Welcome to Wasdale Head and England’s smallest parish church. Wasdale Head is the birthplace of English rock climbing and many of England’s finest fells are in the parish – among them Great Gable, Pillar, Steeple, Red Pike, and the highest – Scafell Pike, so is its deepest lake, Wastwater, and they jointly create a montage that was chosen as ‘Britain’s favourite view’ – see below.
Amongst these wonders of God’s creation sits the little church of St Olaf’s – the parish church of Wasdale Head. The site has been the base of the Christian Community here for over 1000 years – though much of the present building only dates from circa 1550. St Olaf’s can quite accurately be described as a little stable, with pews, ancient beams and a flagstone floor – a perfect place to worship God. There’s an image of the interior below.
Services take place on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month at 11am, throughout the year, also on Easter Day and Christmas Day at the same time. In June our services are on Sunday 13th June at 11am – Morning Worship, and on Sunday 27th June at 11am – Songs of Praise (to launch our new hymn books – as the ‘pandemic roadmap’ currently indicates that this is the first Sunday when we can all sing again in church!) Our services last for approximately 45 minutes.
The church is open daily from approximately 9am till 5pm.
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