Home › Collections › Walks near Ritson's Force

Walks near Ritson's Force

6 routes and 23 fells within about 5 km of Ritson's Force, 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 Ritson's Force guide for parking, buses and where to stay.

Walking routes near Ritson's Force

Few routes mapped near this start so far (6); 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.

• Extended Mosedale Horseshoe →Start 0.7 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.
• Round Kirk Fell from Wasdale Head →Start 0.7 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%.
• Scafell Pike from Wasdale, by Lingmell Col →Start 1.8 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.
• Great Gable & Kirk Fell →Start 1.8 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.
• Very Long Day Out →Start 2.9 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.
• Wastwater Shore (the Screes view) →Start 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.

Fells within about 5 km

• Yewbarrow →1.4 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.
• Kirk Fell →1.6 km away802 m~5–6 hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsKirk Fell at 802m (2,631ft) is the often overlooked giant between Great Gable and Pillar, its steep, grassy western face rising directly from Black Sail Pass in a great dome.Hazard notes checked by Lee McCoy: Kirk Fell (13 June 2026); they draw on Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team.
• Red Pike (Wasdale) →2.4 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.
• Lingmell →2.6 km away807 m~4½–5½ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo 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~5–6 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo 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~5½–6¾ hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsPillar at 892m (2,928ft) is one of the great mountains of Lakeland, its tremendous northern face — dominated by the famous Pillar Rock — home to some of the longest rock climbs in England.
• Green Gable →3.3 km away800 m~4½–5½ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsGreen Gable at 800m (2,624ft) 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~6–7¼ hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo 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~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.
• Scafell Pike →3.6 km away978 m~6–7¼ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo 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~6–7¼ hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsSteeple at 819m (2,687ft) is a pointed, dramatic summit on a short spur off Scoat Fell, its crags dropping steeply into Mirk Cove above Ennerdale.Hazard notes checked by Lee McCoy: Steeple (22 September 2026); they draw on Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team.
• Brandreth →4 km away715 m~2¾–3½ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo 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~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.
• Haystacks (Buttermere) →4 km away597 m~4–5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo 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~5–6 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsGreat End at 910m (2,984ft) 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.Hazard notes checked by Lee McCoy: Great End (13 June 2026); they draw on Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team and Keswick Mountain Rescue Team.
• Haycock →4.3 km away797 m~6–7¼ hSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo 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~2½–3 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsSeathwaite Fell at 601m (1,972ft) sits above the head of Borrowdale on the watershed between Styhead Gill and Grains Gill.
• Base Brown →4.5 km away646 m~4½–5½ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo 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~5–6 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.
• Grey Knotts →4.6 km away697 m~2¾–3½ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo 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~4–5 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.
• High Crag (Buttermere) →4.8 km away745 m~5–6 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsHigh Crag at 745m (2,444ft) 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~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. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (opens in new tab).

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.