The Beginner’s Guide to Wainwright Bagging (With Free Checklist)

In the 1950s and 60s, the legendary fellwalker Alfred Wainwright created a series of handwritten walking guides called the Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells. Across seven books, he documented 214 different fells across the Lake District.

Those 214 summits eventually became known as “the Wainwrights”.

What makes them interesting is that there’s no strict formula behind them. They aren’t the 214 highest peaks, and some are surprisingly small. Castle Crag, for example, is only 290 metres high. The list exists simply because Wainwright believed these fells were worth including.

Today, many hikers try to “bag” all 214 by reaching the summit of each one. It adds a bit of gamification to hiking, sort of like collecting Pokemon.

This guide explains how to get started with Wainwright bagging, which fells are best for beginners, how to bag them strategically, and how best to track your progress. I’ve also included a complete list of all 214 Wainwrights grouped by area.

⬇️ If you’re just here for the downloadable checklist, you can grab it here.

The 214 Wainwrights by area

Alfred Wainwright divided the Lake District into seven geographical areas across his guides. Grouping them this way makes the challenge feel more manageable, especially if you plan trips around specific bases like Keswick or Ambleside.

Okay, but what’s the point of Wainwright bagging?

I think the point is that the list gives you a framework for exploring the national park in greater depth.

Without it, it’s easy to keep returning to the same famous fells. Most visitors just climb Catbells, Helvellyn, Scafell Pike, and a handful of other well-known peaks. A quick Google search of “best walks in the Lake District” will present you with tons of similar lists, all of which don’t tend to include much beyond the classics.

The Wainwrights encourage you to venture beyond those classics and discover places you might otherwise overlook.

Some of my favourite Lake District walks have been on lesser-known Wainwrights. Peaks like Rannerdale Knotts (my absolute favourite), Hallin Fell, and Fleetwith Pike don’t attract the same attention as Scafell Pike or Helvellyn, but they’re often every bit as memorable.

Some people just simply love a good challenge, and bagging all 214 Wainwrights is a good one.

It’s also a little bit addictive once you start ticking summits off. I’ve currently climbed 37 Wainwrights myself, so I’ve still got a long way to go!

Smart ways to bag multiple Wainwrights

You can approach the Wainwrights completely randomly, driving across the Lake District to tick off whichever fell takes your fancy next. However, if you’re committed to trying to bag them all, this is going to get highly inefficient.

Most people naturally end up developing some sort of strategy, whether that means focusing on one geographical area at a time, linking multiple summits together into one long walk, or gradually building confidence on easier fells before tackling the bigger mountains.

Here are a few approaches that make the challenge feel more manageable.

Start with the easy wins

Starting with easier Wainwrights helps build momentum early on.

Latrigg: Overlooking Keswick and Derwentwater, Latrigg is one of the easiest Wainwrights to reach. The paths are clear, the ascent is short, and the views are exceptional for the amount of effort involved.

Hallin Fell: Hallin Fell is often overlooked, but it’s one of the most rewarding easy Wainwrights in the Lake District. The climb is short and straightforward, with beautiful views over Ullswater from the summit.

Castle Crag: At just 290 metres, Castle Crag is the smallest Wainwright. Despite its height, it’s surprisingly dramatic, rising above Borrowdale with wonderful views across the valley.

Walla Crag: Another excellent beginner-friendly option near Keswick, Walla Crag offers fantastic views across Derwentwater without the commitment of a long day.

Catbells: Catbells is probably the most famous beginner Wainwright of them all. The climb is relatively short, the route is easy to follow, and the views are among the best in the Lake District. If you’re only going to start with one, this is a strong contender.

Base yourself in one area at a time

The easiest way to make progress is to stay somewhere with a high concentration of nearby Wainwrights and focus on that specific hub for a few days.

Keswick: An ideal base for quickly accessing a huge number of Northern and North Western Fells, including Catbells, Maiden Moor, Latrigg, Grasmoor, Blencathra, and Skiddaw.

Grasmere or Ambleside: Perfect for easy access to Central Fells like Loughrigg Fell, Red Screes, and the famous Fairfield range.

