Walks by Wast Water
9 routes and 10 fells within about 5 km of Wast Water, nearest first. Each fell carries today’s conditions and the bus where there is one. Planning the trip? See the full Wast Water guide for parking, buses and where to stay.
Walking routes near Wast 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.
- Wastwater Shore (the Screes view) Start 1.3 km away8.82 km~77 m~1¾–2¾ hEasy effort Moderate: distance and navigationPlannedOut and back · Park: Overbeck Bridge, Wastwater (NT, paid)A low-level walk by Wastwater for the view across the lake to the Screes: 8.8 km with 77 m of climbing and no summits. It looks at the Screes from across the water; it does not cross their boulder field. We have drawn this line from the map and not walked it yet, so we have not checked how much of it is on the road. About 1¾–2¾ hours.Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 24 September 2026.
- Very Long Day Out Start 1.4 km away26.63 km~1810 m~8¼–11¼ hSevere effort Severe: distance and steepnessPlannedPark: Overbeck Bridge, Wastwater (NT, paid)The Wasdale head round at its longest — 26.6 km and 1,810 m over twelve tops, from Yewbarrow out to Steeple, Haycock and Caw Fell and back over Seatallan and Middle Fell. One stage climbs 556 m in 2.1 km, averaging 26%, and the whole day is rated severe for both length and steepness: about 8¼–11¼ hours of walking.Measured from the GPX track: the distance; the steepest sustained climb, about 49%. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.
- Extended Mosedale Horseshoe Start 3.8 km away17.75 km~1236 m~5½–7½ hSevere effort Severe: steepnessPlannedPark: Wasdale Head village green car park (free)Pillar, Scoat Fell, Steeple and Red Pike around the head of Mosedale, with Yewbarrow to finish — 1,236 m of ascent packed into 17.8 km, rated severe for steepness and hard for exposure. About 5½–7½ hours.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained descent, about 47%. Exposure: our judgement from the map and the route’s record; not walked yet. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.
- Whin Rigg, Illgill Head & the Wastwater Screes Start 3.8 km away16.86 km~682 m~4½–6 hHard effort Severe: steepnessPlannedPark: Irton Fell car park (donation)The high, airy walk along the top of the Wastwater Screes — England’s most dramatic lakeshore, seen from directly above. A long Wasdale round over Whin Rigg and Illgill Head, the ground falling away in a single sweep to the deepest lake in the country. Big, wild and exposed, and best saved for a clear, dry day.Exposure: our judgement from the map and the route’s record; not walked yet.
Within 500 m of the water 2 walks
Each route’s line comes within 500 m of the water’s edge, but not within 50 m.
- Great Gable & Kirk Fell Start 2.7 km away14.12 km~1146 m~4½–6½ hHard effort Severe: steepnessPlannedPark: Lake Head, Wasdale (NT, paid)Two of Wasdale's hardest tops in one round — 14.1 km and 1,146 m, rated hard on every axis the site measures: length, terrain, navigation and exposure, with steepness severe. About 4½–6½ hours, and none of them easy.Measured from the GPX track: the distance; the steepest sustained descent, about 51%. Exposure, terrain and navigation: our judgement from the map and the route’s record; not walked yet. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.
- Scafell Pike from Wasdale, by Lingmell Col Start 2.8 km away8 km~915 m~3–4¼ hModerate effort Severe: steepness and navigationPlannedPark: Lake Head, Wasdale (NT, paid)The most-walked way up the highest mountain in England, and the shortest — 8 km and 915 m straight out of Wasdale Head. It is a hard, stony climb up Brown Tongue into Hollow Stones, then a boulder-strewn haul to the roof of the country. Do not mistake ‘popular’ for ‘easy’.Terrain and navigation: our judgement from the map and the route’s record; not walked yet.
More walks within about 5 km 3 walks
Each starts within about 5 km of the lake, and its line stays more than 500 m from the water.
