Whinfell Beacon

Rising above the A6 north of Kendal, this rounded, grassy summit marks the high point of the Whinfell Ridge. Topped by a substantial stone-built beacon, it offers a peaceful alternative to the central fells, with straightforward terrain and expansive views across the nearby Howgill Fells.

• •The name is a hybrid of Old English and Old Norse, with 'whin' meaning gorse and 'fell' meaning hill; the 'beacon' suffix refers to its historical role in a network of signal fires used to transmit warnings across the county.
• •Author Mark Richards, in his Fellranger guides, champions this hill as part of a 'high-level promenade' along the Whinfell Ridge, offering a softer, more rolling landscape than the craggy interior of the Lake District.
• •The summit provides a clear, un-interrupted perspective of the Howgill Fells to the east—specifically the broad shoulder of The Calf—as well as the long, deep trench of the Westmorland Borrowdale valley below.
• •This hill is a 'Synge'—one of the summits listed by Tim Synge in his Lakeland mountain guide—and marks a significant point on the historic boundary between the old baronies of Kendal and Westmorland.
• •While the roar of the A6 is often audible on the lower slopes, the summit usually regains its silence, leaving you alone with the wind and the local sheep who seem entirely unimpressed by the historical importance of the beacon.