Walks from Ritson's Force
The walks you can reach from Ritson's Force — 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 Ritson's Force guide for parking, buses and where to stay.
Walking routes near Ritson's Force
- Extended Mosedale Horseshoe 0.7 km away16.6 km~1303 m~5.5 hPillar, Scoat Fell, Steeple and Red Pike around the head of Mosedale, with Yewbarrow to finish — 1,303 m of ascent packed into 16.6 km, rated severe for steepness and hard for exposure. About 5.5 hours steady. It also goes by bus: the Wasdale Explorer works for this round if you turn for home at Yewbarrow by 16:58.
- Scafell Pike from Wasdale, by Lingmell Col 1.8 km away8 km~915 m~3.1 hHard🏞️ Easy & familyThe 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’.
- Great Gable & Kirk Fell 1.8 km away14.1 km~1146 m~4.7 hTwo 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 4.7 hours, and none of them easy.
- Very Long Day Out 2.9 km away26.8 km~1743 m~8.3 hThe Wasdale head round at its longest — 26.8 km and 1,743 m over twelve tops, from Yewbarrow out to Steeple, Haycock and Caw Fell and back over Seatallan and Middle Fell. One stage climbs 546 m in 2.1 km, averaging 26%, and the whole day is rated severe for both length and steepness: about 8.3 hours of steady walking.
- Wastwater Shore (the Screes view) 3 km away8.8 km~77 m~1.9 hA level walk along the Wastwater shore for the view across to the Screes — 8.8 km with 77 m of climbing and no summits at all. Easy on every axis but length; about 1.9 hours.
Fells within about 5 km
- Yewbarrow 1.4 km away629 m~4 hSave it · 20Too windy for the topsYewbarrow at 628m (2,058ft) 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.
- Kirk Fell 1.6 km away802 m~5 hSave it · 19Too windy for the topsKirk Fell at 802m (2,631ft) is the often overlooked giant between Great Gable and Pillar, its steep, grassy northern face rising directly from Black Sail Pass in a great dome.
- Red Pike (Wasdale) 2.4 km away826 m~5 hSave it · 20Too 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 Wastwater below giving the fell its name.
- Lingmell 2.6 km away807 m~4.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsLingmell at 807m (2,648ft) stands sentinel above Wasdale Head, a broad grassy dome that Wainwright described as providing one of the finest close-up views of Scafell Pike — the great crags of Pikes Crag and the Corridor Route are seen to dramatic effect from its summit.
- Great Gable 2.8 km away899 m~5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsGreat Gable at 899m (2,949ft) is perhaps the most beloved mountain in Lakeland — its profile appears on the badge of the Lake District National Park, and its summit is the site of an annual Remembrance Sunday service by the Fell and Rock Climbing Club.
- Pillar 3.2 km away892 m~5.5 hSave it · 20Too windy for the topsPillar at 892m (2,927ft) is one of the great mountains of Lakeland, its tremendous eastern face — dominated by the famous Pillar Rock — home to some of the longest rock climbs in England.
- Green Gable 3.3 km away800 m~4.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsGreen Gable at 801m (2,628ft) is the satellite summit of Great Gable to the north, connected by the dramatic Windy Gap.
- Scoat Fell (Little Scoat Fell) 3.4 km away841 m~6 hSave it · 20Too windy for the topsScoat Fell at 841m (2,759ft) is the broad, high ridge connecting Pillar to Red Pike (Wasdale) and Haycock, a summit of wide views but modest individual character.
- Scafell 3.5 km away964 m~5.5 hSave it · 20Too windy for the topsThough 14m lower than its neighbour, Scafell at 964m (3,163ft) is in many respects the grander fell.
- Scafell Pike 3.6 km away978 m~5.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsEngland's highest mountain, Scafell Pike stands at 978m (3,209ft) and is the supreme objective for every Lakeland walker.
- Steeple 3.7 km away819 m~6 hSave it · 20Too windy for the topsSteeple at 819m (2,687ft) is a pointed, dramatic summit on the ridge between Scoat Fell and Red Pike (Wasdale), its crags dropping steeply into Mirk Cove above Ennerdale.
- Brandreth 4 km away715 m~4.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsBrandreth at 715m (2,346ft) is a broad, grassy summit on the Gable ridge above Honister, giving excellent views of Great Gable and the Scafells from the north.
- Middle Fell 4 km away582 m~3 hSave it · 16Too windy for the topsMiddle Fell at 582m (1,909ft) is a small, craggy summit above Wasdale overlooking Wastwater, its top giving fine views of the lake and the Wastwater Screes.
- Haystacks (Buttermere) 4 km away597 m~4 h🚌 BusSave it · 19Too windy for the topsHaystacks at 597m (1,959ft) is the fell Wainwright loved above all others — not for its height, but for its character.
- Great End 4.2 km away910 m~5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsGreat End at 910m (2,985ft) is the northern fortress of the Scafell massif, its great crags plunging dramatically into upper Borrowdale and forming one of the most imposing cliff faces in Lakeland.
- Haycock 4.3 km away797 m~6 hSave it · 20Too windy for the topsHaycock at 797m (2,615ft) is the westernmost of the high Pillar ridge summits, an isolated fell above the remote Ennerdale forest with distinctive views west to the sea and the Cumbrian coast.
- Seathwaite Fell (Wainwright summit) 4.5 km away601 m~2.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 17Too windy for the topsThe AA cairn of Seathwaite Fell at 550m (1,804ft) is the highest point on the western edge of the Seathwaite Fell plateau above Borrowdale, marked by the Automobile Association triangulation pillar.
- Base Brown 4.5 km away646 m~4.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 19Too windy for the topsBase Brown at 646m (2,119ft) is a craggy summit above Seathwaite in Borrowdale, its north face dropping in crags to the Borrowdale valley.
- Seatallan 4.6 km away693 m~5 hSave it · 16Too windy for the topsSeatallan at 692m (2,270ft) is an isolated, solitary summit above Wasdale, its rounded bulk quite separate from any other fell group.
- Grey Knotts 4.6 km away697 m~4.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsGrey Knotts at 697m (2,287ft) is the first summit above Honister Pass, a pleasant rocky summit giving fine views of the Gable group and across Borrowdale.
- Illgill Head 4.6 km away609 m~4 hSave it · 18Too windy for the topsIllgill Head at 609m (1,998ft) is the highest point of the famous Wastwater Screes — one of the most dramatic and photographed features in the Lake District.
- High Crag (Buttermere) 4.8 km away745 m~5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsHigh Crag at 744m (2,441ft) is the south-eastern anchor of the Buttermere ridge, its dramatic Gamlin End providing the steepest descent in the three-peak circuit.
- Slight Side 4.9 km away762 m~5.5 hSave it · 20Too windy for the topsSlight Side at 762m (2,500ft) forms the south-western shoulder of Scafell, a long, grassy ridge that extends the fell's bulk towards the Eskdale valley.
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 Ritson's Force — ‘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.