Pillar

About Pillar

Standing as a massive, craggy sentinel between Wasdale and Ennerdale, this eighth-highest Lakeland summit offers a rugged, high-mountain feel. Famous for the formidable Pillar Rock on its northern flank, the fell provides a commanding vantage point over the Scafells and the wild, remote upper reaches of the Ennerdale valley.

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Did You Know?

• •Pillar is uniquely named after a secondary feature rather than its actual summit. 'Pillar Rock,' a massive outcrop on the northern Ennerdale slopes, was named by locals for its vertical, column-like appearance when viewed from the valley floor.
• •Pillar Rock is widely regarded as the birthplace of rock climbing in the Lake District. The first recorded ascent was made in 1826 by a local Ennerdale shepherd named John Atkinson; until then, the rock was considered inaccessible to anyone without wings.
• •In his Pictorial Guide to the Western Fells, Alfred Wainwright devoted more pages to Pillar than almost any other fell. He was particularly enamored with the 'High Level Route,' a spectacular traverse that skirts the northern crags to reach the summit.
• •The summit view offers a distinct perspective on the Scafell massif, looking directly across the depths of Mosedale. To the west, the vista opens up over Ennerdale Water and the Cumbrian coast, frequently extending as far as the Isle of Man.
• •The approach from Wasdale via the 'High Level Route' passes Robinson’s Cairn, a memorial to John Wilson Robinson, a pioneer of Lakeland climbing who completed over 100 ascents of Pillar Rock. The cairn sits at a perfect vantage point for studying the rock's intimidating North Face.
• •Pillar Rock remains the only 'summit' in the Lake District that cannot be reached by a simple walk; even the easiest 'Slab and Notch' route requires basic rock-climbing skills and a very steady head for heights.