Walks by Haweswater
8 routes and 24 fells within about 5 km of Haweswater, nearest first. Each fell carries today’s conditions and the bus where there is one. Planning the trip? See the full Haweswater guide for parking, buses and where to stay.
Walking routes near Haweswater, 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 8 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.
- Mardale circuit Start 2.4 km away17.48 km~1142 m~5¼–7¼ hHard effort Severe: steepnessWalked February 2025Park: Mardale Head, Haweswater (free)The full circuit of the head of Haweswater — up the Rough Crag ridge to High Street, then Harter Fell, Branstree and Selside Pike around the far side. 17.5 km and 1,142 m, with eight mapped crag features near the line.
- Mardale Ill Bell, High Street, The Knott, Rampsgill Head, High Raise and Kidsty Pike Start 2.4 km away13.7 km~904 m~4¼–5¾ hHard effort Hard: steepness, terrain, navigation and exposureWalked July 2025Park: Mardale Head, Haweswater (free)Six far-eastern tops from Mardale Ill Bell over High Street to Rampsgill Head — 13.7 km and 904 m. Rated hard for terrain, navigation and exposure together, which few routes here manage. About 4¼–5¾ hours.Exposure, terrain and navigation: graded by Lee on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.
- Two Birketts from Mardale Head Start 2.4 km away9.6 km~550 m~2¾–4 hModerate effort Hard: steepness and navigationWalked in partPark: Mardale Head, Haweswater (free)Branstree and its north-east top above Haweswater, with two more summits on the way — 9.6 km and 550 m, a stage averaging 19%, and hard route-finding on featureless ground. About 2¾–4 hours.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained descent, about 27%. Navigation: estimated from the map, not checked on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.
- Mardale Horseshoe Start 2.5 km away15.33 km~929 m~4½–6¼ hHard effort Hard: distance, steepness, navigation and exposureWalked in partPark: Mardale Head, Haweswater (free)Seven tops around the head of Mardale, from Kidsty Pike over High Street to Harter Fell and back down to Haweswater: 15.3 km and 929 m. The climb onto Kidsty Pike is a steep, rocky spur with small steps where you may want a hand for balance, slippery when wet, and there is a rocky zig-zag climb from Nan Bield Pass onto Harter Fell. Between them the tops are broad and grassy, with almost no shelter beyond one stone wall. The hard exposure grade is mostly the wind; keep back from the crag edges above Blea Water and Small Water.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained climb, about 34%. Exposure: graded by Lee on the ground, on the stretches he walked. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 24 September 2026. Hazard notes checked by Lee McCoy: Kidsty Pike (14 June 2026), Rampsgill Head (14 June 2026), High Street (13 June 2026) and 2 more; they draw on Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team.
- Birketts West of Haweswater Start 2.5 km away23.83 km~1336 m~7–9½ hSevere effort Severe: distancePlannedPark: Mardale Head, Haweswater (free)High Street, Rampsgill Head, High Raise and Low Raise on the far-eastern tops — eight summits in 23.8 km with 1,336 m of climbing. Severe for length, hard for steepness and to navigate: about 7–9½ hours.Measured from the GPX track: the distance; the steepest sustained climb, about 34%. Navigation: estimated from the map, not checked on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.
- Pinnacle Howe and Four Stones Hill Start 3.6 km away7.55 km~300 m~2–2¾ hModerate effort Hard: navigationPlannedPark: Haweswater, by the dam (verge) (free)Two low tops above Haweswater — 7.6 km and 300 m, with a short 23% descent over 250 m near the end, and easy for length. Rated hard to navigate on open moor. About 2–2¾ hours.Measured from the GPX track: the distance; the steepest descent, about 23% over 250 m. Navigation: estimated from the map, not checked on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.
- Birketts South of Burnbanks Start 3.6 km away7.64 km~303 m~2–2¾ hModerate effort Hard: navigationPlannedPark: Haweswater, by the dam (verge) (free)Four low tops in the woods and crags above Haweswater — Naddle Low Forest, Hugh's Laithes Pike, Wallow Crag and Naddle High Forest. Just 7.6 km and 303 m, easy for length but rated hard to navigate. About 2–2¾ hours.Measured from the GPX track: the distance. Navigation: estimated from the map, not checked on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.
