About The Forest [Borrowdale Head] [nameless (Bannisdale Horseshoe)]
Situated at the head of Borrowdale in the quiet Far Eastern Fells, this grassy Birkett is a cornerstone of the Bannisdale Horseshoe. Reached from Garnett Bridge, the summit offers a lonely, expansive perspective over the hidden valley of Bannisdale and the nearby bulk of Lamb Pasture.
Key Statistics
Rank
364th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Far Eastern Fells
Nearest Town
Garnett Bridge
Prominence
?
40
Geology
You’re walking on the Bannisdale Formation, which consists of stacked, alternating layers of hardened mud and silt.
Classifications
Did You Know?
- •Though often listed as nameless in older maps, Alfred Wainwright identified it as 'The Forest' in his Outlying Fells guide, reflecting its location within the ancient Whinfell Forest hunting grounds.
- •The hill forms a pivotal point on the Bannisdale Horseshoe, a long circuit that remains one of the Lake District’s most secluded ridge walks, often bypassed in favour of the more popular fells to the west.
- •From the summit, the view south-east tracks the length of the remarkably isolated Bannisdale valley, a rare example of a Lakeland valley without a public through-road or significant settlement.
- •Navigation across this high ground relies heavily on a long boundary fence that traverses the ridge, providing a reliable guide through the often featureless terrain toward Whiteside Pike.
- •Its name is a linguistic relic of its status as a medieval deer park; walkers expecting actual woodland will find only grass, peat, and the occasional hardy hawthorn.
Find It
Latitude
54.4253°N
Longitude
2.7296°W