Gummer's How

About Gummer's How

Rising steeply above the eastern shore of Windermere, this popular Wainwright Outlying Fell offers an exceptional effort-to-reward ratio. The short, rocky ascent leads to a sprawling summit plateau characterized by craggy outcrops and grazing Luing cattle, providing one of the finest panoramic perspectives over England’s longest lake and the distant Coniston fells.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is derived from the Old Norse 'haugr', meaning a hill or mound, combined with the personal name ‘Gunnar’. It likely identifies this prominent viewpoint as ‘Gunnar’s hill’, reflecting the Viking influence common throughout the southern Lake District.
• •Classified as a Wainwright Outlying Fell, it was a favourite of Alfred Wainwright for its accessibility. He praised the summit for offering a 'bird's-eye view' of Windermere that rivals those from much higher peaks, making it a staple for those based in Bowness or Newby Bridge.
• •From the trig point, the view extends south across the Leven estuary into Morecambe Bay and north-west toward the high fells of the Coniston range, specifically the distinctive profile of the Old Man of Coniston and Dow Crag.
• •The summit and its slopes are grazed by a herd of Luing cattle. These hardy, orange-brown residents are part of a conservation grazing scheme designed to prevent the encroachment of gorse and bracken, maintaining the open heathland habitat.
• •Despite standing at a modest 321 metres, its topographical isolation grants it the status of a Marilyn—a classification it shares with Ben Nevis—proving that prominence is more about how much you stand out from your neighbours than your actual stature.