Walks from Scale Force
The walks you can reach from Scale 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 Scale Force guide for parking, buses and where to stay.
2 of the fells here are rated good to climb on 11 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.
Walking routes near Scale Force
- Scale Fell and Mellbreak 2.2 km away14.7 km~561 m~3.9 hScale Knott and both Mellbreak tops — 14.7 km and 561 m, with a stage averaging 19%. The only route in this group rated SEVERE for exposure, and hard for length and navigation too. About 3.9 hours.
- The Buttermere Ridge 2.3 km away13.4 km~975 m~4.3 hOne of the finest ridge walks in the Lakes — Seat, High Crag, High Stile and Red Pike strung above Buttermere, with plunging drops into Ennerdale on one side and the lake on the other. Earned by the loose, relentless grind of Gamlin End and paid for again on the red scree chute off Red Pike: 13.4 km, 975 m of climbing, and severe for steepness.
- Buttermere lake circuit 2.3 km away7.4 km~66 m~1.6 h🏞️ EasyThe classic low-level lap of Buttermere — a flat, well-made path right around the lake beneath High Stile and Fleetwith Pike, passing the famous lone tree and a short rock-cut tunnel. One of the great easy walks in the Lakes.
- Crummock Water shore circuit 2.3 km away13.2 km~191 m~3 h🏞️ EasyThe full circuit of Crummock Water — about 8.2 miles around one of the loveliest of the western lakes. Largely level but long, and boggy in places along the quieter western shore.
- High Stile, Seat via Buttermere 2.4 km away13 km~836 m~4 hFive tops along the High Stile ridge with Buttermere below you the whole way. 836 m of ascent in 13 km, and a stage averaging 20% to gain the ridge in the first place. Exposure is rated hard where the crags drop straight to the lake. Roughly 4 hours.
- Great Borne & Starling Dodd 2.4 km away16 km~1100 m~5 hRed Pike, Starling Dodd and Great Borne along the western end of the High Stile ridge — three tops, 16 km and 1,100 m, with one stage averaging 20%. Hard for length, severe for steepness; about 5 hours.
- High Snockrigg, Eel Crag & Lad Hows 2.6 km away15.7 km~1399 m~5.5 hA big north-western day — seven tops from High Snockrigg over Whiteless Pike to Crag Hill, 15.7 km and 1,399 m, with one stage averaging 22%. About 5.5 hours.
- The Grasmoor Round 3.8 km away16.2 km~1197 m~5.2 hOne of the hardest starts in the Lakes — a gruelling 26% climb over loose scree onto Whiteside — followed by superb high ridge walking over Hopegill Head and Grasmoor. There is mild Grade 1 scrambling near the top, a broad plateau that disorients in fog, and a narrow descent along Whiteless Edge.
- Dodd & Whiteside 3.9 km away7.9 km~682 m~2.7 hTwo tops, 7.9 km and 682 m — and a stage averaging 29%, which is what a short walk with that much ascent in it means. Easy for length, severe for steepness, hard for exposure. Under three hours.
- The Grasmoor round: Whiteside, Hopegill Head and Whiteless Pike 3.9 km away16.2 km~1068 m~5 hHard🏞️ EasyTen tops and the finest ridge walking in the North Western Fells — up Whiteside, along the narrow crest of Gasgale Crags to Hopegill Head, over the great whaleback of Grasmoor, then out along Wandope and down the elegant cone of Whiteless Pike to Rannerdale. Sixteen kilometres, a thousand metres of climbing, and views over Crummock Water all the way round.
- Around Loweswater 4.2 km away19.1 km~1019 m~5.5 hThe full circuit of the fells around Loweswater — six tops from Darling Fell round to Blake Fell, 19.1 km and 1,019 m, with no stage averaging steeper than about 8%. A long day rather than a hard one: roughly 5.5 hours steady.
- Mellbreak and Crummock Water 4.2 km away11.7 km~530 m~3.2 hBoth Mellbreak tops above Crummock Water — 11.7 km and 530 m, severe for steepness and hard for exposure, with one stage averaging 14%. About 3.2 hours.
- Around Loweswater to Fellbarrow and Low Fell 4.3 km away10.8 km~417 m~2.9 hA short north-western round over Low Fell, Sourfoot Fell, Smithy Fell and Fellbarrow — 10.8 km and 417 m, moderate on every axis except steepness. Under three hours at a steady pace.
