Walks by Bassenthwaite Lake
The walks you can reach around Bassenthwaite Lake — the routes that start within about 5 km, and the Wainwright and Outlying fells within the same radius, ranked nearest first. Each fell carries today’s conditions and the bus where there is one. Planning the trip? See the full Bassenthwaite Lake guide for parking, buses and where to stay.
Walking routes near Bassenthwaite Lake
- Skiddaw via Ullock Pike and Dodd 1.7 km away12.4 km~1081 m~4.3 hHardA grand horseshoe of the northern Skiddaw group from the forest at Dodd Wood. The walk climbs the clean, shapely ridge over Ullock Pike and along airy Longside Edge to Long Side, then drops to the col by Carl Side before the stiff, loose scree pull onto Skiddaw itself — and one of the great Lakeland summit views, out across the Solway Firth to Scotland. The return crosses back over Carl Side and takes a careful, GPS-checked line down to the wooded little top of Dodd before the drop home through the trees. Five Skiddaw-group Wainwrights — Ullock Pike, Long Side, Carl Side, Skiddaw and Dodd — on a satisfying, varied loop: clean ridge, real summit, quiet forest to finish.
- Ling Fell & Sale Fell 3.5 km away5 km~417 m~1.7 hTwo small grassy tops near Wythop — 5 km and 417 m, and the only route in this group rated easy on every axis but steepness. A stage averages 16%. Well under two hours.
- Rivings and Lothwaite 3.6 km away4.4 km~271 m~1.3 hA short, steep little round above Wythop — Rivings, Lothwaite and Sale Fell in 4.4 km, but with 271 m of climbing packed into it and a stage averaging 12%. Easy for length and exposure; a little over an hour.
- Birketts North of Skiddaw 4.4 km away23 km~1434 m~7 hThe full northern sweep over Skiddaw itself — Bakestall, the Middle and South Tops, Sale How and more, nine tops in 23 km with 1,434 m of climbing. Severe for length; about 7 hours of steady walking and the biggest day in this group.
- Cockup at the White Hause and other Birketts 4.4 km away23.9 km~1160 m~6.7 hA long round on the northern fells over Great Cockup, Great Sca Fell, Knott and Little Calva — 23.9 km and 1,160 m, with no stage averaging steeper than about 10%. The distance rather than the gradient is what makes it a full day: roughly 6.7 hours of steady walking.
- Whinlatter Forest: Tarbarrel Moss, Ullister Hill & Seat How 4.6 km away7.3 km~243 m~1.9 h🏞️ Easy & familyA sheltered forest loop above Whinlatter — England's highest mountain forest — climbing on good tracks through the plantation to a trio of low, easily-missed tops. Tarbarrel Moss, Ullister Hill and rocky little Seat How give sudden, outsized views to Skiddaw, Grisedale Pike and the north-western fells for barely 250 m of climbing. A fine foul-weather or family day when the high tops are in cloud.
- Birketts around Grisedale Pike 4.7 km away11.7 km~598 m~3.3 hSeven tops on and around Grisedale Pike, taking in Hobcarton End, Hobcarton Crag and Sand Hill — 11.7 km and 598 m over eight stages, rated severe for steepness and hard for exposure. About 3.3 hours.
Fells within about 5 km
- Barf 2.3 km away469 m~2.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 21Summit likely clagged inBarf at 469m (1,539ft) is one of the most distinctive fells in the North Western group, rising steeply above Bassenthwaite Lake.
- Ullock Pike 2.4 km away690 m~3 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsUllock Pike at 692m (2,270ft) is the sharp, pointed north-western extremity of the Skiddaw ridge, its needle-like profile visible from the Bassenthwaite valley below.
- Sale Fell 2.7 km away359 m~1.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 30Summit likely clagged inSale Fell at 359m (1,178ft) is a pleasant little summit above Bassenthwaite Lake, its low summit giving fine views of the lake and across to Skiddaw above.
- Long Side 2.9 km away734 m~3 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsLong Side at 734m (2,408ft) is an intermediate summit on the Ullock Pike to Skiddaw ridge, its long, narrow crest giving outstanding views across Bassenthwaite Lake below and north to the Solway coast.
- Lord's Seat 2.9 km away552 m~2.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsLord's Seat at 552m (1,811ft) is the highest point of the Whinlatter Forest fells, a broad, grassy summit giving outstanding views of Bassenthwaite Lake and the Skiddaw massif.
- Dodd (Skiddaw) 2.9 km away502 m~2 h🚌 BusSave it · 26Summit likely clagged inDodd at 502m (1,647ft) is the prominent wooded cone above Bassenthwaite Lake, its open summit — above the Dodd Wood forest — giving one of the finest aerial views of Bassenthwaite Lake in the whole district.
- Broom Fell 3.1 km away510 m~2.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsBroom Fell at 509m (1,670ft) is a grassy summit above Lorton Vale in the north-western corner of the Lake District, giving wide views across Bassenthwaite Lake and north towards the Solway.
- Carl Side 3.6 km away747 m~3.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsCarl Side at 746m (2,447ft) is the prominent shoulder of Skiddaw above Millbeck, its summit giving excellent views across Bassenthwaite Lake and north to Scotland on clear days.
- Skiddaw 4 km away930 m~4.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsSkiddaw at 931m (3,054ft) is the fourth highest fell in England and one of Wainwright's great favourites for its distinctive character — a mountain of broad, smooth ridges and sweeping, slate-grey slopes quite unlike the rocky Central and Western Fells.
- Ling Fell 4 km away374 m~1.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsLing Fell at 374m (1,227ft) is a small, heathery summit above Wythop Mill near Bassenthwaite Lake, its modest top giving pleasant views across the lake and north to the Solway.
- Skiddaw Little Man 4.8 km away865 m~3.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsSkiddaw Little Man at 865m (2,838ft) is the subsidiary summit on the Skiddaw ridge south of the main top, often climbed with Skiddaw but a separate fell in its own right.
- Whinlatter (Brown How) 4.8 km away517 m~2.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsWhinlatter at 525m (1,722ft) is the fell above Whinlatter Pass — the broad, wooded ridge between Braithwaite and Lorton — its open summit giving views west to the coast and north to Bassenthwaite Lake.
- Bakestall 4.9 km away674 m~3 h🚌 BusSave it · 18Too windy for the topsBakestall at 673m (2,208ft) is the north-eastern satellite of Skiddaw, a broad grassy summit with the best views of the Back o' Skiddaw plateau and north towards the Solway.
- Graystones (Graystones North Top) 5 km away450 m~2 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsGraystones at 456m (1,496ft) is a small, heathery fell above Lorton Vale, its summit giving pleasant views of Bassenthwaite Lake and the northern fells.
0 of the fells here are rated good to climb on 12 September — see live conditions →
A prediction from our daily fell score, not a guarantee — always check the mountain forecast before you go.
Map
● routes · ● fells within ~5 km
An interactive map of the route start points and the fells within about 5 km. Each marker links to its page; the same routes and fells are listed below.
Distances are straight-line from the centre of Bassenthwaite Lake — ‘within ~5 km’ means as the crow flies, not that the walk necessarily starts there. Always plan your own route and check the bus before you travel.