Most Photogenic Lake District Views for Summit Seekers’
What makes a mountaintop special to you? Whether its views of meandering lakes, rolling hills as far as your eye can see or valleys that look like they’ve been carved by giants, the Lake District is guaranteed to have a summit that offers it all. There’s hundreds of stunning mountain viewpoints to choose from, so we’ve handpicked our favourite, most photogenic Lake District mountaintops where you can get your perfect summit shot.
Great Gable
Well-deserving of its name, Great Gable is a Lake District icon; so there’s no surprise its summit view is equally iconic. A magnificent craggy mountain towering over Wasdale, Great Gable is the fourth highest mountain in England meaning the climb to the top requires a fair bit of effort. The summit views make the climb worth it, rewarding hikers with a full-length image of Wastwater, plus panoramic scenes over neighbouring fells including over to Haystacks and the High Stile ridge.
Helvellyn
Chosen by voters as Britain’s number one walk with Julia Bradbury in the ITV show ‘Britain’s Favourite Walks’, Helvellyn cannot be missed out from the ultimate summit views. A favourite for a reason, the third highest mountain in England offers one of the best views of the Lake District. Red tarn sits below the summit within the bowl shaped cove between the arêtes of Striding Edge and Swirral edge. From the summit plateau, you can also spot Ullswater in the distance. On a clear day, views can extend over to the Solway Firth, the Cheviot and the Pennine Hills.
Glenridding dodd
Glenridding Dodd is a small, Eastern fell above the village of Glenridding. Despite its little size at 442 metres, the wide-open lake views from this mountain are huge, looking proudly over a long, meandering Ullswater. Big views with little effort! Want a bit more of a challenge? Combine Glenridding Dodd with joining fells Heron Pike and Sheffield Pike.
Pavey ark
Pavey Ark is one of the Langdale Pikes joined with Harrison Stickle, Thunacar Knott and Pike of Stickle. This craggy mountain towers above Stickle Tarn making it a perfect viewpoint over the tarn and Langdale valley. Wainwright described Pavey Ark as ‘scenically the best’ of the Langdale Pikes, describing its top as having a ‘proud little summit’, and even giving the mountain its own chapter in the Central Fells book. Its outstanding views make it clear why it was one of Wainwright favourites. If you’re an adrenaline seeking kind of hiker, summiting Pavey Ark via Jacks Rake is guaranteed to get your heart pumping.
Blencathra
The most northerly hill in the Lake District, Blencathra is a classic icon and one of the most famous mountains in England. The mountain has six separate tops creating endless possibilities for photographing different aspects of the fell. Sharing similarities with fellow famous mountain Helvellyn, Blencathra is home to Scales Tarn, which sits in a bowl below ‘the saddle’, alongside the arête Sharp Edge. There are a number of different routes to the top, but the most interesting ways include Sharp Edge or Halls Fell Ridge. The highest point of Blencathra is the Hallsfell top at 868 metres. From here, extensive views open up with a skyline of major mountains including Coniston Old Man, Bowfell and Great Gable with the lakes of Derwent Water and Thirlmere also in sight.
Harter Fell
In the lesser-explored area of Eskdale in the western Lake District stands Harter Fell. A picture perfect mountain almost framed between the fells at the top of Wrynose Pass, Harter Fell’s summit provides stunning views over Haweswater reservoir. This area is quite remote but the journey is worth it for the rewards at the top.
Fleetwith pike
The Buttermere Valley is a photographer’s paradise with fells surrounding the lake often creating perfect reflections on a still day. The most prominent fell of them all, it’s hard to miss the dominating presence of Fleetwith Pike shadowing over Buttermere. Even from the foot of the mountain, you can tell this fell is going to have epic views. Starting from Gatesgarth farm and ascending up Fleetwith Edge is the most popular route up the mountain providing the best views over Buttermere. From the grassy summit, you can enjoy lake views galore with beautiful scenes over the valley of Crummock Water and Loweswater.
