The Fairfield Group

The Fairfield group forms the southern half of Wainwright's Eastern Fells. Fairfield itself, not far short of Munro height at 2863 ft, stands at the northern apex of a classic horseshoe ridge, both limbs of which descend southwards towards the town of Ambleside at the head of Lake Windermere. The Fairfield Horseshoe is a classic walk - out along the east ridge via Low Pike, High Pike, Dove Crag and Hart Crag to fairfield, then back along the west ridge via Great Rigg, Heron Pike and Nab Scar.

Typically of Lakeland, the western slopes fall smoothly to the valleys but the eastern slopes throw out a complex of lateral ridges. The greatest of these extends northeastwards from Fairfield towards the head of Ullswater and includes St Sunday Crag, Birks and Arnison Crag. Hart Crag's eastern ridge forms Hartsop Above How, while Dove Grag's eastern ridge rises to Little Hart Crag and then again to High Hartsop Dodd. Finally there is the Red Screes ridge, a third north-south ridge laying east of Hart Crag and connected to it via the Scandale col. All these eastern ridges overlook the valley of Goldrill Beck, flowing north to Brothers Water and Ullwater alongside the Kirkstone Pass road. The group is bounded to the west by Grasmere, Rydal Water and the river Rothay, all of which are well seen from Heron Pike and its neighbours; and to the north by the pass of Grizedale, beyond which is Helvellyn.

Gallery Index

.	The Fairfield Horseshoe, May 1984 An introduction to part of this rewarding circular expedition from Ambleside.
	The Fairfield Horseshoe, May 1987 A return visit, on which we tackled the whole round.
	Some neighbouring summits of Fairfield, May 1993 A "mopping up" expedition taking in Stone Arthur, St Sunday Crag and Seat Sandal.
	Red Screes, April 2003 Four fells among the Fairfield Horseshoe's eastern rdges.

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