Lank Rigg
Encyclopedia
Lank Rigg is a fell
in the English
Lake District
. It stands to the south of Ennerdale
in the Western Fells
. A sprawling hill with gentle grassy slopes it can be climbed from various points on the Coldfell road. It carries various remains from ancient habitation.
to the south east. Westwards the hills diminish toward the coastal plain of Cumberland. At the central hub of the high country are Great Gable
and its satellites, while two principal ridges fan out on either flank of Ennerdale
, the western fells in effect being a great horseshoe around this long wild valley. Lank Rigg is the highest of the group of fells at the extremity of the southern arm.
The main watershed runs broadly westwards from Great Gable, dividing the headwaters of Ennerdale and Wasdale
. The fells in this section are Kirk Fell
, Pillar
, Scoat Fell
, Haycock and Caw Fell
. The surrounding valleys gradually diverge until other rivers spring up to drain the intervening country. Worm Gill is one such watercourse, running south westward from Caw Fell, and forcing the ridge to detour northwards around the head of its valley. Beyond this stand the fells of the Lank Rigg group, the final high country within the National Park
. Crag Fell
and Grike
complete the westward line of the ridge, whilst Lank Rigg itself stands to the south across the head of the River Calder.
Lank Rigg occupies an upland area about 2 miles square, bordered by the River Calder and Worm Gill to east and west. Worm Gill sweeps around the southern flank of the fell, joining the Calder at Thornholme to complete the moat on three sides. To the north east, via the subsidiary top of Whoap (1,676 ft), is a connection to the main ridge. This joins it perpendicularly between Crag Fell and Caw Fell. The slopes of Lank Rigg are uniformly gentle, clad in grass with the occasional rash of stones. There is a small tarn
just below the summit to the south west.
Although Wainwright regarded only Lank Rigg as an independent summit, other guidebooks give equal prominence to Whoap
and the western tops of Latterbarrow (1,161 ft) and Kinniside (1,230 ft).
near the summit and various enclosures and cairn
s near Tongue Bank. These are marked as "cairn", "settlement" and "homestead" on Ordnance Survey
maps.
column. The Lakeland view is uninspiring, apart from an unexpected appearance by distant Blencathra
, but the coastal plain is well seen.
To mark the completion of his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells
, Alfred Wainwright
buried a two-shilling (now ten pence) piece under a stone at the summit. He made mention of this in the last volume so that the first reader on the fell could collect the prize. It was, as he said, "a reckless thing to do". Visitors to the summit may still occasionally find coins hidden there by generous fellwalkers in memory of Wainwright's act.
between Whoap and Lank Rigg. A circular outing can be devised from the same starting point, also visiting Crag Fell
and Grike
.
From further south on the road a lane gives access to the Calder just opposite Tongue How. A long ascent up the south western slopes then follows.
Fell
“Fell” is a word used to refer to mountains, or certain types of mountainous landscape, in Scandinavia, the Isle of Man, and parts of northern England.- Etymology :...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
. It stands to the south of Ennerdale
Ennerdale
Ennerdale may refer to:* Ennerdale, Gauteng, a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa* Ennerdale Water, a lake in the Lake District in England**Ennerdale Bridge, a nearby settlement...
in the Western Fells
Western Fells
The Western Fells are a group of hills in the English Lake District. Centred on Great Gable they occupy a triangular area between Buttermere and Wasdale...
. A sprawling hill with gentle grassy slopes it can be climbed from various points on the Coldfell road. It carries various remains from ancient habitation.
Topography
The Western Fells occupy a triangular sector of the Lake District, bordered by the River Cocker to the north east and WasdaleWasdale
Wasdale is a valley and civil parish in the western part of the Lake District National Park in Cumbria, England. The River Irt flows through the valley to its estuary at Ravenglass. A large part of the main valley floor is occupied by Wastwater, the deepest lake in England...
to the south east. Westwards the hills diminish toward the coastal plain of Cumberland. At the central hub of the high country are Great Gable
Great Gable
Great Gable is a mountain lying at the very heart of the English Lake District, appearing as a pyramid from Wasdale , but as a dome from most other directions. It is one of the most popular of the Lakeland fells, and there are many different routes to the summit...
and its satellites, while two principal ridges fan out on either flank of Ennerdale
Ennerdale
Ennerdale may refer to:* Ennerdale, Gauteng, a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa* Ennerdale Water, a lake in the Lake District in England**Ennerdale Bridge, a nearby settlement...
, the western fells in effect being a great horseshoe around this long wild valley. Lank Rigg is the highest of the group of fells at the extremity of the southern arm.
The main watershed runs broadly westwards from Great Gable, dividing the headwaters of Ennerdale and Wasdale
Wasdale
Wasdale is a valley and civil parish in the western part of the Lake District National Park in Cumbria, England. The River Irt flows through the valley to its estuary at Ravenglass. A large part of the main valley floor is occupied by Wastwater, the deepest lake in England...
