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455 m · Wainwright — North Western Fells · Birketts to bag nearby, parking, buses, my hikes and live summit weather.

Wainwright — North Western FellsAlso a Birkett

Barrow

Barrow 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.

455 m
Height
~2–2.5 h
Typical time
+4
Bonus Birketts
See routes & download GPX →

Home › Fells › Barrow

Written and walked by Lee McCoy · Last reviewed

455 mWainwright — North Western Fells✓ summit is also a Birkett+4 bonus Birketts within 3 km Straightforward in cloud

Is it worth going? — Today’s conditions & 7-day summit forecast

Modelled guidance for the 455 m summit. Always check the Met Office mountain forecast and MWIS before you set off.

On the summit today (Tue 28 Jul): 16° to 14°C, gusts to 37 mph, 4.8 mm of rain forecast.

Tue 28 Jul
🌧️
16° / 14°
💨 37 mph
🌧 4.8 mm (99%)
Wed 29 Jul
🌧️
16° / 12°
💨 30 mph
🌧 11.9 mm (100%)
Thu 30 Jul
🌦️
13° / 6°
💨 29 mph
🌧 3.0 mm (87%)
Fri 31 Jul
🌤️
15° / 3°
💨 22 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (86%)
Sat 1 Aug
🌦️
15° / 6°
💨 15 mph
🌧 2.7 mm (82%)
Sun 2 Aug
☁️
16° / 6°
💨 17 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (35%)
Mon 3 Aug
🌦️
16° / 6°
💨 16 mph
🌧 0.4 mm (23%)

Forecast snapshot from 28 Jul 2026, 04:58 UTC — refreshed nightly and updated live in your browser. Temperatures and gusts adjusted to the 455 m summit altitude via Open-Meteo. Summit conditions are always harsher than the valley — check the professional mountain forecasts before you go.

Pro mountain forecasts: MWIS · Met Office mountain forecast

About the walk

Key information

Barrow

Barrow, a Lake District fell
Photo: Mick Knapton at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Barrow 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. Wainwright described it as a perfect evening walk from Keswick — the views of the Newlands valley and the North Western Fells composing beautifully from the summit. The ascent from Braithwaite is short and direct. A good introduction to the North Western Fells for visitors to Keswick.

Routes up Barrow

Hand-mapped, with GPX to download — full maps further down.

Coledale Round
16 km · ~5.1 hr · Hard
One 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.
Scar Crags, Causey Pike
12 km · ~3.8 hr
Classifications & hill data
Wainwright
North Western
Birkett
Fellranger
Synge
455 m
Height
1,493 ft
In feet
NY 2270 2182
Grid ref

Map & nearby Birketts

Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap (switch layers top-right). Parking positions are approximate.

Nearest parking: Braithwaite village (roadside/small areas), about 2.2 km from the summit (straight line). Full parking, toilets and bus details are below.

Birketts near Barrow (within 3 km)

These Birkett tops are not Wainwright summits — detour to them on this walk and they are pure profit. Distances are straight-line; allow extra for terrain.

0.6 km WStile End447 m · North Western
1.1 km SSERowling End433 m · North Western
1.6 km NNWKinn374 m · North Western
2.2 km SESkelgill Bank338 m · Central

Routes over Barrow

Coledale RoundRevised
16.02 km · ~1108 m ascent · loop · ~5–7 h · Loop · Hard
Summits: KinnGrisedale PikeHobcarton Crag (Hobcarton Head)Hopegill HeadSand HillCrag Hill (Eel Crag)SailOutersideStile EndBarrow

✎️ The Whinlatter Pass road car park is small and tucked behind the trees — and the bus to Braithwaite makes this an easy car-free round, adding only a couple of hundred metres of road to reach the start.

⬇️ Download GPX

Best season: At its best in clear, settled weather — the airy sections and the broad Crag Hill plateau want good visibility, and they're exactly where care matters most. The lower path up from Braithwaite can be smothered in bracken at the height of summer; in firm winter conditions the Grisedale Pike climb and the exposed tops become a serious proposition for axe-and-crampon walkers only.

⚠️ Warnings: Grisedale Pike's upper climb is steep and craggy — you'll want hands on rock near the top. It's no place to be rushed, or to be in poor conditions.; Along Sand Hill and Hobcarton Crag, keep left in cloud: there's a sharp, rocky drop close on the right that's easy to drift towards.; Hopegill Head's summit is tiny and exposed — in a strong wind you may have to crouch to claim it.; Watch the short grassy ridge at Kinn; a careless step could slide you down the bank. Worth marking on the GPS.; Off Sail, take the switchback path down to the col — the alternative Long Comb line dropping to the right looked treacherous; avoid it.; High Moss is reliably boggy underfoot.

Full route guide ↗

A planned line is a suggestion, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate independently and carry a map & compass.

