Wasdale Head
Encyclopedia
Wasdale Head is a small agricultural village in the Lake District National Park
in Cumbria
, England
. The village claims to be home of the highest mountain (Scafell Pike), deepest lake (Wastwater), smallest church and biggest liar in England. The last of these claims refers to Will Ritson, who proclaimed himself as such.
It is located at the "head" of the valley of Wasdale
, and is surrounded by some of England's highest mountains: Scafell Pike
, Sca Fell
, Great Gable
, Kirk Fell
and Pillar
.
For many centuries it has been a starting point for walks and climbing trips into the mountains. Today, it is the recognised starting point for the ascent of Scafell Pike as part of the National Three Peaks Challenge
, a vehicle supported walk of the highest peaks of England, Scotland and Wales, which is regarded with mixed feelings by residents and regular walkers.
Close to the village is St Olaf's Church
, which has a reputation of being the smallest church in England.
Will Ritson (1808-1890) was a landlord of the Wastwater Hotel (now called the Wasdale Head Inn) in Wasdale, and he told grand fables. One, for example, was about a wounded eagle he found near the inn. He kept it in his chicken coop and nursed it back to health. One night the coop was raided by a bitch hound. The eagle was unscathed, but five months later the dog gave birth to a litter of winged hounds. The World's Biggest Liar
competition is held annually in memory of him.
Lake District National Park
The Lake District National Park is located in the north-west of England and is the largest of the English National Parks and the second largest in the United Kingdom. It is in the central and most-visited part of the Lake District....
in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The village claims to be home of the highest mountain (Scafell Pike), deepest lake (Wastwater), smallest church and biggest liar in England. The last of these claims refers to Will Ritson, who proclaimed himself as such.
It is located at the "head" of the valley of Wasdale
Wasdale
Wasdale is a valley and civil parish in the western part of the Lake District National Park in Cumbria, England. The River Irt flows through the valley to its estuary at Ravenglass. A large part of the main valley floor is occupied by Wastwater, the deepest lake in England...
, and is surrounded by some of England's highest mountains: Scafell Pike
Scafell Pike
Scafell Pike is the highest mountain in England at . It is located in Lake District National Park sometimes confused with the neighbouring Sca Fell, to which it is connected by the col of Mickledore...
, Sca Fell
Sca Fell
Sca Fell is a mountain in the English Lake District. Its height of 964 metres makes it the second-highest mountain in England after Scafell Pike, from which it is separated by the col of Mickledore....
, Great Gable
Great Gable
Great Gable is a mountain lying at the very heart of the English Lake District, appearing as a pyramid from Wasdale , but as a dome from most other directions. It is one of the most popular of the Lakeland fells, and there are many different routes to the summit...
, Kirk Fell
Kirk Fell
Kirk Fell is a fell in the Western part of the English Lake District. It is situated between Great Gable and Pillar on the long ring of fells surrounding the valley of Ennerdale, and also stands over Wasdale to the south...
and Pillar
Pillar (Lake District)
Pillar is a mountain in the western part of the English Lake District. Situated between the valleys of Ennerdale to the north and Wasdale to the south, it is the highest point of the Pillar group . At 892 metres it is the eighth highest mountain in the Lake District...
.
For many centuries it has been a starting point for walks and climbing trips into the mountains. Today, it is the recognised starting point for the ascent of Scafell Pike as part of the National Three Peaks Challenge
National Three Peaks Challenge
The National Three Peaks Challenge is a mountain-endurance challenge in Great Britain, with a history of over 40 years, in which participants attempt to climb the highest peaks of each of the island's three countries...
, a vehicle supported walk of the highest peaks of England, Scotland and Wales, which is regarded with mixed feelings by residents and regular walkers.
Close to the village is St Olaf's Church
St Olaf's Church, Wasdale
St Olaf's Church in Wasdale Head, Cumbria, is one of England's smallest churches. The earliest record of the church is from 1550, though it probably predates this, as the beams are said to come from a Viking longship.-History:...
, which has a reputation of being the smallest church in England.
Will Ritson (1808-1890) was a landlord of the Wastwater Hotel (now called the Wasdale Head Inn) in Wasdale, and he told grand fables. One, for example, was about a wounded eagle he found near the inn. He kept it in his chicken coop and nursed it back to health. One night the coop was raided by a bitch hound. The eagle was unscathed, but five months later the dog gave birth to a litter of winged hounds. The World's Biggest Liar
World's Biggest Liar
World's Biggest Liar is an annual competition for telling lies, held in Cumbria, England. Competitors from around the world have five minutes to tell the biggest and most convincing lie they can. Competition rules bar the use of props or scripts...
competition is held annually in memory of him.