- The Greendale Horseshoe Start 1.7 km away8.56 km~789 m~3–4¼ hModerate effort Severe: steepnessPlannedPark: Greendale (layby) (free)A round of about 8.6 km from Greendale in Wasdale over Middle Fell, Seatallan, Glade How and Buckbarrow, with about 790 m of climbing: straight up Middle Fell from the road, down to the col between the two fells and steeply up Seatallan, then down its long south ridge over Glade How to Buckbarrow, and a steep path back down to Greendale.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained climb, about 38%.
- Middle Fell, Haycock Seatallan and Buckbarrow Start 1.7 km away17.8 km~1298 m~5½–7¾ hSevere effort Severe: steepnessPlannedPark: Greendale (layby) (free)Seven Wasdale tops in a 17.8 km round with 1,298 m of climbing and one stage averaging 24%. Hard for length and navigation, severe for steepness — about 5½–7¾ hours on ground that stays rough throughout.Measured from the GPX track: the distance; the steepest sustained climb, about 38%. Navigation: estimated from the map, not checked on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026. Hazard notes checked by Lee McCoy: Middle Fell (14 June 2026), Haycock (14 June 2026), Caw Fell (14 June 2026) and 1 more; they draw on Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team.
- Round Kirk Fell from Wasdale Head Start 3.8 km away9.09 km~630 m~2¾–4 hModerate effort Severe: steepnessPlannedPark: Wasdale Head village green car park (free)A loop of about 9.1 km from Wasdale Head round Kirk Fell, with about 630 m of climbing: up the valley past Burnthwaite and over Gable Beck, then a steep path to Beck Head (619 m), the col between Kirk Fell and Great Gable; north-west under Kirk Fell's north side to Black Sail Pass (545 m), then down past Gatherstone Head into the valley west of Kirk Fell and back to Wasdale Head.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained climb, about 43%.
Fells within about 5 km
- Illgill Head 1.1 km away609 m~4–5 hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsIllgill Head at 609m (1,997ft) is the highest point of the famous Wastwater Screes — one of the most dramatic and photographed features in the Lake District.
- Middle Fell 1.8 km away582 m~5½–6¾ hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsMiddle Fell at 582m (1,909ft) is a small, craggy summit above Wasdale overlooking Wast Water, its top giving fine views of the lake and the Wastwater Screes.
- Whin Rigg (Wasdale) 2.4 km away537 m~4–5 hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsWhin Rigg at 537m (1,762ft) is the southern end of the Wastwater Screes ridge, its summit giving outstanding views of Wast Water and south to the Cumbrian coast.
- Buckbarrow 2.6 km away423 m~2–2½ hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsBuckbarrow at 423m (1,388ft) is a craggy little summit above Wast Water, its western crags giving a dramatic profile from the road below and excellent views of the lake from the summit.
- Boat How 2.8 km away337 mBoat How at 337m (1,106ft) is a small, rocky summit above Eskdale, its craggy top giving views across lower Eskdale and towards the sea.
- Yewbarrow 3 km away629 m~4–5 hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsYewbarrow at 629m (2,063ft) is a magnificent, narrow ridge above Wasdale Head, its twin rocky summits and dramatic profile making it one of the most distinctive fells in the Western Fells.
- Seatallan 3.4 km away693 m~5–6 hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsSeatallan at 693m (2,274ft) is a rounded summit above Wasdale, joined to Haycock by a col about 200 m below its top.
- Scafell 4.6 km away964 m~5½–6¾ hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsThough 14m lower than its neighbour, Scafell at 964m (3,162ft) is in many respects the grander fell.
- Red Pike (Wasdale) 4.9 km away826 m~5–6 hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsRed Pike (Wasdale) at 826m (2,710ft) is the pointed summit above Overbeck and the Wasdale valley, its russet-red scree slopes visible from Wast Water below.Hazard notes checked by Lee McCoy: Red Pike (Wasdale) (22 September 2026); they draw on Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team.
- Slight Side 4.9 km away762 m~5½–6¾ hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsSlight Side at 762m (2,500ft) forms the southern shoulder of Scafell, a long, grassy ridge that extends the fell's bulk towards the Eskdale valley.
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 one Outlying fell here has 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 Wast 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.