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Walks by Brothers Water

16 routes and 26 fells within about 5 km of Brothers Water, nearest first. Each fell carries today’s conditions and the bus where there is one. Planning the trip? See the full Brothers Water guide for parking, buses and where to stay.

Within 5 km of Brothers Water

Walking routes near Brothers Water, by how close they come to the water

Effort is the size of the day, from the distance and the climb; each route’s own page grades the steepness, navigation, exposure and ground underfoot, and names the hardest.

On the shore 4 walks

Each route’s line comes within 50 m of the water’s edge somewhere along it, measured against OpenStreetMap’s outline of the lake.

Hartsop Fells and Hart Crag Start 0.7 km away11.87 km~837 m~3¾–5¼ hModerate effort Severe: steepnessWalked July 2025Park: Cow Bridge, Hartsop (paid) · Bus: 508 at the startSix tops from Gale Crag over Hartsop Above How to Hart Crag: 11.9 km and 837 m, about 3¾–5¼ hours. Severe for steepness: the push onto Hart Crag is loose and rocky, with simple steps where you may need your hands, and the way down off High Hartsop Dodd is a very steep grass nose, about 43% over 250 m near 9.5 km and slippery when wet. The rest is moderate, though the ridge from Hart Crag to Dove Crag is rocky and hard on the ankles.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained descent, about 41%. Terrain: graded by Lee on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 24 September 2026.
Middle Dodd Little Hart Crag and High Hartsop Dodd Start 0.7 km away10.42 km~743 m~3¼–4½ hModerate effort Severe: steepnessWalked July 2025Park: Cow Bridge, Hartsop (paid) · Bus: 508 at the startA short round with a very long climb in it: 528 m up to Middle Dodd in the first 4.3 km, including a sustained pull of about 56% over 250 m. The way down is just as steep. Off High Hartsop Dodd the descent reaches about 56% over 250 m around 7.9 km, and it is hard on the knees. Hard for terrain, navigation and exposure; 10.4 km and 743 m in all.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained climb, about 53%; the steepest descent, about 56% over 250 m. Exposure, terrain and navigation: graded by Lee on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 24 September 2026.
Caudale Moor & St Raven's Edge Start 0.8 km away12.96 km~732 m~3¾–5¼ hModerate effort Severe: steepnessPlannedPark: Hartsop village (donation) · Bus: 508, 570 m walk from Hartsop, adjacent to road endHartsop Dodd, Stony Cove Pike and the Caudale Moor tops — four summits in 13 km with 732 m of climbing, and one stage averaging 35%, which ties the steepest on the site. Hard to navigate; about 3¾–5¼ hours.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained climb, about 50%. Navigation: estimated from the map, not checked on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.
Patterdale to Hartsop and Brothers Water Start 3.3 km away11.48 km~169 m~2½–3½ hModerate effort Hard: navigationPlannedPark: Patterdale Hotel Car Park (Patterdale Hotel, paid) · Bus: 508 at the startA low circular of about 11.5 km from Patterdale: south, mostly on public footpaths and bridleways, on the east side of the valley to Hartsop, along the west shore of Brothers Water on a public footpath and back, then north on a permissive path west of Goldrill Beck to Menneting Bridge and home the way you came, with about 170 m of climbing.

Within 500 m of the water 3 walks

Each route’s line comes within 500 m of the water’s edge, but not within 50 m.

Finishing of the Far Eastern Fells Start 0.6 km away22.5 km~1294 m~6½–9 hSevere effort Severe: distanceWalked August 2026One-way: finishes 2.9 km from the start in a straight line · Start: Cow Bridge, Hartsop (paid) · Bus: 508 at the startRest Dodd, The Nab, Brock Crags and the Angletarn Pikes — six tops in 22.5 km with 1,294 m of climbing. Severe for length, hard for steepness and to navigate: about 6½–9 hours and a full day out.Measured from the GPX track: the distance; the steepest sustained descent, about 31%. Navigation: estimated from the map, not checked on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.
Brock Crags, Angletarn Pikes, Beda Fell & Place Fell Start 0.8 km away19.71 km~1072 m~5½–7¾ hHard effort Hard: distance and steepnessWalked in partPark: Hartsop village (donation) · Bus: 508, 580 m walk from Hartsop, adjacent to road endA big, varied Far Eastern round above Patterdale and the Boredale and Bannerdale valleys — over Brock Crags to Angle Tarn, along the grassy whaleback of Beda Fell, and up Place Fell for its view down Ullswater. Nearly 20 km and a proper day out, but rarely hard underfoot.
Hartsop Dodd, Stony Cove Pike, Thornthwaite Crag and Gray Crag Start 0.8 km away10 km~858 m~3¼–4¾ hModerate effort Severe: steepnessWalked February 2025Park: Hartsop village (donation) · Bus: 508, 590 m walk from Hartsop, adjacent to road endFour tops above Hartsop in 10 km with 858 m of climbing, including a stage averaging 35% — as steep as anything on the site. Severe for steepness but only moderate for navigation and exposure. About 3¼–4¾ hours.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained climb, about 51%. Exposure and navigation: graded by Lee on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.

