Winder

About Winder

Rising steeply above the town of Sedbergh, this grassy spur serves as the southern gateway to the Howgill Fells. Its smooth, wind-swept slopes offer a quick but breath-stealing ascent, rewarding walkers with a focused perspective over the Rawthey Valley and the distant, jagged skyline of the Lake District’s eastern fells.

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Did You Know?

• •The name originates from the Old Norse Vind-erg, meaning ‘windy shieling’ or summer pasture. This indicates that the ridge has been used for seasonal grazing since the Viking age, when Norse settlers first farmed the surrounding dales.
• •Alfred Wainwright, who chronicled the area in his 'Walks in the Howgill Fells', famously compared these hills to a 'herd of sleeping elephants.' He noted Winder as the most popular ascent in the range due to its proximity to the town and its remarkably fine, short turf.
• •The summit trig point offers a clear view of the 'Three Peaks' country to the south, dominated by the gritstone cap of Ingleborough, while to the west, the Fairfield Horseshoe and the fells of the Lake District provide a dramatic backdrop.
• •The hill is a central part of life for students at Sedbergh School, who participate in the historic 'Winder Run'. This traditional cross-country race forces competitors up the steep breast of the hill, often in testing Cumbrian weather.
• •The local sheep are notoriously unimpressed by struggling hikers, having attained a level of vertical fitness on these steep, 45-degree slopes that most human visitors can only dream of achieving.