Wansfell [Wansfell North Top]

About Wansfell [Wansfell North Top]

Rising steeply above Ambleside, this is the true summit of the Wansfell massif. While most walkers stop at the lower, more popular Pike to the south, the North Top offers a quieter, grassy plateau with far-reaching views over the Troutbeck valley towards the high summits of the Kentmere Horseshoe.

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Did You Know?

• •The name derives from the Old Norse 'Wundel's Fell', likely referring to a Viking settler named Wundel who held land in the valley below. Over centuries, the name softened into the Wansfell known today.
• •Despite being the highest point on the fell at 486 metres, this summit is often ignored in favour of its lower southern neighbour, Wansfell Pike. While the Pike is the 'Wainwright', authors Bill Birkett and Timothy Synge correctly identified this as the true geographical peak.
• •From the cairn, the view north-west is dominated by the great wall of the Fairfield Horseshoe, while to the east, the three distinct peaks of the Kentmere Horseshoe—Ill Bell, Froswick, and Yoke—stand out clearly across the Troutbeck valley.
• •The approach from the south follows a long, well-maintained stone wall that acts as a reliable handrail across the often boggy depression between the two tops, providing a surprisingly wild feel so close to the town below.
• •Reaching the North Top grants you the quiet satisfaction of standing on the actual summit, though you must accept that the thousands of people on the lower Pike think they are higher than you, and they have the better ice cream shops waiting at the bottom.