More walks within about 5 km 9 walks

Each starts within about 5 km of the lake, and its line stays more than 500 m from the water.

Angletarn Pikes and the Martindale round Start 0.8 km away22.23 km~1402 m~6¾–9¼ hSevere effort Severe: distanceWalked in partPark: Hartsop village (donation) · Bus: 508, 560 m walk from Hartsop, adjacent to road endA long circuit of the Far Eastern fells above Patterdale — over Rest Dodd and out to the remote peak of The Nab, then back across Brock Crags to the twin tops of Angletarn Pikes, and home over Beda Fell and Place Fell. Twenty-two kilometres and six summits.
Place Fell and The Knight Start 3.3 km away7.28 km~547 m~2¼–3¼ hModerate effort Hard: steepnessPlannedPark: Patterdale Hotel Car Park (Patterdale Hotel, paid) · Bus: 508 at the startStraight up from Ullswater to Place Fell and The Knight — 7.3 km and 547 m, with a stage averaging 16%. Easy for length but hard for steepness. About 2¼–3¼ hours.Measured from the GPX track: the distance; the steepest sustained descent, about 35%. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.
Patterdale to Silver Point and Back Start 3.3 km away6.5 km~118 m~1½–2 hEasy effort Moderate: navigationPlannedOut and back · Park: Patterdale Hotel Car Park (Patterdale Hotel, paid) · Bus: 508 at the startAn out-and-back of about 6.5 km from Patterdale: over Goldrill Bridge, a public footpath, then north on a public bridleway along the east side of Ullswater to Silver Point, with about 120 m of climbing.
St Sunday Crag Start 3.4 km away10.22 km~838 m~3¼–4¾ hModerate effort Severe: steepnessWalked January 2025Park: Patterdale Hotel Car Park (Patterdale Hotel, paid) · Bus: 508 at the startThree tops and an outlier on the long Patterdale ridge: Arnison Crag, Birks and St Sunday Crag, with Gavel Pike a short detour off the summit, 10 km and 838 m. The walking line stays clear of the crags, but it is not all grass: the ridge to St Sunday Crag turns rocky, and the way back off Gavel Pike crosses steep grass and small rocky steps that are treacherous when wet or icy. The descent reaches about 45% over 250 m near 8.3 km.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest descent, about 45% over 250 m. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 24 September 2026. Hazard notes checked by Lee McCoy: Arnison Crag (14 June 2026), Birks (14 June 2026) and St Sunday Crag (13 June 2026); they draw on Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team.
Grisedale Tarn, Fairfield, St Sunday Crag from Patterdale Start 3.4 km away15.92 km~983 m~4¾–6½ hHard effort Severe: steepnessPlannedPark: Patterdale Hotel Car Park (Patterdale Hotel, paid) · Bus: 508 at the start
Red Screes from Kirkstone Pass Start 3.8 km away5.85 km~602 m~2–3 hModerate effort Severe: steepnessPlannedPark: Red Pit (LDNPA, free) · Bus: 508, 920 m walk from Kirkstone, outside Pass InnA short, steep round of about 5.9 km from Kirkstone Pass with about 600 m of climbing: from the top of the pass straight up to Red Screes, along the ridge to Middle Dodd, then down Middle Dodd’s very steep north ridge and back up the valley beside the A592 to Red Pit car park.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained descent, about 44%.
Glenridding Dodd, Sheffield Pike, Catstye Cam, Birkhouse Moor Start 4.6 km away15.58 km~1269 m~5–7 hSevere effort Hard: distance, steepness, terrain, navigation and exposureWalked September 2023Park: Beckside Car Park (paid) · Bus: 508 at the startA hard round above Glenridding by every measure the site records — 1,269 m of ascent in 15.6 km. A steep pull straight out of the valley leads over Glenridding Dodd and Sheffield Pike, then the notoriously wet ground at Nick Head, the fine cone of Catstye Cam, and a long 558 m descent that tells on tired knees.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained climb, about 34%; the steepest descent, about 32% over 250 m. Terrain: graded by Lee on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.
Lanty's Tarn and Glenridding Beck Start 4.6 km away3.11 km~126 m~¾–1¼ hEasy effort Moderate: steepness and navigationPlannedPark: Beckside Car Park (paid) · Bus: 508 at the startA short circular of about 3.1 km from Glenridding: a short way up the valley of Glenridding Beck on a public bridleway, up a public footpath and a short path to Lanty’s Tarn, then down public footpaths by Mires Beck and back along the bridleway, with about 130 m of climbing.
Helvellyn via Striding Edge & Swirral Edge Start 4.6 km away12.71 km~948 m~4–5½ hHard effort Severe: terrain, navigation and exposureWalked in partPark: Beckside Car Park (paid) · Bus: 508 at the startThe most famous — and most serious — way up England's third-highest mountain, over the knife-edge arêtes of Striding Edge and Swirral Edge, taking in shapely Catstye Cam. I've walked the summit and Catstye Cam, but not Striding Edge or Swirral Edge, and it's a genuinely dangerous route that demands a head for heights, sure footing and settled conditions; it sees accidents every year. If the edges aren't for you, the far safer walkers' option is to climb via White Side from Thirlmere. In winter the edges become full mountaineering terrain needing an ice axe, crampons and the experience to use them.Exposure and terrain: our judgement from the map and the route’s record; that stretch not walked. Hazard notes checked by Lee McCoy: Helvellyn (17 July 2026) and Catstye Cam (13 June 2026); they draw on Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team and Keswick Mountain Rescue Team.

