High Raise [Martindale]

The High Street Roman road runs along the main north to south ridge of the Far Eastern Fells, and High Raise, at 802 m, stands right on it, between Wether Hill and Rampsgill Head. There are few good paths on the fell apart from the Roman road, so that is the way almost everyone arrives. The top is stony, and a large cairn stands a few yards east of the old road. Westward you get a wide Lakeland panorama, and north the ridge leads the eye to Wether Hill and Loadpot Hill.

From Mardale Head car park, at the end of the Haweswater road, follow the lakeshore to the ruins of Riggindale Farm and climb by Kidsty Howes to Kidsty Pike. A short walk west brings you to Rampsgill Head, and High Raise is about half a mile north. From the Ullswater side, walks from Patterdale, Hartsop or Bampton cross other summits before reaching this one, and there are routes up from Martindale to the north.

To the north the ridge is grassy and fairly narrow, passing over Raven Howe and Red Crag before dropping to Keasgill Head, still following the Roman line. The west flank falls steeply in scree to Rampsgill. The east side runs down to Haweswater.

Low Raise and Castle Crag

Half a mile east of the summit, Low Raise carries a tumulus of bleached stones. Further east, Whelter Crags form a craggy bowl above the reservoir, and on its south east side the earthworks of an ancient hill fort can still be made out on Castle Crag.