Beda Fell: Height, Ridge Walks and Martindale Views

Beda Fell is a long, narrow ridge between Boredale and Bannerdale, with more character than its modest 509m height might suggest. Its highest point, Beda Head, rises above the branching valleys of Martindale, while the ridge continues south towards Angletarn Pikes. Walkers come for the open ridge, the close company of neighbouring fells and a different perspective on the country south of Ullswater.

A ridge above the Martindale valleys

Beda Fell is defined by its length rather than by a single commanding summit. The ridge runs broadly north to south, separating Boredale on the west from Bannerdale on the east. Both belong to the distinctive valley country south of Ullswater, where ridges divide the dales into separate, clearly recognisable spaces. Grass, bracken and rocky outcrops give Beda a varied surface, with the crest providing a strong sense of the ground falling away on either side.

The summit is known as Beda Head. At 509m (1,670ft), it stands at grid reference NY428171. Winter Crag marks the northern part of the ridge, while the southern continuation connects Beda with the higher ground around Angletarn Pikes. That shape matters to the walking experience: this is a fell whose interest extends well beyond the highest point. The changing relationship between ridge, valley and neighbouring slopes is a large part of its appeal.

Views and neighbouring fells

Bannerdale separates Beda Fell from The Nab, whose long northern ridge is a particularly distinctive feature of this part of Martindale. Steel Knotts and Hallin Fell occupy the lower country to the north and north-east, while Angletarn Pikes rises to the south. Together, these neighbouring Wainwrights help explain Beda's position: it belongs to the transition between the lakeside fells and the higher Far Eastern ridges.

The outlook is as much about the valleys as the distant skyline. Boredale and Bannerdale can be appreciated as separate landforms rather than simply as approaches to higher ground. Views change along the crest, so the summit alone does not tell the whole story. For walkers who enjoy reading a landscape, Beda offers a useful vantage point over the ridges and intervening dales around Martindale.

Beda Fell in the Wainwrights

Beda Fell appears in The Far Eastern Fells, the second book of Alfred Wainwright's seven-volume pictorial guide. It ranks 170th by height among the 214 Wainwrights. Its modest elevation distinguishes it from the region's highest summits, but its long ridge gives it a clear identity within the collection.

Walks commonly use the Martindale valleys as their starting area, and Beda can be combined with Angletarn Pikes in a longer outing. Those connections make it worth considering both as an individual Wainwright and as part of a broader ridge walk. Distance, ascent and the choice of descent still deserve attention: summit height alone is a poor measure of a day's walking.

Where Beda Fell stands

Summit at grid reference NY428171 · open full map

The real Beda Fell

Walking Beda Fell

We make artwork, not route guides — these are the guides we'd point a friend to:

• Guide links to be curated.

Weather on Beda Fell

Conditions estimated at summit height (509 m) via Open-Meteo. For a walker's forecast, use the Mountain Weather Information Service.

Beda Fell on your wall

A painting of Beda Fell can bring the structure of Martindale into a room: the long crest, folded valley sides and changing fell colours. As a print or canvas, it offers a familiar point of reference for anyone who knows these ridges on foot.

Own “Vivid Sunlight On Beda Fell” — our painting of Beda Fell → or browse all Fells & Mountains artwork

Neighbouring Wainwrights in The Far Eastern Fells

• The Nab 576 m
• Steel Knotts 432 m
• Hallin Fell 388 m
• Angletarn Pikes 566 m

Part of our guide to all 214 Wainwrights — see the full index.