Walks from Braithwaite
The walks you can reach from Braithwaite — 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 Braithwaite guide for parking, buses and where to stay.
Walking routes near Braithwaite
- Stile End, Outerside, Causey Pike, Rowling End 0.1 km away9.9 km~682 m~3.1 hFour small Newlands tops in 9.9 km, though 682 m of ascent packed into that makes it steeper than the distance suggests, with one stage averaging 16%. Both the terrain and the exposure are rated hard along Causey Pike's knobbly crest. About 3.1 hours.
- Scar Crags, Causey Pike 0.1 km away12 km~850 m~3.8 hBarrow, Outerside, Scar Crags, Causey Pike and Rowling End above Newlands — five tops in 12 km with 850 m of climbing. Hard for terrain, navigation and exposure, severe for steepness; about 3.8 hours.
- Ard Crags & Knott Rigg 0.1 km away19.7 km~687 m~5.1 h<AI-GENERATED for planned routes; replaced with Lee's own account once Revised>
- Coledale Round 0.5 km away16 km~1108 m~5.1 hHardOne of the great north-western horseshoes, and a properly big mountain day from Braithwaite. From the little car park tucked behind the trees on the Whinlatter Pass road — or straight off the bus — a steady wake-up climb leads up over Kinn and Sleet How before Grisedale Pike shows its hand: a steep, craggy pull the map never quite warns you about, with hands needed on rock near the top. From its rocky summit the round opens out — the airy ridge over Hobcarton Crag to Hopegill Head's tiny, wind-blown perch, the broad sweep to Crag Hill and Sail, then a long, satisfying horseshoe back over the quieter tops of Outerside, Stile End and Barrow. Six Wainwrights, a handful of Birkett tops, and some of the best ridge-walking in the Lakes for the effort.
- Whinlatter Forest: Tarbarrel Moss, Ullister Hill & Seat How 2.5 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 2.5 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.
- Catbells, Maiden Moor & High Spy 2.9 km away13.8 km~824 m~4.1 hEasyA lovely, accessible ridge walk above the western shore of Derwentwater, and a great introduction to the fells. From Hawes End it climbs the shapely little peak of Catbells, then follows the airy but easy ridge south over Maiden Moor to High Spy, with Derwentwater and the Newlands valley spread out below. There are a few easy scrambly steps on Catbells that some guides don't mention, but nothing most people can't manage. A modest, rewarding day with some of the best views in the northern Lakes for the effort.
- Catbells: the short way up 2.9 km away5.7 km~388 m~1.8 hModerate🏞️ Easy & familyThe friendliest big view in the Lakes. Under 6 km from Hawse End to the shapely little summit above Derwentwater and back — short enough for an afternoon, steep enough to feel like a proper fell, and reachable without a car by launch across the lake or the bus from Keswick.
- Friar's Crag & the Derwentwater shore 3.1 km away4.2 km~43 m~0.9 h🏞️ Easy & familyAn almost-level lakeshore stroll from Keswick to Friar's Crag — Ruskin's favourite view down Derwentwater to the Jaws of Borrowdale — on surfaced paths that suit pushchairs.
- Ashness Bridge & Surprise View 3.4 km away13.4 km~322 m~3.2 h🏞️ Easy & familyA circular of about 8.3 miles along the eastern shore of Derwentwater taking in the iconic Ashness Bridge and the Surprise View over the lake. Mostly low-level (it passes below Walla Crag, not over it).
- Walla Crag and Bleaberry Fell from Keswick 3.4 km away12.5 km~655 m~3.6 hModerateA proper fell day that starts and finishes on foot from Keswick — no car needed. Walla Crag gives one of the great Derwentwater views for very little effort; Bleaberry Fell behind it is a rougher, boggier, quieter proposition that most people skip. Together they make a satisfying half-day horseshoe straight out of the town.
- Castlerigg Stone Circle (from Keswick) 3.5 km away7.7 km~185 m~1.9 h🏞️ Easy & familyA low-level circular of about 4.8 miles from Keswick out to the prehistoric Castlerigg Stone Circle and back through fields and woods. Gentle underfoot, but a genuine half-day walk rather than the quick roadside visit many expect.
- Scope End, Hindscarth & Dale Head from Little Town 4.3 km away12.1 km~729 m~3.6 hModerateA proper Newlands mountain day that most walkers drive straight past. The shapely Scope End ridge lifts you out of Little Town onto Hindscarth, then an airy walk along Hindscarth Edge carries you over to Dale Head above the head of the valley before a long descent back to the start. It's about 12 km with 730 m of ascent, with no scrambling — but the pulls are steep and the tops are big and open. Walk it on a day the Catbells car parks are overflowing and you'll have the ridge largely to yourself.
- Skiddaw via Ullock Pike and Dodd 4.4 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.
Fells within about 5 km
- Barrow 2 km away455 m~2 h🚌 BusSave it · 18Too windy for the topsBarrow at 455m (1,493ft) is a small, grassy summit above Braithwaite, giving one of the finest views of the Coledale valley and the Causey Pike ridge for its modest height.
- Outerside 3.1 km away568 m~2.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 19Too windy for the topsOuterside at 568m (1,864ft) is a small, grassy summit between Causey Pike and the Coledale valley, giving pleasant views of the surrounding North Western Fells.
- Causey Pike 3.2 km away637 m~3 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsCausey Pike at 637m (2,090ft) is one of the most attractive North Western summits — a pointed, rocky knob visible from across Derwent Water that Wainwright regarded as giving one of the finest low-level views of the lake.
- Barf 3.5 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.
- Grisedale Pike 3.6 km away790 m~3.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsGrisedale Pike at 791m (2,595ft) is the most conspicuous of the North Western Fells, a fine, sharp pyramid above Braithwaite that Wainwright described as the dominant feature of the Coledale skyline.
- Dodd (Skiddaw) 3.8 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.
- Scar Crags 3.9 km away672 m~3 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsScar Crags at 672m (2,205ft) is a craggy ridge summit above Coledale between Causey Pike and Sail, its rocky profile one of the features of the Coledale Horseshoe.
- Lord's Seat 4 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.
- Cat Bells (Catbells) 4.1 km away451 m~2.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsCatbells is one of Alfred Wainwright's great favourites, and his fondness for it shines through in The North-Western Fells — he saw it as a 'family fell,' approachable enough for grandparents and young children to climb together, yet rewarding with shapely, sun-warmed slopes and a genuinely striking position above Derwent Water.
- Whinlatter (Brown How) 4.3 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.
- Ard Crags 4.7 km away581 m~2.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 19Too windy for the topsArd Crags at 581m (1,906ft) is a craggy ridge summit above the head of the Newlands valley, its rocky west face giving the fell its name.
- Latrigg 4.8 km away369 m~1.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 34Summit likely clagged inLatrigg at 368m (1,207ft) is the little fell above Keswick, its summit giving one of the finest and most accessible viewpoints of Derwent Water and the surrounding fells in the whole Lake District.
- Sail 4.9 km away773 m~3.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsSail at 773m (2,536ft) is an elegant, pointed summit on the Coledale Horseshoe between Eel Crag and Causey Pike, its attractive profile one of the defining features of the skyline above Braithwaite.
- Carl Side 4.9 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.
- Hopegill Head 4.9 km away770 m~3.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsHopegill Head at 770m (2,526ft) is a pointed, airy summit above the head of the Hobcarton valley, its steep sides giving it a dramatic profile from the Whinlatter direction.
- Broom Fell 4.9 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.
- Long Side 5 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.
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 Braithwaite — ‘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.