How long did it take Wainwright to complete all his guidebooks?

Fourteen years, from 1952 to 1966. He spent weekends walking and documenting the fells, then evenings hand-drawing and lettering every page while working full-time as Borough Treasurer in Kendal.

Why are there 214 Wainwrights?

They are the 214 fells given individual chapters in Wainwright's seven Pictorial Guides, not a list defined by a height or prominence formula. Broad Crag and Ill Crag are among England's five highest points but were treated as subsidiary tops of Scafell Pike.

Where are Wainwright's ashes scattered?

His ashes were scattered at Innominate Tarn on Haystacks in 1991, in accordance with his wishes. There is no plaque or memorial at the tarn marking the place.

Who Are They?

Alfred Wainwright

The Man Who Audited the Lake District - A Kendal accountant who turned a mountain obsession into a seven-volume masterpiece.

24 August 202614 min read