Walks by Ennerdale Water
3 routes and 9 fells within about 5 km of Ennerdale Water, nearest first. Route mapping from here is still thin, so the fell list is doing most of the work. Each fell carries today’s conditions and the bus where there is one. Planning the trip? See the full Ennerdale Water guide for parking, buses and where to stay.
I've walked one of the two routes here, over Grike, Crag Fell and Lank Rigg in May 2025. That's three of the nine fells on this page; the other six are still on my list.
Walking routes near Ennerdale Water, by how close they come to the water
Few routes mapped near this start so far (3); the fells within about 5 km are below.
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 1 walk
Each route’s line comes within 50 m of the water’s edge somewhere along it, measured against OpenStreetMap’s outline of the lake.
- Round Ennerdale Water from Bowness Knott Start 0.4 km away10.9 km~92 m~2¼–3¼ hModerate effort Moderate: distance, terrain and navigationPlannedPark: Bowness Knott, Ennerdale (Forestry, paid)A loop of about 10.9 km right round Ennerdale Water from the Bowness Knott car park, with about 90 m of climbing: east on the forest track along the north shore, over the River Liza near the head of the lake, west on the south shore path past Angler's Crag to the foot of the lake, over the River Ehen, and back on bridleways past Bowness to the car park.
More walks within about 5 km 2 walks
Each starts within about 5 km of the lake, and its line stays more than 500 m from the water.
- Birketts by Kirkland Start 4.5 km away9.15 km~249 m~2¼–3 hModerate effort Hard: terrain and navigationPlannedPark: Kirkland road end (verge)A single top at Godworth, a 9.2 km loop with 249 m of climbing, the steepest sustained descent about 12%. The ground and the route-finding are what make it, both rated hard; about 2¼–3 hours.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest descent, about 16% over 250 m. Navigation: estimated from the map, not checked on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.
- Grike, Crag Fell and Lank Rigg Start 4.8 km away13.07 km~623 m~3½–5 hModerate effort Moderate: distance, steepness and navigationWalked May 2025Park: Flat Fell (verge)Four tops in the far western fells — Grike, Crag Fell, Whoap and Lank Rigg — in 13.1 km and 623 m. Rough grass and big skies, a steep drop into Ennerdale beside Crag Fell's top, and faint, featureless ground over Whoap and Lank Rigg Moss where a compass bearing matters in cloud.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained descent, about 20%. Terrain and navigation: graded by Lee on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.
Fells within about 5 km
- Crag Fell 1.1 km away523 m~3½–4¼ hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsCrag Fell rises steeply above the southern shore of Ennerdale Water in the Western Fells, its craggy face — home to the Crag Fell Pinnacles — falling towards the lake.
- Great Borne 2.2 km away616 m~5–6 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsGreat Borne at 616m (2,021ft) is an isolated, rounded summit above Ennerdale Water, its summit giving excellent views of the lake and the remote Ennerdale valley below.
- Grike 2.3 km away488 m~3½–4¼ hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsGrike is a low, heathery fell on the far-western fringe of the Lakes, above Ennerdale and the old mining ground of Kinniside.
- Lank Rigg 3.4 km away541 m~4½–5½ hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsLank Rigg at 541m (1,775ft) is an isolated, remote summit above the Calder valley in the far western Lake District, its open top giving wide views to the coast and across the remote western moorlands.
- Gavel Fell 3.6 km away524 m~3½–4¼ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsGavel Fell at 524m (1,720ft) is a broad, heathery summit between Ennerdale and Loweswater, giving wide views of the western fells.
- Starling Dodd 3.7 km away633 m~5–6 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsStarling Dodd at 633m (2,077ft) is a broad, grassy summit above Ennerdale between Red Pike and Great Borne, giving fine views of Ennerdale Water and the remote Ennerdale valley.
- Hen Comb 4 km away506 m~3½–4¼ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsHen Comb at 506m (1,661ft) is a distinctively shaped ridge above Loweswater, its narrow summit giving fine views of Loweswater and Crummock Water.
- Blake Fell 4.6 km away573 m~3½–4¼ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsBlake Fell at 573m (1,879ft) is a broad, heathery summit above Crummock Water and Loweswater, giving fine views of both lakes from its open top.
- Caw Fell 4.8 km away697 m~6–7¼ hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsCaw Fell at 697m (2,287ft) is a Wainwright summit in the Western Fells, a remote top above the south side of Ennerdale.
None of the fells here are rated good to climb on 27 October — see fells to save for a bad day →
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
An interactive map of the walks and fells in this collection. Each marker links to its page; the same walks and fells are listed on this page.
Distances are straight-line from the centre of Ennerdale 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.