- Bampton Fell Start 3.6 km away11.18 km~455 m~3–4 hModerate effort Hard: terrain and navigationPlannedPark: Haweswater, by the dam (verge) (free)A single top on Bampton Common, an 11.2 km loop with 455 m of climbing and a steepest sustained descent of about 25% over 250 m. Hard for terrain (the trackless, boggy upper common) and navigation, and moderate for length and steepness — about 3–4 hours.Measured from the GPX track: the distance; the steepest descent, about 25% over 250 m. Terrain: our judgement from the map and the route’s record; not walked yet. Navigation: estimated from the map, not checked on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.
Fells within about 5 km
- Naddle High Forest 2.1 km away435 mNaddle High Forest at 435m (1,427ft) is an Outlying Fell forming the first top of the Naddle Horseshoe above the Naddle valley near Shap, giving views towards the Haweswater fells.
- Hare Shaw 2.2 km away503 mHare Shaw at 503m (1,650ft) is an Outlying Fell on the moorland between Haweswater and Swindale, west of Shap, giving views towards the Haweswater fells.
- Selside Pike 2.5 km away655 m~2¾–4 hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsSelside Pike is a grassy Wainwright on the high watershed between Haweswater and Swindale, in the Far Eastern Fells.
- High Raise (High Street) 2.7 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.
- Wallow Crag 2.8 km away433 mWallow Crag at 433m (1,421ft) is an Outlying Fell forming part of the Naddle Horseshoe above the Naddle valley near Shap, giving views towards the Haweswater fells.
- Kidsty Pike 2.9 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.
- Branstree 3.1 km away712 m~2¾–4 hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsBranstree at 712m (2,334ft) is a broad, featureless summit on the moorland plateau east of Haweswater, giving extensive views east to the Pennines and south across the Shap Fells.
- Rampsgill Head 3.2 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.
- Hugh's Laithes Pike 3.4 km away419 mHugh's Laithes Pike at 419m (1,375ft) is an Outlying Fell above Burnbanks near the foot of Haweswater, west of Shap, with views towards the Haweswater fells.
- Nabs Moor 3.4 km away493 mNabs Moor at 493m (1,617ft) is an Outlying Fell on the moorland above Swindale, south-west of Shap, giving views across the Shap Fells and towards the Pennines.
- Howes 3.5 km away583 m
- Harper Hills 3.6 km away420 mHarper Hills at 420m (1,378ft) is an Outlying Fell west of Shap, on the moorland between Swindale and Haweswater, with views east towards the Pennines and back west to the Haweswater fells.
- Naddle Farm Top (Naddle Horseshoe - 3) 3.7 km away395 mNaddle Farm Top at 395m (1,296ft) is an Outlying Fell forming part of the Naddle Horseshoe above the Naddle valley near Shap, giving views towards the Haweswater fells.
- The Knott (High Street) 3.9 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.
- High Street 3.9 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.
- Fewling Stones 4 km away509 mFewling Stones at 509m (1,670ft) is an Outlying Fell above Swindale, south-west of Shap, giving views west to the Haweswater fells.
- Mardale Ill Bell 4.1 km away761 m~3½–4¼ hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsMardale Ill Bell at 761m (2,497ft) is the southern end of the High Street massif above Mardale Head, a rocky summit with fine views of Haweswater and the Kentmere Horseshoe.
- Harter Fell (Mardale) 4.1 km away779 m~3½–4¼ hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsHarter Fell (Mardale) at 779m (2,556ft) stands above the head of Haweswater, south-west of Mardale Head, its summit giving outstanding views of the reservoir and the high Lakeland fells beyond.
- Wether Hill 4.2 km away673 m~4¼–6 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsWether Hill at 673m (2,206ft) is an intermediate summit on the High Street plateau between Loadpot Hill and High Raise, its broad, grassy top passing almost unnoticed on the main ridge path.
- Rest Dodd 4.3 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.
- High Wether Howe 4.5 km away531 mHigh Wether Howe at 531m (1,742ft) is a small, grassy summit between Swindale and Wet Sleddale, south-west of Shap and about 4 km east of Haweswater.
- The Nab 4.6 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.
- Scalebarrow Knott 4.9 km away338 m
- Gray Crag 5 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.
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. Our daily score covers the Wainwrights only, so the 11 Outlying fells here have no rating. 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 Haweswater — ‘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.