Pillar takes its name from Pillar Rock, a huge tower on its Ennerdale side that looks like a slender column from the valley. John Atkinson, an Ennerdale man, made the first recorded climb of the rock in 1826, and it's seen as the birthplace of Lake District rock climbing; Wordsworth wrote about it in 'The Brothers'. The summit itself is a broad, grassy plateau with a trig point beside a cairn and windshelter.
New to the Wainwrights?Read our guide: What Are The Wainwrights?Trig point
Andesite lavas of the Borrowdale Volcanic Group, with a grassy plateau and big crags to the north.
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Summit Weather
Our Route
Also on this route: Scoat Fell, Red Pike (Wasdale), Steeple, Yewbarrow
Safety: Routes are a guide only. Carry a map and compass and know how to use them, check the weather before you go, and turn back if in doubt. You use this route at your own risk.
