Rampsgill Head
Encyclopedia
Rampsgill Head is a fell
in the English
Lake District
, standing to the west of Haweswater Reservoir
in the Far Eastern Fells
. It forms the focal point of three ridges which fan out north east, north west and south.
, crosses the Straits of Riggindale and then collides head-on with the steep U-shaped valley of Rampsgill which comes south to meet it. The ridge splits in two, sending one arm around each side of Rampsgill and the Martindale
valley system of which this forms part. The north western branch leads over the fells of The Knott
and Rest Dodd
, finally reaching Place Fell
above the head of Ullswater
. The north eastern branch continues the main ridge of the Far Eastern Fells, running over High Raise
and ending near the foot of Ullswater at Heughescar Hill. Between these two embracing arms are the valleys of Boredale
, Bannerdale, Rampsgill and Fusedale, collectively known as Martindale.
Rampsgill Head stands at the junction of these three ridges, with the summit a little to the north east. Kidsty Pike
, a subsidiary top to the east, is given separate fell status by Wainwright
in his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells
and that convention is followed here. Rampsgill Head therefore occupies a very small area for one of the higher fells.
The southern ridge to High Street is the narrowest, closing down to little more than the width of the path at the Straits of Riggindale. The north eastern ridge is also narrow, once Kidsty Pike is passed, but the north western ridge is much broader with the summit of The Knott standing off to the left.
The northern face of the fell drops 1,800 ft over rough ground into the bowl of upper Rampsgill. The south western flank above Hayeswater
and the south eastern above Riggindale (a feeder of Haweswater
) are craggier, none of them giving a realistic route of ascent for the average walker.
marking the top. A larger cairn is set on the brink of the north face. The view westward to the Helvellyns is good with Ullswater and Brothers Water
also visible. Ascents can be made via other fells from Patterdale
, Hartsop and Mardale Head.
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...
, standing to the west of Haweswater Reservoir
Haweswater Reservoir
Haweswater is a reservoir in the English Lake District, built in the valley of Mardale in the county of Cumbria. The controversial construction of the Haweswater dam started in 1929, after Parliament passed an Act giving the Manchester Corporation permission to build the reservoir to supply water...
in the Far Eastern Fells
Far Eastern Fells
The Far Eastern Fells are a group of hills in the English Lake District. Reaching their highest point at High Street they occupy a broad area to the east of Ullswater and Kirkstone Pass. Much quieter than the central areas of Lakeland they offer in general easier but less exciting walking as the...
. It forms the focal point of three ridges which fan out north east, north west and south.
Topography
The spine of the Far Eastern Fells, travelling north from High StreetHigh Street (Lake District)
High Street is a fell in the English Lake District. At 828 metres , its summit is the highest point in the far eastern part of the national park. The fell is named after the Roman road which ran over the summit.-History and Naming:...
, crosses the Straits of Riggindale and then collides head-on with the steep U-shaped valley of Rampsgill which comes south to meet it. The ridge splits in two, sending one arm around each side of Rampsgill and the Martindale
Martindale, Cumbria
Martindale is a valley and civil parish in Cumbria, England, situated within the Lake District National Park between the lakes of Ullswater and Haweswater...
valley system of which this forms part. The north western branch leads over the fells of The Knott
The Knott
The Knott is a fell in the English Lake District, standing above Hayeswater in the Far Eastern Fells. It is an outlier of Rampsgill Head, being the high point of the ridge from there to Rest Dodd.-Topography:...
and Rest Dodd
Rest Dodd
Rest Dodd is a fell in the English Lake District. It is situated in the quieter far eastern region of the national park and reaches a height of 696 metres...
, finally reaching Place Fell
Place Fell
Place Fell is a hill in the English Lake District. It stands at the corner of the upper and middle reaches of Ullswater, with steep western flanks overlooking the villages of Glenridding and Patterdale.-Topography:...
above the head of Ullswater
Ullswater
Ullswater is the second largest lake in the English Lake District, being approximately nine miles long and 0.75 miles wide with a maximum depth of slightly more than ....
. The north eastern branch continues the main ridge of the Far Eastern Fells, running over High Raise
High Raise (High Street)
High Raise is a fell in the English Lake District, standing to the west of Haweswater Reservoir in the Far Eastern Fells. Note that another High Raise is the highpoint of the Central Fells.-Topography:...
and ending near the foot of Ullswater at Heughescar Hill. Between these two embracing arms are the valleys of Boredale
Boredale
Boredale sometimes known as Boardale, is a valley in Cumbria, England, it is situated within the Lake District National Park. The valley is close to the eastern shore of Ullswater and lies between the hills of Place Fell to the west and Beda Fell to the east.Boredale runs in a northerly direction...
, Bannerdale, Rampsgill and Fusedale, collectively known as Martindale.
Rampsgill Head stands at the junction of these three ridges, with the summit a little to the north east. Kidsty Pike
Kidsty Pike
Kidsty Pike is a fell in the English Lake District, standing to the west of Haweswater Reservoir. It is a subsidiary top of Rampsgill Head, but has long achieved the status of a separate fell, thanks to its classic peaked profile...
, a subsidiary top to the east, is given separate fell status by 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...
in 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...
and that convention is followed here. Rampsgill Head therefore occupies a very small area for one of the higher fells.
The southern ridge to High Street is the narrowest, closing down to little more than the width of the path at the Straits of Riggindale. The north eastern ridge is also narrow, once Kidsty Pike is passed, but the north western ridge is much broader with the summit of The Knott standing off to the left.
The northern face of the fell drops 1,800 ft over rough ground into the bowl of upper Rampsgill. The south western flank above Hayeswater
Hayeswater
Hayeswater is a small lake within the Lake District of Cumbria, England.The lake is situated about a mile SE of the hamlet of Hartsop in the Patterdale Valley. It nestles between The Knott to its west and Gray Crag to the east and it is at an altitude of almost 1,400 feet . The lake is natural...
and the south eastern above Riggindale (a feeder of Haweswater
Haweswater Reservoir
Haweswater is a reservoir in the English Lake District, built in the valley of Mardale in the county of Cumbria. The controversial construction of the Haweswater dam started in 1929, after Parliament passed an Act giving the Manchester Corporation permission to build the reservoir to supply water...
) are craggier, none of them giving a realistic route of ascent for the average walker.
Ascents
High Street (the Roman road) crosses the fell to the south-east of the summit, passing along the ridge from High Street to High Raise. There is also a clear path along the third ridge to The Knott.Summit and view
The top is grassy with a little outcropped rock, a cairnCairn
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...
marking the top. A larger cairn is set on the brink of the north face. The view westward to the Helvellyns is good with Ullswater and Brothers Water
Brothers Water
Brothers Water is in the Hartsop valley and is a small lake in the eastern region of the English Lake District, in the county of Cumbria. Once called Broad Water, it lies at the northern end of Kirkstone Pass, affording picturesque views on the descent towards Patterdale.Dorothy Wordsworth, having...
also visible. Ascents can be made via other fells from Patterdale
Patterdale
Patterdale is a small village and civil parish in the eastern part of the English Lake District in the Eden District of Cumbria, and the long valley in which they are found, also called the Ullswater Valley....
, Hartsop and Mardale Head.