Whin Rigg: 537m Height, Walks and Wast Water Views

Whin Rigg stands at the south-western end of the ridge above Wast Water’s Screes, with Illgill Head continuing the high ground to the north-east. At 537m, it is far from the tallest of the Southern Fells, but its position gives it considerable presence. Walkers find a striking contrast here: grassy upland on one side, and the broken, precipitous face above England’s deepest lake on the other.

The fell above Wast Water’s Screes

Whin Rigg and Illgill Head form the ridge along the south-eastern shore of Wast Water. Seen from across the lake, their steep slopes make one of Wasdale’s most recognisable features: the Screes. Rock and loose debris descend towards the water in long, rough fans, giving this side of the ridge a character quite unlike the gentler ground behind it. Whin Rigg occupies the lower, south-western end of that skyline.

The contrast becomes clearer on the fell itself. Grassy upper slopes provide open walking country, while the lake-facing edge breaks into crags and gullies. Greathall Gill is a notable ravine cutting into Whin Rigg near the south-western end of the escarpment. This is not a fell whose interest depends on a sharply pointed summit; its appeal lies in the abrupt meeting of upland pasture, broken rock and deep water.

Whin Rigg in the Southern Fells

Whin Rigg belongs to Book Four of Alfred Wainwright’s guides, The Southern Fells. Its summit stands at 537 metres, or 1,762 feet, at grid reference NY151035. Among the 214 Wainwrights, it ranks 154th by height. Those figures place it well below the nearby Scafell massif, but height alone says little about the scale of its lake-facing slopes or the strength of its setting.

Illgill Head is its immediate Wainwright neighbour along the ridge, and the two are commonly included in the same walk. Their shared position separates Wast Water from the quieter country towards Miterdale and Eskdale. Nether Wasdale and Miterdale are established starting areas for walks involving Whin Rigg, although the approaches differ in character. Dedicated route guides are the right place to compare distance, ascent and conditions before choosing a walk.

Views and the character of the walking

The ridge offers changing perspectives over Wast Water and into Wasdale, with the higher Southern Fells forming the surrounding mountain country. Views depend on where you stand: the grassy summit and the escarpment edge do not offer identical outlooks. It is worth appreciating the wider ridge rather than treating the highest point as the whole experience.

The Screes also deserve a practical distinction. The rough passage beside the lake is not an easy waterside alternative to a fell walk: it crosses unstable boulders and awkward ground. Above, the crags and gullies call for care near the edge, particularly in poor visibility. Whin Rigg’s modest altitude should not disguise the seriousness of its steeper side.

Where Whin Rigg stands

Summit at grid reference NY151035 · open full map

The real Whin Rigg

Walking Whin Rigg

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

• Guide links to be curated.

Weather on Whin Rigg

Conditions estimated at summit height (537 m) via Open-Meteo. For a walker's forecast, use the Mountain Weather Information Service.

Whin Rigg on your wall

A painting of Whin Rigg can bring home the contrast that makes this corner of Wasdale so memorable: pale grass above dark rock, with Wast Water below. It is a landscape worth living with, whether it recalls a ridge walk or a familiar view from the opposite shore.

Own “Whin Rigg Scree in Blue Shadow” — our painting of Whin Rigg → or browse all Fells & Mountains artwork

Neighbouring Wainwrights in The Southern Fells

• Illgill Head 609 m
• Scafell 964 m
• Green Crag 489 m
• Slight Side 762 m

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