- Birketts by Loweswater 4.3 km away18.7 km~995 m~5.4 hNine tops above Loweswater, from High Pen and Knock Murton round by Carling Knott — 18.7 km and 995 m, with no stage averaging steeper than about 10%. Hard for length, steepness and navigation alike: about 5.4 hours.
- Loweswater circuit 4.3 km away5.9 km~56 m~1.3 h🏞️ EasyA quiet, nearly-level lap of Loweswater, one of the most peaceful of the western lakes, taking in the lakeshore and the path through Holme Wood. Away from the crowds, and lovely with a dog.
- Blake Fell, Gavel Fell, Hen Comb 4.3 km away14 km~732 m~4 hFive quiet tops behind Loweswater — Burnbank Fell, Blake Fell, Gavel Fell, Hen Comb and Little Dodd — in 14 km with 732 m of climbing and nothing steeper than about 10% on average. Hard for length, steepness and navigation alike; about 4 hours steady.
Fells within about 5 km
- Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top) 1.6 km away511 m~3.5 h🚌 BusDecent · 56Firm underfootMellbreak at 512m (1,680ft) is a distinctive double-summited ridge above the western shore of Crummock Water, its steep flanks rising directly from the lake edge.
- Starling Dodd 1.6 km away633 m~4.5 h🚌 BusMarginal · 54Mixed but walkableStarling Dodd at 633m (2,077ft) is a broad, grassy summit above Ennerdale between Red Pike and Great Borne, giving fine views of Ennerdale Water and the remote Ennerdale valley.
- Red Pike (Buttermere) 1.9 km away755 m~3.5 h🚌 BusDecent · 58Dry, firm underfootRed Pike is the shapely, warm-hued peak at the Buttermere end of the High Stile ridge — its name from the red Ennerdale granophyre that colours its screes and summit.
- Rannerdale Knotts 2 km away355 m~1.5 h🚌 BusMarginal · 40Summit likely clagged inRannerdale Knotts at 355m (1,165ft) is a small, delightful ridge of rocky knolls above Crummock Water, giving some of the finest views of the lake from any fell in the North Western Fells.
- Hen Comb 2.1 km away506 m~3.5 h🚌 BusMarginal · 54Mixed but walkableHen Comb at 509m (1,670ft) is a distinctively shaped ridge above Loweswater, its narrow summit giving fine views of Loweswater and Crummock Water.
- Great Borne 2.7 km away616 m~4 h🚌 BusMarginal · 54Mixed but walkableGreat Borne at 616m (2,021ft) is an isolated, rounded summit above Ennerdale Water, its summit giving excellent views of the lake and the remote Ennerdale valley below.
- High Stile 2.8 km away806 m~4.5 h🚌 BusMarginal · 40Summit likely clagged inHigh Stile is the highest of the three great fells of the Buttermere ridge, and one of the finest summits in the Western Fells.
- Whiteless Pike 3.5 km away660 m~3 h🚌 BusMarginal · 40Summit likely clagged inWhiteless Pike at 660m (2,165ft) is the southern sentinel of the Grasmoor ridge above Buttermere, a sharp, pointed summit giving excellent views of the Buttermere valley and Crummock Water.
- Gavel Fell 3.7 km away524 m~3.5 h🚌 BusMarginal · 40Summit likely clagged inGavel Fell at 526m (1,726ft) is a broad, heathery summit between Ennerdale and Loweswater, giving wide views of the western fells.
- Grasmoor 4.1 km away852 m~3.5 h🚌 BusMarginal · 39Summit likely clagged inGrasmoor at 852m (2,795ft) is the highest and most massive of the North Western Fells, a great dome of a mountain above Crummock Water that Wainwright described as one of the finest viewpoints in the district — the panorama from Grasmoor's summit takes in the full sweep of the northern and western fells, with the two great lakes of Crummock Water and Buttermere gleaming in the valley far below.
- High Crag (Buttermere) 4.3 km away745 m~5 h🚌 BusMarginal · 40Summit likely clagged inHigh 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.
- Wandope 4.6 km away774 m~3.5 h🚌 BusMarginal · 38Summit likely clagged inWandope at 772m (2,533ft) is the western arm of the Grasmoor massif, a high ridge with outstanding views of Crummock Water and the coastal plain beyond.
- Blake Fell 4.8 km away573 m~3.5 h🚌 BusMarginal · 40Summit likely clagged inBlake Fell at 573m (1,880ft) is a broad, heathery summit above Crummock Water and Loweswater, giving fine views of both lakes from its open top.
Distances are straight-line from the centre of Scale 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.