Skiddaw
| Skiddaw | ||
|---|---|---|
 Skiddaw and Derwentwater |
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| height | 931 m | |
| location | Cumbria , England | |
| Mountains | Cumbrian Mountains | |
| Coordinates | 54 ° 39 '5 " N , 3 ° 8' 52" W | |
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Skiddaw is one of the 214 Wainwright mountains ( Fell ) in the Lake District National Park in northern England .
At 931 meters above sea level, it is the fourth highest mountain in both the Lake District and England and the lowest at just over 3000 feet, a height that is a mark in the English system of measurement. With a notch height of 709 m, it is classified as a Marilyn .
It is located a few kilometers north of the city of Keswick and, along with the Blencathra, is the most famous peak in this area of the national park. Of the mountains of this height in the Lake District, it is the easiest peak to reach. As a result, it is one of the most popular and most visited peaks in the Lake District, which causes severe erosion of the paths leading to the summit.
The origin of the name Skiddaw is not clear. There are three interpretations derived from Old Norse : mountain of the archer , hill with a jagged ridge or fire wood mountain .
In contrast to the predominantly volcanic origin of the rest of the mountains in the Lake District, the mountain consists largely of Skiddaw Slate , a greenish slate from the Ordovician , which in the past was the predominant material used in building houses in the surrounding areas. There is also Hornfels , which was used to make one of the oldest European lithophones , the Musical Stones of Skiddaw , which was made in Keswick from 1827 to 1840 by Joseph Richardson, a musician and stonemason .
The River Caldew arises on the eastern flank of the Skiddaw.
Remarks
- ^ Robert Gambles, Lake District Place Names , Dalesman Books, Clapham 1985
Web links
- Virtual panoramas north south
- Skiddaw photos at The LakelandFells