Scar Crags, Causey PikeLive
11.97 km · ~850 m ascent · loop · ~3.5–5 h
Summits: BarrowOutersideScar CragsCausey PikeRowling End

⬇️ Download GPX

Full route guide ↗

A planned line is a suggestion, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate independently and carry a map & compass.

The View from Barrow

A computed 360° skyline — every visible named top labelled by distance and bearing, from the terrain model in perfect clarity, not photographed. Drag to pan; reveal the far four-nations horizon.

drag to pan · arrow keys
Computed 360-degree skyline from Barrow36 labelled tops shown (3 distant behind the far-horizon toggle). Theoretical visibility in perfect clarity; computed from terrain, not photographed.eye levelNNEESESSWWNWHelvellyn · 13 kmSkiddaw · 8 kmGreat End · 13 kmRaise · 12 kmFairfield · 17 kmBlencathra · 11 kmSkiddaw Little Man · 7 kmGreat Dodd · 12 kmStybarrow Dodd · 12 kmCrag Hill · 4 kmEel Crag · 4 kmKirk Fell · 12 kmHigh Raise · 13 kmSand Hill · 4 kmRobinson · 6 kmJenkin Hill · 7 kmLong Side · 7 kmClough Head · 11 kmUllscarf · 12 kmLonscale Fell · 8 kmHigh Spy · 6 kmCross Fell · 48 km · clear daysHeron Pike North Top · 18 kmStanding Crag · 11 kmMaiden Moor · 4 kmLord's Seat · 5 kmGrisedale Pike · 3 kmWhinlatter Top · 4 kmBroom Fell · 6 kmSeat How · 4 kmBarf · 5 kmScar Crags · 2 kmBinsey · 14 kmCausey Pike · 1 kmRed Knott · 4 kmStile End · 1 kmNethermost Pike · 14 kmCatstye Cam · 14 kmEsk Pike · 14 kmSail · 3 kmGreat Rigg · 17 kmDale Head · 6 kmRanderside · 12 kmHindscarth · 5 kmUllock Pike · 7 kmGreat Mell Fell · 17 kmUllister Hill · 5 kmHobcarton Crag · 3 kmOuterside · 2 kmLining Crag · 12 kmThrelkeld Knotts · 10 kmGreat Crag · 8 kmRowling End · 1 kmHigh Rigg · 8 kmCalkin Rig · 66 km · clear daysCaermote Hill · 16 kmGrange Fell · 60 km · clear daysWhite Coomb · 94 km · a rare clear dayCulter Fell · 109 km · a rare clear dayDun Rig · 110 km · a rare clear day
What you can see from Barrow, by direction
  • North: Long Side (7 km)
  • North-east: Skiddaw Lesser Man (7 km), Skiddaw Little Man (7 km), Jenkin Hill (7 km), Skiddaw South Top (8 km), Skiddaw Middle Top (8 km), Skiddaw (8 km), Knowe Crags (10 km), Gategill Fell Top (11 km), Blencathra (11 km), Atkinson Pike (12 km)
  • East: Clough Head (11 km), Watson's Dodd (11 km), Great Dodd (12 km), Stybarrow Dodd (12 km), Randerside (12 km), Raise (12 km)
  • South-east: White Side (12 km), Helvellyn Lower Man (13 km), Low White Stones (13 km), Helvellyn (13 km), High Raise (13 km), Catstye Cam (14 km), Nethermost Pike (14 km), High Crag (14 km), Codale Head (14 km), Dollywaggon Pike (15 km), Seat Sandal (16 km), Fairfield (17 km), Great Rigg (17 km)
  • South: Hindscarth (5 km), Dale Head (6 km), Kirk Fell (12 km), Great End (13 km), Esk Pike (14 km)
  • South-west: Sail (3 km), Crag Hill (4 km), Robinson (6 km)
  • West: Eel Crag (4 km), Sand Hill (4 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: White Coomb (94 km, Scotland), Ettrick Pen (86 km, Scotland), Culter Fell (109 km, Scotland), Dun Rig (110 km, Scotland), Gathersnow Hill (105 km, Scotland), Hart Fell (92 km, Scotland), Croft Head (84 km, Scotland), Law Kneis (92 km, Scotland).

Computed from terrain in perfect clarity, not photographed · distances are straight-line.

Computed from Copernicus GLO-30 terrain; distant tops from the Database of British and Irish Hills (CC BY 4.0). See how we compute the view · and the summit intervisibility report below.

