High Raise [Langdale]

Nothing in the Central Fells is higher than the broad, grassy dome of High Raise. The summit, also called High White Stones, is scattered with grey boulders and carries an Ordnance Survey column and a large cairn built up into a wind shelter. A ruined fence crosses the plateau. The top itself is plain, so save it for a clear day and the view.

From Great Langdale, start at the New Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park, climb Stickle Ghyll to Stickle Tarn and head north, past Sergeant Man or over Thunacar Knott. From Borrowdale, park in Stonethwaite and follow Greenup Gill past its falls, then climb steeply round the side of Lining Crag to Greenup Edge. The path on from there to the summit is longer and steeper than people tend to remember. Grasmere and Thirlmere give longer approaches.

Most of the ground is grass and moorland, with drumlins and boggy patches above Greenup Edge. The only rough section is the short, steep climb beside Lining Crag, which needs care but no climbing.

From the middle of the district the view is huge. Skiddaw, Helvellyn and the Scafells are all in sight, along with Bowfell, Great End and the Fairfield group, and on a clear day you can see Morecambe Bay about 25 miles away and the Yorkshire Three Peaks at about 37 miles. Very little water shows, only glimpses of Bassenthwaite Lake and Derwentwater. The Langdale Pikes look surprisingly tame from behind.

Sergeant Man, the rocky knob a third of a mile to the south east, is usually visited on the way. From Stonethwaite, adding Ullscarf to the north makes a longer day.