Whinlatter facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Whinlatter
Seen from Graystones, 3 km to the NW
Highest point
Elevation	525 m (1,722 ft)
Prominence	c. 60 m
Parent peak	Lord's Seat
Listing	Wainwright,
Geography
Whinlatter Location in Lake District
Location	Cumbria, England
Parent range	Lake District, North Western Fells
OS grid	NY197249
Topo map	OS Landranger 89, 90, Explorer OL4

Whinlatter is a small mountain, also called a fell, located in the northwest part of the Lake District in England. It sits just north of the Whinlatter Pass, a road that crosses through the mountains.

It's quite easy to climb Whinlatter, especially if you start from the top of Whinlatter Pass. You can follow paths through the Forestry Commission forests that cover its slopes. The Whinlatter Visitor's Centre, a popular spot for tourists, is found on the south side of the fell. Whinlatter is shaped like a horseshoe, curving around a valley called Aiken Beck.

The name "Whinlatter" comes from two old languages. The Old Norse word 'hvin' means 'gorse' or 'furze', which are spiky, yellow-flowered bushes. The Gaelic word 'lettir' means 'slope'. So, Whinlatter means "The gorse or furze-covered slope."

Exploring Whinlatter's Landscape

The North Western Fells are a group of hills located between two rivers, the Derwent and the Cocker. This area is generally oval-shaped and stretches from north to south. Two main roads cut across this region, dividing the fells into three sections. Whinlatter is in the northernmost section, rising up between Whinlatter Pass and a flat area called the Vale of Embleton.

Whinlatter's Place in the Fells

The main peak in this northern group is Lord's Seat, which is the highest point north of Whinlatter Pass. A long line of high ground stretches from east to west, including peaks like Barf, Lord's Seat, Broom Fell, and Graystones.

Lord's Seat also has another important ridge that extends from it. This ridge first goes south, then curves west, and finally turns back north. This is the ridge that forms Whinlatter. The valley located between Whinlatter and the main ridge is where Aiken Beck flows.

Tops and Ridges of Whinlatter

As the ridge descends from Lord's Seat, it has several smaller peaks along its path. The first is Ullister Hill, which is usually considered part of Lord's Seat itself. The ridge then becomes narrower at a spot called Tarbarrel Moss. After that, it rises again as it turns westward, leading to Whinlatter Top, which is the highest point of Whinlatter. A final peak, Brown How, stands just before the land drops steeply down to Aiken Beck.

Forests and Footpaths

A large part of the ridge, from Ullister Hill to Tarbarrel Moss, and also the lower slopes of Brown How, are covered by Thornthwaite Forest. This forest is managed by the Forestry Commission. Depending on when trees were planted, you might see many conifer trees (like pine or fir) covering the hillsides.

Good news for walkers! Any past issues with access have been fixed, and the landowners now welcome people to explore. There are many marked trails available for you to walk through the woodland.

Water Flow Around Whinlatter

The road of Whinlatter Pass forms the southern edge of the fell. The highest point of the pass is southeast of Whinlatter Top. This pass marks the boundary between the areas where water flows towards the River Derwent or the River Cocker. All the water from Whinlatter flows towards the Cocker.

From the highest point of the road, Whinlatter Beck flows westward. It runs below the steepest part of the fell, known as Whinlatter Crag, which is just below the highest point. To the north of Whinlatter is the peaceful valley of Aiken Beck. Its entrance is hidden among the trees between Brown How and Graystones. Smaller streams like Willybrag Gill and Drycloff Gill drain water from the slopes of Whinlatter into Aiken Beck. Aiken Beck and Whinlatter Gill then join together to form Blaze Beck, a larger stream that flows into the River Cocker at Low Lorton.

Whinlatter's True Summit

Alfred Wainwright, a famous author who wrote guides about the Lake District fells, noticed something interesting. In his books, he pointed out that the maps from the Ordnance Survey (the official map-making agency) at the time showed Brown How as the highest point of Whinlatter.

However, Wainwright, using his own simple measurements, showed that this was not correct. He proved that Whinlatter Top was actually the highest point. Today, if you look at modern Ordnance Survey maps, it seems they have agreed with Wainwright and now show Whinlatter Top as the summit.

What Whinlatter's Rocks Are Made Of

The rocks found at the top of Whinlatter belong to something called the Loweswater Formation. These rocks are mainly made of Greywacke sandstone turbidites. In simpler terms, these are types of rocks formed from sand and mud that were carried by strong underwater currents and then settled to form layers.

Views from the Top

When you reach the summit of Whinlatter, you'll find a few things. Brown How has a large, round shelter that protects you from the wind. Whinlatter Top itself has only a small pile of stones, called a cairn.

The views of the nearby Lake District mountains aren't always the best from Whinlatter. However, you do get a fantastic close-up look at Hopegill Head and Grisedale Pike across the pass. You can see their impressive, rocky sides clearly from here. Through Whinlatter Pass, you can also catch a glimpse of the distant Helvellyn range and the Skiddaw group of mountains.

What makes up for the closer views is the amazing sight to the north. From the westerly peak, Brown How, you can see all the way to the Solway Firth (a large bay) and the Scottish mountains beyond!

How to Climb Whinlatter

The easiest way to climb Whinlatter is to start directly from the top of Whinlatter Pass. You can either walk up alongside the forest fence or follow the forest roads that wind through the trees.

You can also reach Brown How by starting from a place called Aiken, which allows you to begin your walk from Scawgill Bridge on the western side of the pass. For a longer adventure, some people choose to do a full loop around Aiken Beck. This walk would include climbing Graystones, Broom Fell, Lord's Seat, and finally Whinlatter.