Wandope

Wandope, from the ridge to Eel Crag

Height: 2533 feet above sea level

Volume: Book 6 (The Northwestern Fells)

Wandope from Buttermere Moss. Picture taken on walk 54.

Date climbed: First visit: 23rd July 2009 (walk 3).

Second visit: 15th September 2017 (walk 136)

Bagged as number: First round: 8 out of 330. [ << Whiteless Pike (7)  (9) Eel Crag >> ]

Second round: 120 of 330. [ << Rannerdale Knotts (119)  (121) Whiteless Pike >> ]

Route of ascent and descent: First visit: Approached on the ridge from Whiteless Pike and went on along same to Eel Crag.

Second visit: Hauled myself up the Addacomb Hole ridge from Sail Beck below, a monstrously steep climb. Left for Whiteless Pike.

Wandope summit cairn: Isle of Man visible behind.

What Mr. Wainwright says (from page 2 of his chapter): “Wandope might be expected to stand out more conspicuously from the greater mass behind, for it is partly severed by two gills which drain from the plateau and immediately form, on either side, deeply carved rifts, one a scree-choked ravine, the other a profound hollow… the second [is] a place to visit or at least look at from the rim of its crater: the profound cwm is Addacomb Hole, a perfect example of a hanging valley, quite the finest in Lakeland, and a remarkable specimen of natural sculpting.”

What I say: You can tell this fell is a bit neglected: the main path from Whiteless Pike to Eel Crag bypasses it and it’s true that the summit is a little dull. Addacomb Hole is certainly worth seeing, though in two visit I never really got a great picture of it, it just doesn’t lend itself to photography. The main face of Wandope rising above the Hole (as pictured above) is quite impressive, but having tried it as a direct walk (via the route depicted on page 6 of Wainwright’s chapter), it is really a very steep climb and debatable as to whether it’s really worth the effort. Not a bad fell, but there’s nothing all that memorable about it.

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