Ullscarf

Close to the geographical centre of the Lake District, Ullscarf stands on the watershed between Thirlmere and Borrowdale. Its top is an upland plateau of about four square miles, mostly coarse grass and heather, with few marked paths.

On the Thirlmere side, start from the Dob Gill car park on the western shore road. A rough path climbs through dark forest beside the waterfalls of Mosshause Gill to Harrop Tarn, a quiet spot below Tarn Crags that is slowly silting up. A gate in the deer fence lets you out onto open fell, and the path skirts Standing Crag on the way to the top. From Wythburn you can go over Nab Crags or up the long, boggy valley to Greenup Edge.

From Borrowdale, follow Greenup Gill from Stonethwaite, the line of the Coast to Coast Walk, and climb beside Lining Crag to Greenup Edge before turning north. One walker described the ground beyond the edge as a boggy mess. From Watendlath, the north north east ridge goes above Blea Tarn and over the twin tops of Coldbarrow Fell.

Boggy moor surrounds the top on every side. There is no scrambling, and the difficulty is finding your way once cloud comes down.

A large cairn on a small rock outcrop marks the summit, and old iron fence posts run away from it in both directions along the watershed. The Scafells and the Helvellyn range stand out, and on a clear day over half the Wainwrights are in sight. Derwentwater and Bassenthwaite Lake lie to the north, with Skiddaw and Blencathra behind.

On the fell's slopes is Launchy Gill Level, a mine working that dates back to the sixteenth century.