What you can see from Barrow

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.
52Wainwrights in view+4 marginal
49 kmFurthest sightlineGreat Dun Fell
—Sea in viewnone from here
Far horizons
  • Great Dun Fell North PenninesENE · 49 km clear
  • Cross Fell North PenninesENE · 47 km clear
All 52 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

Causey Pike, Outerside, Scar Crags, Cat Bells (Catbells), Grisedale Pike, Sail, Crag Hill (Eel Crag), Maiden Moor, Walla Crag, Barf, Lord's Seat, Hindscarth, Robinson, High Spy, Dodd (Skiddaw), Latrigg, Bleaberry Fell, Dale Head, Grange Fell (Brund Fell), Carl Side, Long Side, High Seat, Skiddaw Little Man, Ullock Pike, Lonscale Fell, Skiddaw, High Rigg (Naddle Fell), High Tove, Great Crag (Stonethwaite), Clough Head, Eagle Crag, Watson's Dodd, Blencathra - Hallsfell Top, Great Dodd, Ullscarf, Kirk Fell, Stybarrow Dodd, White Side, Raise, Helvellyn, Allen Crags, Great End, High Raise (High White Stones), Catstye Cam, Binsey, Nethermost Pike, Esk Pike, Dollywaggon Pike, Seat Sandal, Fairfield, Great Rigg, Great Mell Fell

How Barrow’s view compares with all 214 — the View Report: every Wainwright ranked by what you can see from the top.

Sightlines from a bare-earth terrain model (forests and buildings not included), corrected for the Earth’s curvature and average atmospheric refraction. “Distant” sightlines and any over 100 km depend on exceptionally clear air. Modelled from Copernicus GLO-30 open elevation data — a guide to the view, not a guarantee of any single one.

Best parking to hike Barrow

Where we have the data, each parking spot also shows the nearest public toilets and facilities (cafés, pubs, shops).

Braithwaite village (roadside/small areas) — 2.2 km from summit (straight line)
Start of the Coledale Horseshoe: Grisedale Pike, Causey Pike round.
Directions
🚺 Braithwaite, Keswick (229m) — Free☕ Middle Ruddings☕ Ivy House☕ Jasper's🍺 Royal Oak🍺 Coledale Inn
Little Town, Newlands (paid, small) — 2.5 km from summit (straight line)
Newlands valley — Catbells, Maiden Moor, Hindscarth, Robinson.
Directions

Positions are approximate — zoom the map to confirm. Lakeland car parks fill before 9am on fine weekends.

Tip: pan and zoom the interactive map at the top of this page to spot other potential parking near your route.

Water & shelter on the way up

On the Coledale Round route:

🛖 map (25 m)⛺ Hope Memorial Camp (64 m)

On the Scar Crags, Causey Pike route:

🛖 map (6 m)🚌 Police Station (W bound) (6 m)🚌 Police Station (E bound) (7 m)🚌 Thornthwaite Road (N bound) (420 m)🚌 Thornthwaite Road (S bound) (426 m)⛺ Hope Memorial Camp (462 m)

On-route facilities © OpenStreetMap contributors, per route — an absent marker doesn’t mean none.

Buses to Barrow from Penrith / Ambleside / Windermere

Stagecoach 77 / 77A “Honister Rambler”
Keswick – Portinscale – Hawse End (Catbells) – Grange – Seatoller – Honister Pass – Buttermere – Lorton – Whinlatter – Keswick (circular)
Catch it from: Keswick (connect via 555 from Windermere/Ambleside or X4/X5 from Penrith)
Seasonal (roughly Easter–October). Brilliant for the North Western fells: Catbells, Dale Head from Honister, the Buttermere fells and Whinlatter.
Stagecoach X4 / X5
Penrith – Rheged – Threlkeld – Keswick – Braithwaite – Cockermouth – Workington
Catch it from: Penrith
Year-round, frequent. From Penrith this is your way into Keswick and the Northern fells — Threlkeld/Scales stops serve Blencathra directly, Braithwaite serves the Coledale fells.

Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com or Traveline before relying on a last bus.

My hikes over Barrow (Strava)

1 logged hike pass over this summit:

Interactive route maps and photos load here for visitors with JavaScript. Data from Strava.

A note on Coledale Beck

Coledale Beck runs below the old Force Crag mine and carries mine-derived zinc — enough to matter for river life, though the lead and cadmium that would harm a person stay below the drinking limit here. Treat any hill water before drinking (a filter won’t remove dissolved metals); don’t single this beck out as a clean fill-up.

What’s actually in this beck — we mapped every mine-fed one →

Metal-mine water data © Environment Agency (Open Government Licence v3.0).

Navigating Barrow in cloud

Straightforward

A broad, gently-sloping top with little to steer by — easy to lose your bearings and hard to relocate in mist. Navigation here is relatively straightforward even in cloud — but carry map and compass and know how to use them; a low score never means “safe”.

In winter — snow, whiteout, cornices, buried features — every top demands full winter navigation skills whatever its band, and a broad, gentle summit can be the worst place of all. See walking in bad weather and the navigation guide.

How Barrow compares with all 214 — the Clag Index: navigating in cloud. A relative, deliberately cautious guide; the site can’t navigate for you.

Other fells near Barrow

Maps & guidebooks for Barrow

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