Buttermere: A brilliant base where you can easily tackle Western Fells like Haystacks, Fleetwith Pike, High Stile, and Rannerdale Knotts.

Borrowdale: One of the best bases for bagging Southern Fells. From here, you can access Great Gable, Base Brown, Green Gable, Allen Crags, Glaramara, and several of the peaks surrounding Seathwaite.

Patterdale or Glenridding: Ideal for the Eastern and Far Eastern Fells, including Helvellyn, Catstycam, Place Fell, Birkhouse Moor, Sheffield Pike, and St Sunday Crag.

Coniston: A great choice if you’re targeting the southern part of the national park, with easy access to the Old Man of Coniston, Dow Crag, Wetherlam, Swirl How, and the rest of the Coniston Fells.

Use horseshoe walks to bag several summits at once

It makes sense to link summits together in large circular routes, often known as horseshoes.

Some classic examples include:

• The Coledale Horseshoe
• The Fairfield Horseshoe
• The Kentmere Horseshoe
• The Newlands Horseshoe

These routes enable you to tick off multiple Wainwrights in a single day. Many of these are quite physically demanding, but they’re also some of the best hiking routes in the Lake District. The Coledale Horseshoe is my favourite of these four — just spectacular scenery.

🥾 If you’re saving a peak for your grand finale, don’t make it Mungrisdale Common. Alfred Wainwright famously hated this summit, writing that it “has no more pretension to elegance than a pudding that has been sat on.” It’s notoriously flat and extremely boggy. Tick it off on a dry summer afternoon and get it over with!

How to track your Wainwright progress

Once you’ve started bagging Wainwrights, you’ll probably want some way to keep track of which summits you’ve completed.

There isn’t an “official” method. Some walkers keep handwritten notes in a notebook, while others use spreadsheets, apps, or simply mark completed fells on a printed list. The best system is whichever one you’ll enjoy using the most.

Personally, I like using a checklist. It’s simple, easy, and gives you a quick overview of how far you’ve come. To make things easy for you, I’ve created a free Wainwright checklist covering all 214 fells, organised by area. You can download it below and use it to track your own progress through the challenge.

I also quite like Komoot’s new peak bagging feature.

The tool displays all 214 Wainwrights (as well as other peak lists, such as the Munros) on an interactive map and automatically tracks how many you’ve completed.

I particularly like the visual aspect of it. You can see exactly where your completed summits are clustered and quickly identify areas of the Lake District where you still have plenty of peaks left to bag.

You can either record walks directly in Komoot or upload GPX files from previous hikes. The app will then automatically recognise any summits you’ve visited and add them to your total.

Final thoughts

While there’s something satisfying about ticking another summit off the list, the real reward is where the challenge takes you. It encourages you to explore corners of the Lake District you might never otherwise visit.

The challenge can take years to complete, and that’s part of the appeal. There’s no deadline and no right way to do it. Some people spend decades working through the list, while others throw themselves into it and finish much more quickly. (The current record is held by John Kelly, who bagged all the Wainwrights in a mind-boggling 5 days, 12 hours, 14 minutes).

Whether your goal is to climb all 214 Wainwrights or simply use the list as inspiration for your next walk, I think it’s a great way to explore the Lake District.

P.S: I’ve written individual walking guides for a few Wainwrights. Check them out:

• Catbells (from Hawse End)
• Scafell Pike (Corridor Route)
• Helvellyn (from Thirlmere)
• Rannerdale Knotts
• Haystacks (including Buttermere loop)

More Lake District inspiration

• Check out my roundup of the very best walks in the Lake District.
• Trying to decide where to stay? Here’s my guide on choosing where to base yourself in the Lakes.
• Try this four-day Northern Lakes hiking itinerary, based in Keswick.
• My guide for hiking Haystacks, Wainwright’s personal favourite fell.
• My guide for hiking Catbells, a great option for beginners.

⛰️ Want even more? Visit my Lake District Hub to browse all my walking guides and planning tips.

Thank you for reading! If you found this post useful, I’d be grateful if you would consider using the affiliate links below when planning your travels. I’ll make a small commission at no extra cost to you. This will help me to keep this blog running. Thanks for your support — Lauren.

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