Great Rigg

Great Rigg is a fell in the English Lake District, situated 7 kilometres north-north-west of Ambleside and reaching a height of 766 metres (2,513 feet). It is most often climbed as part of the Fairfield horseshoe, a 16-km circular walk which starts and finishes in Ambleside. The fell’s name originates from the Old English Language with “Rigg” meaning a bumpy or knobbly ridge.

Topography

Great Rigg is mostly without merit, being just an undulation on one of Fairfield’s southern ridges; with 31 metres of prominence it just qualifies as a Hewitt. It is best seen from the south-west near Grasmere where from that angle its summit seems to dominate the valley.

The fell is rocky on its eastern side as Stone Cove drops to Rydal Beck; on its western flank it is mostly grassy as it falls away to Tongue Gill; to the north and south are ridges which continue to other fells, with Fairfield being 1.5 km away to the north while Heron Pike lies 2.5 km to the south. There is a third less significant ridge going south-west towards Grasmere which has the “Wainwright” fell of Stone Arthur on its shoulder overlooking Grasmere.