Fells within about 5 km

Hartsop Dodd 1.2 km away619 m~2½–3 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsHartsop Dodd at 619m (2,031ft) is a grassy ridge summit above Hartsop village, its long slope rising to a broad top with fine views of Brothers Water and the Patterdale valley below.
Brock Crags (Wainwright) 1.7 km away561 m~2½–3 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsBrock Crags at 561m (1,841ft) is a craggy little summit above Hartsop and Hayeswater Gill, sitting between Angletarn Pikes and Rest Dodd on the ridge above Patterdale.
Hartsop Above How (Gill Crag) 2.1 km away586 m~3½–4½ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsHartsop above How at 586m (1,923ft) is a long, grassy ridge above the Hartsop valley, its summit giving good views down Brothers Water and across to Place Fell.
High Hartsop Dodd 2.1 km away519 m~3¼–4¼ h🚌 BusDecent · 55 · rated on 27 OctoberDryHigh Hartsop Dodd at 519m (1,703ft) is a small, grassy summit above Hartsop village, its top giving good views of Brothers Water and the lower Patterdale valley.
Angletarn Pikes (Angletarn Pikes North Top) 2.4 km away566 m~5½–7¾ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsAngletarn Pikes at 566m (1,857ft) are twin rocky summits above Angle Tarn — the perfect mountain tarn, cupped in a dramatic hollow above Patterdale.
Arnison Crag 2.5 km away433 m~2–2½ h🚌 BusDecent · 60 · rated on 27 OctoberDryArnison Crag at 433m (1,421ft) is the small, craggy summit directly above Patterdale village, its rocky top giving an excellent bird's-eye view of the village and Goldrill Beck below.
Gray Crag 2.7 km away698 m~3¼–4¾ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsGray Crag at 698m (2,290ft) stands above Hayeswater and Hartsop, its steep eastern face dropping to the Hayeswater valley in a series of crags.
Birks 2.8 km away624 m~3¼–4 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsBirks at 624m (2,047ft) is the lower, north-eastern ridge of St Sunday Crag above Grisedale, its summit giving good views up the valley to Fairfield and across to the Helvellyn range.
Little Hart Crag (West Top) 3.1 km away637 m~3¼–4¼ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsLittle Hart Crag at 637m (2,090ft) is the rocky subsidiary summit above the Dovedale valley, giving excellent views down to Brothers Water and across to Red Screes.
Stony Cove Pike (Caudale Moor) 3.1 km away764 m~3½–4¼ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsStony Cove Pike at 764m (2,506ft), also known as Caudale Moor, is a Wainwright summit in the Far Eastern Fells above the Kirkstone Pass, its broad summit plateau giving extensive views across the eastern fells and towards the Pennines.
Rest Dodd 3.1 km away696 m~6½–8 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsRest Dodd at 696m (2,283ft) is a summit above Patterdale and Martindale, joined to the High Street range by the ridge to The Knott, about 1 km to the south-south-east.
Middle Dodd 3.2 km away654 m~3¼–4¼ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsMiddle Dodd at 654m (2,146ft) is the grassy northern ridge of Red Screes above the Kirkstone Pass, its open summit giving fine views of the pass road and the Hartsop valley below.
St Sunday Crag 3.4 km away841 m~3½–4¼ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsSt Sunday Crag at 841m (2,760ft) is the great isolated pyramid above Patterdale, separated from the Helvellyn ridge by the deep trench of Grisedale.
The Knott (High Street) 3.4 km away739 m~4¼–5¾ hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsThe Knott at 739m (2,425ft) stands above Hayeswater tarn in the Far Eastern Fells.
Dove Crag 3.6 km away792 m~3½–4¼ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsDove Crag at 792m (2,598ft) takes its name from the impressive cliff on its eastern face above Dovedale — a favourite with rock climbers and a dramatic feature visible from the valley below.
