The Western Fells: Wainwright's Illustrated Walking Guide to the Lake District Book 7

by Alfred Wainwright, Clive Hutchby (Primary Contributor)

One name above all others has become associated with walking in the Lake A. Wainwright, whose seven-volume  Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells , first published in 1955–66, has become the definitive guidebook. Wainwright’s meticulously hand-drawn maps, diagrams and drawings take you up the 214 principal hills and mountains of the Lake District, describing the main routes of ascent from different starting points, as well as lesser-known variants, showing the summit viewpoint panoramas and the ridge routes that can be made to create longer walks.  The Western Fells , Book Seven of Wainwright’s Walking Guide, covers Great Gable and the High Stile and Pillar ranges, overlooking the Ennerdale, Cocker and Wasdale valleys.

352 pages, Paperback

Published June 2, 2020

About the author

Alfred Wainwright was born in Blackburn, Lancashire to Thomas Wainwright and Elizabeth Nixon.[citation needed] His family was relatively poor, mostly due to his stonemason father's alcoholism. He did very well at school (first in nearly every subject)[1] although he left at the age of 13. While most of his classmates were obliged to find employment in the local mills, Wainwright started work as an office boy in Blackburn Borough Engineer's Department. He spent several further years studying at night school, gaining qualifications in accountancy which enabled him to further his career at Blackburn Borough Council. Even when a child Wainwright walked a great deal, up to 20 miles at a time; he also showed a great interest in drawing and cartography, producing his own maps of England and his local area.
In 1930, at the age of 23, Wainwright saved up enough money for a week's walking holiday in the Lake District with his cousin Eric Beardsall. They arrived in Windermere and climbed the nearby hill Orrest Head, where Wainwright saw his first view of the Lakeland fells. This moment marked the start of what he would later describe as his love affair with the Lake District. In 1931 he married his first wife, Ruth Holden, a local mill worker, with whom he had a son Peter. In 1941 Wainwright was able to move closer to the fells when he took a job (and with it a pay cut) at the Borough Treasurer's office in Kendal, Westmorland. He lived and worked in the town for the rest of his life, serving as Borough Treasurer from 1948 until he retired in 1967. His first marriage ended when Ruth walked out three weeks before he retired. They later divorced. In 1970 he married Betty McNally (1922–2008), also a divorcee, who became his walking companion and who eventually carried his ashes to Innominate Tarn at the top of Haystacks.

Reviews

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The Western Fells is a well structured and written guide to roaming the Western Fells area of the Lake District. Originally published in 1966 and revised in 2009, this classic is now in a new edition due out 23rd June 2020 from Quarto on their Frances Lincoln imprint. It's 352 pages.

The Wainwright guides are known for their meticulous (mostly hand drawn) maps, thorough explanations and classic layout. The table of contents includes a key map with different hikes listed alphabetically by name with included heights/difficulties of the climbs and a keycoded numbered map along with page numbers for easy reference.

The introduction and commentary updated by Clive Hutchby includes picturesque, almost whimsical, destination walks including Floutern Tarn, Gavel Fell, and Grey Knotts (via Seatroller) and more. There are 33 distinct walks listed with a whole book full of additional commentary, tips, and landmarks.

The text is spare, but gently poetic. The love that the creators of the book have for contemplative rambles in the countryside shines through, though it never crosses over into the maudlin. Most of the walks are delineated with waypoints including some useful information such as 360 degree panorama maps of what the reader is looking at once the summits have been attained. The text is rendered in a font that mimics a hand drawn journal. It's high contrast and easy to read. And the maps, always always the meticulously drawn maps are the stars of the volume. There are multitudinous very well drawn, clear, and understandable maps and line drawings of landmarks and natural features along each of the walks.

Beautifully made book full of the natural wonder of this area of the Lake District. Still relevant after more than 50 years. Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting and informative book, well written and full of lovely illustrations.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely book, not my normal pick of book, but enjoyed it non the less. Clear explanations of routes and simple illustrations to accompany them.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.