Sail

About Sail

Sail is a pivotal point on the Coledale Round, offering a steep but rewarding climb between Eel Crag and Scar Crags. You'll likely remember it for the meticulously engineered zig-zag path on its eastern flank, which saves your knees and the soil from erosion.

Key Statistics

Find It

Did You Know?

• •The eastern slope features a prominent series of man-made zig-zags constructed by the 'Fix the Fells' team to combat severe peat erosion. While controversial to some traditionalists for their 'urban' appearance, they provide a much-needed stable staircase on what was once a disintegrating scree slope.
• •The name is derived from the Old Norse word 'segl', meaning a sail, likely referencing the mountain's shape when viewed from the lowlands around Braithwaite. Alfred Wainwright noted its 'smoothly rounded' appearance, which contrasts sharply with the rugged, craggy nature of its immediate neighbor, Crag Hill.
• •Unlike the volcanic rocks of the central fells, Sail is composed of Skiddaw Slates, which typically produce smoother, more conical hillsides that are highly susceptible to the 'scarring' caused by heavy rainfall and hiking traffic.
• •The northern shadow of the fell overlooks the historic Force Crag Mine, which was the last mineral mine to work in the Lake District, finally closing its doors as recently as 1991.
• •The (controversial) zig-zag path is so unnervingly neat and symmetrical that you might feel like you've accidentally wandered onto a suburban driveway rather than a wild fell-side, though the burning in your quadriceps will quickly remind you otherwise.