. The fells in this section are Kirk Fell
Kirk Fell
Kirk Fell is a fell in the Western part of the English Lake District. It is situated between Great Gable and Pillar on the long ring of fells surrounding the valley of Ennerdale, and also stands over Wasdale to the south...
, Pillar
Pillar (Lake District)
Pillar is a mountain in the western part of the English Lake District. Situated between the valleys of Ennerdale to the north and Wasdale to the south, it is the highest point of the Pillar group . At 892 metres it is the eighth highest mountain in the Lake District...
, Scoat Fell
Scoat Fell
Scoat Fell is a fell in the western part of the English Lake District. It stands at the head of the Mosedale Horseshoe with its back to Ennerdale...
, Haycock and Caw Fell
Caw Fell
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...
. The surrounding valleys gradually diverge until other rivers spring up to drain the intervening country. Worm Gill is one such watercourse, running south westward from Caw Fell, and forcing the ridge to detour northwards around the head of its valley. Beyond this stand the fells of the Lank Rigg group, the final high country within the National Park
Lake District National Park
The Lake District National Park is located in the north-west of England and is the largest of the English National Parks and the second largest in the United Kingdom. It is in the central and most-visited part of the Lake District....
. Crag Fell
Crag Fell
Crag Fell is a hill in the English Lake District. It is part of the Lank Rigg group, standing above Ennerdale Water in the Western Fells. The craggy northern face above the lake gives the fell its name, prominent in views from the car park at Bowness Knott...
and Grike
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...
complete the westward line of the ridge, whilst Lank Rigg itself stands to the south across the head of the River Calder.
Lank Rigg occupies an upland area about 2 miles square, bordered by the River Calder and Worm Gill to east and west. Worm Gill sweeps around the southern flank of the fell, joining the Calder at Thornholme to complete the moat on three sides. To the north east, via the subsidiary top of Whoap (1,676 ft), is a connection to the main ridge. This joins it perpendicularly between Crag Fell and Caw Fell. The slopes of Lank Rigg are uniformly gentle, clad in grass with the occasional rash of stones. There is a small tarn
Tarn (lake)
A tarn is a mountain lake or pool, formed in a cirque excavated by a glacier. A moraine may form a natural dam below a tarn. A corrie may be called a cirque.The word is derived from the Old Norse word tjörn meaning pond...
just below the summit to the south west.
Although Wainwright regarded only Lank Rigg as an independent summit, other guidebooks give equal prominence to Whoap
Whoap
Whoap is a hill located near the western edge of the English Lake District, standing at 511 m. It is part of the Lank Rigg group and is separated from this fell by an unnamed col...
and the western tops of Latterbarrow (1,161 ft) and Kinniside (1,230 ft).
History
Lank Rigg carries the remains of ancient settlement with a tumulusTumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
near the summit and various enclosures and cairn
Cairn
Cairn is a term used mainly in the English-speaking world for a man-made pile of stones. It comes from the or . Cairns are found all over the world in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops, near waterways and on sea cliffs, and also in barren desert and tundra areas...
s near Tongue Bank. These are marked as "cairn", "settlement" and "homestead" on Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
maps.
Summit
The highest point bears an Ordnance Survey triangulationTriangulation
In trigonometry and geometry, triangulation is the process of determining the location of a point by measuring angles to it from known points at either end of a fixed baseline, rather than measuring distances to the point directly...
column. The Lakeland view is uninspiring, apart from an unexpected appearance by distant Blencathra
Blencathra
Blencathra, also known as Saddleback, is one of the most northerly mountains in the English Lake District. It has six separate fell tops, of which the highest is the Hallsfell Top.-Name:...
, but the coastal plain is well seen.
To mark the completion of his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells
Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells
A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells is a series of seven books by A. Wainwright, detailing the fells of the Lake District in northwest England...
, Alfred Wainwright
Alfred Wainwright
Alfred Wainwright MBE was a British fellwalker, guidebook author and illustrator. His seven-volume Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, published between 1955 and 1966 and consisting entirely of reproductions of his manuscript, has become the standard reference work to 214 of the fells of the...
buried a two-shilling (now ten pence) piece under a stone at the summit. He made mention of this in the last volume so that the first reader on the fell could collect the prize. It was, as he said, "a reckless thing to do". Visitors to the summit may still occasionally find coins hidden there by generous fellwalkers in memory of Wainwright's act.
Ascents
The unfenced Coldfell road runs south from Ennerdale Bridge to Calder Bridge, providing the best access to Lank Rigg. A footpath leads off eastward between Blakeley Raise and Burn Edge, dropping into the upper Calder valley. This can then be followed to the colMountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
between Whoap and Lank Rigg. A circular outing can be devised from the same starting point, also visiting Crag Fell
Crag Fell
Crag Fell is a hill in the English Lake District. It is part of the Lank Rigg group, standing above Ennerdale Water in the Western Fells. The craggy northern face above the lake gives the fell its name, prominent in views from the car park at Bowness Knott...
and Grike
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...
.
From further south on the road a lane gives access to the Calder just opposite Tongue How. A long ascent up the south western slopes then follows.