{{Short description|Fell in the Lake District, Cumbria, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox mountain | name = The Nab | image = The_Nab_from_Martindale_1.JPG | image_caption = Seen from [[Martindale, Cumbria|Martindale]] on the lower slopes of [[Wether Hill (Lake District)|Wether Hill]]. "The Bungalow" is visible in the valley. | elevation_m = 576 | elevation_ref = | prominence_m = 61 | prominence_ref = | parent_peak = [[Rest Dodd]] | listing = [[List of Wainwrights|Wainwright]] | location = [[Cumbria]], [[England]] | range = [[Lake District]], [[Far Eastern Fells]] | coordinates = {{coord|54.5289|N|2.87609|W|type:mountain_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | grid_ref_UK = NY434152 | topo = [[Ordnance Survey|OS]] ''Explorer'' OL5 | map = United Kingdom Lake District | map_caption = Location in Lake District, UK }} [[Image:Martindale from The Nab 1.JPG|thumb|right|300px|Looking down into [[Martindale, Cumbria|Martindale]] from the summit of The Nab.]] '''The Nab''' is a [[fell]] in the English [[Lake District]]. It has a moderate height of {{convert|576|m|ft|abbr=off}}, and lies in the quieter eastern high ground between [[Ullswater]] and [[Haweswater Reservoir]]. The Nab is included in [[Alfred Wainwright]]'s list of Lakeland fells and many walkers feel compelled to climb it to complete their [[list of Wainwrights|list of 'Wainwrights']] even though it is not a significant fell and is awkward to reach.
==Topography== The Nab is a top on the northern ridge of [[Rest Dodd]], one of the horseshoe of fells surrounding the [[Martindale, Cumbria|Martindale]] catchment. It divides the valleys of Bannerdale and Rampsgill, which meet below the nose of the ridge to form How Grain. The sides of the ridge are steep and rough, but the top is broad and level. It is scarred by [[peat]] hags, some deeper than a man.
==Access and history== When Alfred Wainwright wrote his pictorial guide to the Far Eastern Fells in the 1950s The Nab, as part of the Martindale Deer Forest was strictly out of bounds. He wrote in the chapter on The Nab: {{cquote|Keep Out notices, barricaded gates and miles of barbed wire must convey the impression even to the dullest witted walker that there is no welcome here}}
The Nab is open access under the [[Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000]] although this is part of the red deer conservation area and this fell is a sanctuary for the animals away from people. Walks here should be avoided particularly during the calving season between May and mid-June. Further advice should be sought from [[Dalemain|Dalemain Estate]] to see if walking is possible. Access to the summit is from Dalehead Farm and past Angle Tarn. It is not possible to go through the fields below to the north east of the fell.
Anybody approaching from the north will see 'The Bungalow' in Martindale which was formerly a shooting lodge built in 1910 by the [[Earl of Lonsdale]] for the visiting [[William II, German Emperor|Kaiser Wilhelm]] and is now a holiday cottage available to rent.
A report from the [[Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs]] found that Martindale deer may be the only pure blooded Red Deer left in England as many herds become cross bred with genes from the [[Sika Deer]].<ref>[http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/wild-deer/management-options.pdf Defra, UK - Error page<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
==Summit== The grassy dome of the summit is marked by a small [[cairn]]. Although the view is obstructed by higher ground southward there is an end to end view of the [[Helvellyn range]] above [[Angletarn Pikes]].<ref>Wainwright, A:''[[A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells]], Book 2'': {{ISBN|0-7112-2455-2}}</ref>
==Ascents== The route from Martindale to the summit follows a well engineered stalkers path which zig-zags up the fell and avoids any difficulties by-passing the crags of Nab End just below the summit.
Most walkers who reach the summit of The Nab do not risk the wrath of the Dalemain Estate and avoid Martindale altogether, attaining the highest point by approaching and leaving along the boggy ridge which links with the neighbouring fell of [[Rest Dodd]]. This route has the added attraction of seeing the herds of [[Red deer]] on the open fell. The best starting point for this uncontroversial ascent of The Nab is [[Hartsop]] village in [[Patterdale]], just off the [[A592 road|A592 main road]], where there is a large car park; this circular walk also takes in the 'Wainwright fells' of [[Brock Crags]], [[Rest Dodd]] and [[Angletarn Pikes]] before descending back to Hartsop.
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Far Eastern Fells}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nab, The}} [[Category:Fells of the Lake District]] [[Category:Martindale, Cumbria]]