Orrest Head

Orrest Head is a hill in the English Lake District on the eastern shores of Windermere. It is the subject of a chapter in Wainwright's The Outlying Fells of Lakeland, and the first fell he climbed.[1] He describes it as "our first ascent in Lakeland, our first sight of mountains in tumultuous array across glittering waters, our awakening to beauty" and also as "a fitting finale, too, to a life made happy by fellwandering".

View to the north-east from the summit of Orrest Head

On the summit is a panorama naming the key visible fells which include the Old Man of Coniston, Scafell Pike, Great Gable, Fairfield and the Langdale Pikes.

Orrest Head is typically climbed directly from the town of Windermere near the station. Access is made via a wide pathway which leads most of the way to the summit. There are several ‘shorter’ but steeper shortcuts in a few places but the pathway is much easier if a bit longer.

The length of the walk is about 1 mile, according to the sign at the start, and there are a couple of signposts at 1/2 mile and 1/4 mile points.

View towards Windermere from Orrest Head Summit - November 2006

References
  1. Wainwright, A. (1974). "Orrest Head". The Outlying Fells of Lakeland. Kendal: Westmorland Gazette. pp. 26–29.

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