The Wainwrights are 214 fells from Alfred Wainwright’s seven-volume Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells (1955 to 1966). The National Park Authority says walkers who tick them all off are known as “Wainwright baggers”. There is no prize and no official rulebook: Wainwright himself didn’t set any rules for what to include. All you need is a plan that works for the way you walk.
This guide covers how the 214 are organised, and a sensible way to plan them.
The seven books, and how many fells in each
The 214 are grouped into seven areas, one for each guidebook. The numbers below are from Wikipedia’s list of Wainwrights (the “by book” sections), checked in November 2026, and they add up to 214.
| Book | Area | Fells |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Eastern Fells (around Helvellyn) | 35 |
| 2 | The Far Eastern Fells (east of Ullswater and Kirkstone Pass) | 36 |
| 3 | The Central Fells (including the Langdale Pikes) | 27 |
| 4 | The Southern Fells (including Scafell Pike) | 30 |
| 5 | The Northern Fells (north of Keswick, including Skiddaw) | 24 |
| 6 | The North Western Fells (around Buttermere and Borrowdale) | 29 |
| 7 | The Western Fells (around Great Gable, between Buttermere and Wasdale) | 33 |
The highest is Scafell Pike at 978 m, which the National Park describes as the country’s highest mountain. The lowest is Castle Crag at 290 m (951 ft), the only Wainwright under 1,000 ft. That 290 m figure is from the Database of British and Irish Hills height table on Wikipedia (October 2018 data). The same Wikipedia page’s older “by book” list still gives Castle Crag as 298 m, which is why you will see both numbers in circulation. Heights can also differ slightly from older guidebooks.
Plan by area, not by number
The seven books are a natural way to plan. Most of the fells in each book sit close together, so you can group several into one day.
- Pick a base for each trip. A simple way to do it is Keswick for the Northern and North Western fells, or Ambleside for the Eastern and Central fells. Those are planning suggestions, not a set itinerary: choose what suits your transport and the weather, and don’t spread a trip across too many areas.
- Start low. Build confidence with the gentler fells in our easiest Wainwrights guide.
- Link fells by ridge where the route does it naturally, rather than driving between them. That’s a day-planning job for your map, and for the guidebook route notes.
- Keep weather days. The big fells need the best days. Work out your lower-level fallback walks ahead of time.
We don’t suggest “how long it takes”, because it depends entirely on you. For reference, the BMC says it’s possible to complete them within a month but that most people take their time. The first and fastest continuous rounds belong to fell runners and aren’t a model for a normal plan.
Gotchas for planners
- Same name, different fells. Several names appear twice, and Wikipedia’s list tells them apart with a bracket: Harter Fell (Mardale) and Harter Fell (Eskdale); Red Pike (Wasdale) and Red Pike (Buttermere); High Pike (Caldbeck) and High Pike (Scandale); Tarn Crag (Sleddale) and Tarn Crag (Easedale); High Raise (High Street) and High Raise (Langdale). Check the grid reference before you go.
- Which top counts? On a few fells the Wainwright summit is not the very highest point. Wikipedia’s table, using Database of British and Irish Hills data, lists the differences. Two clear examples are Seathwaite Fell, where the Wainwright cairn is about 30 m lower than the main summit (601.1 m against 631 m, some 500 m apart), and Whinlatter, where the Wainwright top is 8 m lower than the east top (517 m against 525 m, some 630 m apart). Decide your own rule before you start and stick to it.
- The Outlying Fells are separate. Wainwright’s later book, The Outlying Fells of Lakeland (1974), added 116 more summits. They aren’t part of the 214.
- Don’t copy the guidebooks. Wainwright’s books are still the classic reference, and they are protected by copyright. Use them for the route notes; use this site and your map for the weather, buses and logistics.
Safety: the bigger fells are mountains
Many of the 214 are serious mountain days, whatever their height. Before each one:
- Check the mountain forecast for the Lake District the day before and on the day.
- Carry a map and compass and know how to use them. Don’t rely on a phone alone. The BMC recommends a map, compass, torch, whistle, watch and first aid kit.
- Tell someone your route and when you expect to be back.
- Be prepared to turn back.
- In winter, alpine conditions can develop on the higher fells. Don’t go onto snow and ice without the skills and kit.
Keeping track
A paper tick-list works well for most people.
Sources used
The count, heights and book order come from Wikipedia’s list of Wainwrights (using DoBIH data), the National Park Authority’s statements, and the BMC’s beginner guide. We haven’t consulted the guidebooks themselves.
Sources
Checked on 14 November 2026. Official pages change: confirm anything time-sensitive (buses, car parks, closures) before you travel.
- A beginner's guide to Wainwright bagging (British Mountaineering Council)
- Seven ideas for walks in early summer (214 fells, 1955 to 1966) (Lake District National Park Authority)
- Facts and figures (Lake District National Park Authority)
- List of Wainwrights (books, heights from the Database of British and Irish Hills, duplicates, summit notes) (Wikipedia)
- Database of British and Irish Hills (heights data) (DoBIH / Hill Bagging UK)
- Walking safety (Lake District National Park Authority)
- Mountain Weather Information Service: Lake District forecast (MWIS)
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