By Ken Posted on

Fairfield Horseshoe

The Lake District, Cumbria. 1st May 2021

35mm and 135mm Lens

“Fairfield is one of the highest peaks in the Eastern Fells, towering over its neighbors at an altitude of 873m. As Lake District legend Alfred Wainwright noted, Fairfield is a somewhat deceptive mountain: from the south it appears as a fairly unassuming, grassy horseshoe, but from the north, hikers can appreciate its dramatic precipices and deep, dark valleys”

Quote from 10adventures.com

Fairfield

A 20 km circular walk starting in Ambleside

Lush greens lower down

Looking back towards Ambleside at the start of the walk
Route guide for this walk, taken from Trail – Spring Issue
Looking westward across the valleys from Snarker Pike

The Fairfield Horseshoe covers a grand total of eight ‘Wainwrights’, the iconic summits identified by Alfred Wainwright in his Pictorial Guide To The Lake District Fells. The eight Wainwrights on the route are: Fairfield, Hart Crag, Dove Crag, Great Rigg, High Pike (Scandale), Heron Pike (Rydal), Low Pike and Stone Arthur.

10adventures.com
Spring Lamb
View of Ullswater from Little Hart Crag
At the bottom of The Rydal Valley
Early evening view of Lake Windermere on the decent
Ambleside – start and finish point for the walk
Beautiful evening light of The Lakes

One of Wainwright’s favourite ridge walks, the round was described by him as “a great horseshoe of grassy slopes below a consistently high skyline, simple in design and impressive in altitude”.

Wiki

The Lakes