Top o' Selside (Wainwright summit)

About Top o' Selside (Wainwright summit)

Often overlooked, Top o' Selside is the highest point in the rolling hills between Coniston Water and Windermere. It's a fantastic little summit on the edge of Grizedale Forest, offering surprisingly broad and beautiful views for its modest height.

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Did You Know?

• •Despite its modest height, Top o' Selside bags the title of a 'Marilyn'. This is a hill-bagging term for a peak with a relative height of at least 150 metres, meaning it really stands out proudly from the surrounding landscape.
• •While not one of the main 214, Alfred Wainwright included this summit in his 'The Outlying Fells of Lakeland' guide. He particularly praised its 'uninterrupted view of the full length of Coniston Water,' which is quite the reward for a relatively easy climb.
• •Its position is quite special, acting as the high point of the land dividing Coniston Water from Windermere. This unique spot gives you a fantastic panorama that includes the Coniston Fells, the Howgills, and even glimpses of Morecambe Bay on a clear day.
• •The fell sits right on the edge of the sprawling Grizedale Forest, which is famous for its sculpture trails and mountain biking routes. You can easily combine a walk up Top o' Selside with a longer exploration of the forest's many tracks and artistic installations.
• •The name 'Selside' likely comes from Old Norse, possibly meaning something like a 'shieling with willow-trees' or 'seat-shieling'. It gives you a real sense of the ancient farming landscape that existed here long before the modern forests were planted.