Innominate Tarn

Innominate Tarn is a small mountain lake in the Lake District National Park. It lies at 520 metres above sea level near the summit of Haystacks. The name means ‘without a name’, though it was once called Loaf Tarn. Alfred Wainwright chose this spot for his final resting place. He described it in Fellwanderer as a quiet, lonely place where water laps the gravelly shore. Heather blooms around the tarn while Pillar and Gable stand guard nearby. The tarn holds special meaning for walkers and readers of Wainwright’s guides. He asked that his ashes be scattered there so he could remain among the fells he loved. The landscape matches his words: a remote spot with open views and few distractions. Wind and weather shape the water and the surrounding slopes. Those who reach the tarn often pause to reflect on Wainwright’s connection to the land. Visitors find a small body of water surrounded by rough grass and heather. The shore is stony and uneven, typical of high fells. Pillar and Gable frame the horizon to the west and north. The silence is broken only by the wind and the occasional call of a bird. The tarn offers a simple, uncluttered scene that rewards the effort of the climb.