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High Rigg from Legburthwaite

Lake District Walk

Nat Park - Lake District - Lake District Central Fells

Wainwrights - High Rigg

County/Area - Cumbria

Author - Lou Johnson

Length - 5.5 miles / 8.9 km    Ascent - 700 feet / 212 metres

Time - 3 hours 30 minutes    Grade - easy

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Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - High Rigg
Click image to visit gallery of 2 images.

This relatively short Lake District walk takes you onto High Rigg. This is one of the lower "Wainwrights" which is surrounded by much higher peaks, including Helvellyn and Blencathra. The route provides a taste of the higher fells without the effort required needed to gain the summit cairn of one of the giants. Ideal for a day shortened by bad weather, the walk starts within a few yards of a major road and soon gets you away from the hustle and bustle.

There is an adequate car park just off the A591 (Grid ref. NY318196). From here return to the main road and walk north over the river bridge, immediately turning right on a footpath that climbs the southern flanks of High Rigg. Take the left hand path where it splits and climb quickly to the top of Wren Crag. Most of the ascent is now over and it is a matter of following the path along the ridge. For most of the way it keeps to the western side and is easy to follow with the summit cairn of High Rigg visible ahead. For a low fell the views are surprisingly good. The panorama includes Thirlmere, Helvellyn, the eastern flanks of the Dodds, Clough Head, Blencathra, Skiddaw and the Central Fells.

A perfect place to rest, the summit cairn provides a grandstand view of Blencathra giving you the chance to review some of the routes to the summit. Suitably rested, continue steeply down to St John's Vale Church (worth a look inside) before taking the bridle-way which follows the wall along the eastern side of High Rigg. Eventually this leads you back to where the path forked at the start of the walk.

Other walks nearby

Walk 2019 Raven Crag, the Benn & Shoulthwaite Gill near Thirlmereeasy/mod4.0 miles
Walk 2032 Great How, a short ascent above Thirlmereeasy2.0 miles
Walk 1247 Helvellyn & Raise from Swirlsmod/hard7.0 miles
Walk 2025 Helvellyn & Wythburn from Swirlsmod/hard8.5 miles
Walk 3132 High Tove & Blea Tarnmoderate7.6 miles
Walk 2587 Castlerigg Stone Circle & St John's in the Valeeasy/mod8.5 miles
Walk 1356 Walla Crag from Great Woodeasy/mod4.5 miles
Walk 1108 Ashness Bridge & Grange Fellmoderate9.0 miles
Walk 2525 Standing Crag & Dock Tarn from Watendlathmoderate7.0 miles
Walk 2526 Standing Crag, Ullscarf & Borrowdalemod/hard10.0 miles

Recommended Books & eBooks

The Cumbria Way

The Cumbria WayA guidebook to the 73 mile Cumbria Way, an easy long-distance walk though the heart of the Lake District National Park, from Ulverston in the south to Carlisle in the north, with good transport links to either end. The route is largely low-level but this guide offers alternative mountain days to climb some of the famous fells en route.
More information

Walking the Lake District Fells - Buttermere

Walking the Lake District Fells - ButtermerePart of the Walking the Lake District Fells series, this guidebook covers a wide range of routes to 32 Lakeland summits that can be climbed from the Buttermere, Lorton and Newlands valleys, with highlights including Haystacks, High Stile, Grasmoor and the fells of the Coledale Round. Suggestions for longer ridge routes are also included.
More information

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