Loughrigg Fell: 335.1m Height, Walks and Lake Views

Loughrigg Fell is proof that height tells only part of a Lakeland story. At 335.1 metres, it rises between Ambleside, Rydal, Grasmere and Elterwater, with a broad, knobbly top rather than a single commanding peak. Walkers come for the changing outlook over lakes and surrounding fells, and for ground that feels surprisingly varied within such a modest area. It rewards lingering as much as reaching the summit.

A broad fell with far-reaching views

Loughrigg is a sprawling fell of rocky knolls, grassy hollows and small patches of wet ground. Its highest point, marked by a triangulation pillar, stands at 335.1 metres (1,099 feet), at grid reference NY346051. The summit is only one part of its character: much of the pleasure lies in the changing relationship between the foreground ridges and the larger fells beyond.

Its position gives it an unusually varied outlook for its height. Windermere stretches away to the south, while the Langdale Pikes form a distinctive skyline to the west. Grasmere and Rydal Water lie along its northern side, and Loughrigg Tarn sits below its south-western slopes. Not every stretch of water is equally visible from every knoll; the views change as the ground rises and falls. That variety is one reason Loughrigg feels larger than its modest altitude suggests.

Loughrigg among the Central Fells

Loughrigg appears in The Central Fells, Book Three of Alfred Wainwright’s Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells. Ranked 211th by height among the 214 Wainwrights, it is one of the lowest fells in the collection. Its inclusion makes good sense on the ground: this is a distinct and varied fell, not simply a viewpoint above Ambleside.

It occupies the southern end of the Central Fells, with Silver How farther north-west above Grasmere. Loughrigg’s low altitude and proximity to several settlements make it a familiar choice for shorter fell walks. There are approaches from the Ambleside, Rydal, Grasmere and Elterwater sides, but the network of paths and repeated knolls means that low height should not be confused with straightforward navigation, particularly in mist.

Loughrigg Terrace and the slate quarry

Loughrigg Terrace is the fell’s best-known named path, crossing its northern slopes above Grasmere. Its open outlook across the lake gives a different experience from the summit: water and wooded shores take the foreground, with the surrounding fells rising behind. It is a well-established destination in its own right.

Another familiar feature is Loughrigg Cave, above the southern shore of Rydal Water. Despite its name, this large opening is a former slate quarry rather than a naturally formed cavern. The excavated chamber is a substantial reminder of the area’s working history, contrasting with the open slopes, woodland and lake views that now draw so many visitors.

Where Loughrigg Fell stands

Summit at grid reference NY346051 · open full map

The real Loughrigg Fell

Walking Loughrigg Fell

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

• Guide links to be curated.

Weather on Loughrigg Fell

Conditions estimated at summit height (335 m) via Open-Meteo. For a walker's forecast, use the Mountain Weather Information Service.

Loughrigg Fell on your wall

Loughrigg’s familiar outlines carry memories of particular days: Grasmere under cloud, pale light over Windermere, a pause above the tarn. A painting can bring those associations into focus. As a print or canvas at home, that landscape becomes part of the everyday view.

Own “Sunlit Loughrigg Fell Ridge” — our painting of Loughrigg Fell → or browse all Fells & Mountains artwork

Neighbouring Wainwrights in The Central Fells

• Silver How 394 m
• Helm Crag 405 m
• Gibson Knott 420 m
• Steel Fell 553 m

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