Woundell Vaccary, Ennerdale - Coast to Coast
More Articles in the Ennerdale Bridge to Rosthwaite subsection
Coast to Coast at Woundell Vaccary
Woundell Vaccary, Ennerdale - Coast to Coast
At the head of Ennerdale Water, the Coast to Coast path crosses a broad, flat tract of natural grassland once known as Woundell Vaccary—a medieval cattle farm first recorded in 1334. The term “vaccary” comes from Latin and refers to a manorial pasture for cattle. This historic area was once managed by Ennerdale Manor, whose tenants paid rent to graze livestock here well into the post-medieval period.
Woundell Vaccary was originally created through woodland clearance and became a prosperous farming ground. Today, it forms part of the Wild Ennerdale project, a rewilding initiative led by the National Trust, Forestry Commission, United Utilities, and Natural England. Hardy Galloway cattle now graze the land once again, restoring a pastoral presence to this quiet and ancient valley.
Woundell Beck Ancient Vaccary
Looking west across the grassy headland at the eastern end of Ennerdale Water, this is the heart of the medieval Woundell Beck Vaccary. The Coast to Coast path crosses here from south to north. Today, the rewilded vaccary extends east toward Green Gable and Great Gable, and south across the lower slopes of Tewit How, Iron Crag and Steeple — a broad tract once used for high-value cattle grazing and now home to free-roaming Galloways.
Latterbarrow View Cattle are present
Two black Galloway cattle graze peacefully within a rewilded vaccary enclosure, their dark coats blending with the mossy landscape. Behind them rises Latterbarrow, a wooded knoll on the lake’s northern shore, standing sentinel above the historic pasturelands once leased by medieval farmers.
Vaccary Enclosures & High Stile Ridge
Looking east along Ennerdale, this image captures the reinforced stone-and-wood cattle enclosures of the ancient Woundell Vaccary, with the towering High Stile ridge and Red Pike forming a dramatic northern backdrop. Below, the conifers of Ennerdale Forest hint at centuries of changing land use.
Woundell Beck Ennerdale Forest
At the foot of the fells, Woundell Beck divides into two winding forks, flowing both north and west to meet the River Liza. Born from Deep Gill and Silverbeck Cove, it crosses wooded pasture now grazed by Galloway cattle — a quiet testament to the valley’s rewilding under the Wild Ennerdale partnership.
Red Path Near Lingmell
The Lingmell Plantations are part of Ennerdale Forest and the Woundell Vaccary, deriving their name from Lingmell, the 437m blind summit below Tewit How, 610m. Two footpaths through the plantations provide access to the Haycock ridge, one directly and the other via Tewit How.
Woundell Beck and the River Liza
Woundell Beck merges with the River Liza just east of the head of Ennerdale Water, in a broad and level part of the valley. Their confluence lies beneath the northern foot of Lingmell, near the edge of the Lingmell Plantations.
The Coast to Coast path traverses this floodplain shortly before the two watercourses meet, crossing a wide, often dry, gravelly area just northwest of the beck.
Here the River Liza enters a mature valley stage—its waters looping and shifting across the floodplain, forming temporary channels and oxbow-like pools that change with the seasons. Woundell Beck, too, begins to meander across this shifting terrain before being absorbed by the larger river.
Silvercove Beck and Deep Gill – Headwaters of Woundell Beck
Woundell Beck forms from the short but scenic merger of Silvercove Beck and Deep Gill, just before their waters join the River Liza. The two streams are divided by a long, grassy ridge descending from the saddle between Haycock and Caw Fell.
Silvercove Beck rises in Silver Cove, below the eastern face of Caw Fell. Deep Gill originates on the far side of the ridge, flowing out of Great Cove beneath Haycock’s western slopes.
The rugged terrain on both flanks of Silvercove Beck—including the lower slopes of Lingmell and Iron Crag—is part of the Wild Ennerdale project. Here, Galloway cattle roam freely through native woodland and open fellside. Their presence reflects the rewilding ethos of the area, and pays homage to the historic stock-farming practices of the Woundell Beck Vaccary.
Hiking the Coast to Coast trail guide
Hiking the Coast to Coast is a digitally enhanced eBook designed to accompany you on your journey along the Coast to Coast path. Available on Apple Books for iPhone, iPad and Mac, the guide includes:
• Mapping with interactive features
• Step-by-step route directions
• Hundreds of colour photographs
• Route conditions in different weather
• Historical and cultural points of interest
Whether you’re planning your trip or already on the trail, it’s a practical and beautifully illustrated resource to carry with you.
