Maiden Moor – A Gentle Descent with Big Views
After leaving the summit of High Spy, we continued along the ridge towards Maiden Moor. The path here felt like a welcome change of pace,, wide, open, and without the steep pulls of earlier in the day. With the hardest climbing behind us, we could simply enjoy the gentle undulations and take in the views.
At 576 metres (1,890 ft), Maiden Moor isn’t a dramatic peak but more a broad, grassy plateau that forms part of the ridge between High Spy and Cat Bells. Wainwright famously noted that its summit is “elusive” – there’s no single point that obviously stands higher than the rest. Still, the fell offers spectacular panoramas over Derwentwater and across to the Skiddaw range, with the Newlands Valley opening out on the other side.
The walk across was peaceful, the kind where you feel suspended between valleys, floating along a green spine of fell. Eventually, the path began its descent, dropping us back towards the valley and our starting point.
Maiden Moor might not have the rocky drama of some Lakeland fells, but as part of a ridge walk, it’s a joy – a place to stretch the legs, let the mind wander, and watch the Lake District unfold around you.
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