lake District situated in the Central Fells to the north of Grasmere. Despite its low height it sits prominently at the end of a ridge, easily seen from the village. This, combined with the distinctive summit rocks which provide the alternative name 'The Lion and the Lamb', makes it one of the most recognised hills in the District.
Dove Crag is a fell in the English Lake District. Situated in the Eastern Fells of the national park, seven kilometres south-south-west of Glenridding, it reaches a height of 792 metres. The fell is often climbed as part of the Fairfield horseshoe walk but a direct ascent from Patterdale is required to show the fell's full potential, displaying the impressive crags just to the north east of the summit. The highest point was originally unnamed on maps, being just a minor top, but over the years the summit has adopted the name of Dove Crag by mutual accord..
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
Low Pike is a small fell in the English Lake District. It has a modest height of 508 m (1,667 ft) and is situated three kilometres north of Ambleside. Low Pike is well seen from the streets of the town as the first prominent fell on the ridge which continues northwards for a further four kilometres to Fairfield. This ridge is part of the Fairfield horseshoe walk and Low Pike is most commonly ascended as part of this.
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.
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.
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.
Sheffield Pike is a fell in the English Lake District, a prominent intermediate top on one of the eastern ridges of Stybarrow Dodd. It separates and stands high above the Glencoyne and Glenridding valleys, on the eastern side of the Helvellyn range in the Eastern Fells and it looks down onto Ullswater.
Nab Scar is a fell in the English Lake District, an outlier of the Fairfield group in the Eastern Fells. It stands above Rydal Water.
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.
Caw Fell is a fell in the English Lake District, standing between Haycock the Lank Rigg group. It occupies a wide upland area with Ennerdale to the north and Blengdale to the south. Caw Fell is distant from any point of access by Lakeland standards, but can be climbed from Blengdale or Bowness Knott car-parks.
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.