Pillar Wainwright: Guide to the Western Fells

At 892.4 metres, Pillar is the eighth-highest of the 214 Wainwrights and one of the Western Fells’ defining summits. Its broad top contrasts with the broken Ennerdale face, where Pillar Rock gives the fell its historic climbing reputation. Walkers value its remoteness, strong ridge connections and far-reaching outlook across Ennerdale, Mosedale and the central Lakeland fells.

A broad summit above steep crags

Pillar rises to 892.4 metres, or 2,928 feet, between Ennerdale and the upper reaches of Mosedale. Its summit is broad and comparatively open, but the fell’s northern side presents a very different character. Here, dark crags and gullies fall sharply towards Ennerdale, forming one of the most imposing mountain faces in the western Lake District.

The summit outlook reflects Pillar’s central position among the higher western fells. Ennerdale stretches away to the north-west beneath the High Stile ridge, while the Scafell massif and Great Gable dominate much of the view towards the central fells. To the west, Scoat Fell and the pointed top of Steeple continue the high ground, with Red Pike beyond. High Crag stands prominently across Ennerdale.

Pillar in the Western Fells

Alfred Wainwright included Pillar in The Western Fells, the seventh and final volume of his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells. Ranked eighth by height among the 214 Wainwrights, it is one of the region’s major summits, both in scale and in the seriousness of its surroundings.

Pillar forms part of the high watershed between Ennerdale and Wasdale. Its position gives it strong connections with Scoat Fell and Steeple to the west, while the ground to the east links towards Black Sail Pass and the fells around Great Gable. Although frequently included in longer ridge days, Pillar remains a substantial objective in its own right. The approaches are lengthy, and its distance from the busiest Lakeland roads helps preserve a marked sense of remoteness.

Pillar Rock and climbing history

Pillar Rock stands on the Ennerdale face below the main summit. It is a large rock outcrop with several distinct tops, deeply cut gullies and routes that have played an important part in the history of British climbing. Its scale can be difficult to judge from elsewhere on the fell, but from Ennerdale it is an unmistakable feature of the craggy skyline.

The first recorded ascent of Pillar Rock was made by John Atkinson in 1826. That ascent is widely treated as an early landmark in the development of rock climbing in Britain. Later generations established numerous routes across the rock and surrounding crags, giving Pillar a climbing heritage that reaches well beyond its status as a Wainwright summit.

Where Pillar stands

Summit at grid reference NY171121 · open full map

The real Pillar

Walking Pillar

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

• Pillar and the Mosedale Horseshoe (where2walk.co.uk)
• Pillar trail from Wasdale Head | Cumbria (nationaltrust.org.uk)
• Pillar from Buttermere via the High-Level Route (ukhillwalking.com)

Weather on Pillar

Conditions estimated at summit height (892 m) via Open-Meteo. For a walker's forecast, use the Mountain Weather Information Service.

Pillar on your wall

Pillar’s broad summit and shadowed Ennerdale crags lend themselves to strong, spare compositions. Our AI Art Personas have painted this landscape in a range of moods, offering a considered way to bring the character of the Western Fells into your own space.

Own “Sunlit Ridge Below Pillar Crags” — our painting of Pillar → or browse all Fells & Mountains artwork

Neighbouring Wainwrights in The Western Fells

• Red Pike 826 m
• Scoat Fell 841 m
• Steeple 819 m
• High Crag 745 m

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