Hart Crag 3.7 km away823 m~3½–4¼ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsHart Crag at 823m (2,700ft) is the rocky summit at the northern end of the Fairfield ridge above Dovedale, giving excellent views down the crag-girt hollow of Dovedale to Hartsop and Brothers Water below.
Thornthwaite Crag 3.9 km away784 m~3½–4¼ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsThornthwaite Crag at 784m (2,572ft) is one of the most distinctive summits in the Far Eastern Fells, capped by a massive stone beacon — a tall, cylindrical pillar visible from miles around.
Red Screes 4 km away779 m~3½–4¼ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsRed Screes at 779m (2,555ft) stands dramatically above the Kirkstone Pass, its steep red scree slopes giving the fell its name and making it one of the most recognisable profiles above the A592.Hazard notes checked by Lee McCoy: Red Screes (13 June 2026); they draw on Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team.
The Nab 4 km away576 m~5–6 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsThe Nab at 576m (1,890ft) stands above the head of Martindale, its slopes forming part of the Martindale deer forest — one of the few remaining red deer forests in England.
Rampsgill Head 4.1 km away792 m~5–6 hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsRampsgill Head at 792m (2,600ft) stands above the head of the wild Rampsgill valley above Martindale, a broad summit giving excellent views down the glaciated trough and across to the Ullswater fells.
High Street 4.2 km away829 m~5–6 hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsHigh Street at 829m (2,718ft) takes its name from the Roman road that ran along its broad summit ridge, later a drovers' route.
Place Fell 4.3 km away657 m~2¼–3 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsPlace Fell at 657m (2,156ft) is the great ridge fell on the eastern shore of Ullswater, its long summit ridge giving one of the finest views of the lake in all Lakeland.
Kidsty Pike 4.5 km away781 m~5–6 hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsKidsty Pike at 781m (2,562ft) is the sharply pointed summit above Haweswater, its rocky southern side dropping steeply into Riggindale in a sweep of scree and crag.Hazard notes checked by Lee McCoy: Kidsty Pike (14 June 2026); they draw on Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team.
Fairfield 4.5 km away873 m🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsFairfield at 873m (2,865ft) gives its name to one of the great classic ridge walks of Lakeland — the Fairfield Horseshoe from Ambleside, a magnificent circuit taking in Hart Crag, Dove Crag, High Pike and Nab Scar.
High Raise (High Street) 4.6 km away804 m~3½–4¼ hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsHigh Raise at 804m (2,636ft) above Haweswater is the northern hub of the High Street range, from whose broad summit the ridges fan out to Kidsty Pike, Rampsgill Head and the Loadpot Hill plateau.
High Pike (Scandale) 4.8 km away657 m~4¾–6 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsHigh Pike at 657m (2,156ft), above Scandale, is a grassy summit with rocky outcrops at the top, on the ridge above Ambleside north of Low Pike, giving wide views south across Windermere and north to the Fairfield group.

2 of the fells here are rated good to climb on 27 October — see live conditions →
A prediction from our daily fell score, not a guarantee — always check the mountain forecast before you go. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (opens in new tab).

Map

● routes · ● fells within ~5 km

Distances are straight-line from the centre of Brothers Water — ‘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.