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487 m · Wainwright — Far Eastern Fells · Birketts to bag nearby, parking, buses, my hikes and live summit weather.

Baystones - a tall conical cairn on a grassy ridge, green fells with a steep gully opposite under overcast sky
Wainwright — Far Eastern FellsAlso a Birkett

Baystones (Wansfell)

Baystones at 487m (1,598ft) is the north top of the Wansfell ridge above Ambleside, giving outstanding views of Windermere and the Central Fells.

487 m
Height
~2.5–3 h
Typical time
+1
Bonus Birkett
See routes & download GPX →

Home › Fells › Baystones (Wansfell)

Written and walked by Lee McCoy · Last reviewed

487 mWainwright — Far Eastern Fells✓ summit is also a Birkett+1 bonus Birkett within 3 km Straightforward in cloud

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

Modelled guidance for the 487 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 34 mph, 12.7 mm of rain forecast.

Tue 28 Jul
🌧️
16° / 14°
💨 34 mph
🌧 12.7 mm (100%)
Wed 29 Jul
🌦️
16° / 13°
💨 30 mph
🌧 1.1 mm (100%)
Thu 30 Jul
🌦️
14° / 5°
💨 27 mph
🌧 0.9 mm (78%)
Fri 31 Jul
🌤️
15° / 3°
💨 24 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (78%)
Sat 1 Aug
🌦️
15° / 4°
💨 15 mph
🌧 3.0 mm (54%)
Sun 2 Aug
☁️
17° / 5°
💨 18 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (24%)
Mon 3 Aug
🌦️
17° / 6°
💨 11 mph
🌧 0.2 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 487 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

Baystones (Wansfell)

Baystones - a tall conical cairn on a grassy ridge, green fells with a steep gully opposite under overcast sky
© Lee McCoy

Baystones at 487m (1,598ft) is the north top of the Wansfell ridge above Ambleside, giving outstanding views of Windermere and the Central Fells. A Birkett top connected to the main Wansfell Pike summit by a broad grassy ridge. The views south across Windermere are among the finest from any fell of this modest height, and the path from Ambleside via Stockghyll Force is a classic short excursion.

Routes up Baystones (Wansfell)

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

Wansfell Pike and Baystones
11.9 km · ~3.3 hr
Classifications & hill data
Wainwright
Far Eastern
Fellranger
Synge
HuMP
487 m
Height
1,598 ft
In feet

Map & nearby Birketts

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

Nearest parking: Church Bridge, Troutbeck (limited), about 2.6 km from the summit (straight line). Full parking, toilets and bus details are below.

Birketts near Baystones (Wansfell) (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.

1.3 km SWWansfell Pike484 m · Far Eastern

Routes over Baystones (Wansfell)

Wansfell Pike and BaystonesRevised
11.92 km · ~534 m ascent · linear · ~3–4.5 h
Summits: Wansfell PikeBaystones (Wansfell)

⬇️ 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 Baystones (Wansfell)

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 Baystones (Wansfell)36 labelled tops shown (4 distant behind the far-horizon toggle). Theoretical visibility in perfect clarity; computed from terrain, not photographed.eye levelNNEESESSWWNWScafell Pike · 19 kmGreat Gable · 20 kmFairfield · 8 kmCrinkle Crags · 16 kmThe Old Man of Coniston · 15 kmSwirl How · 14 kmThornthwaite Crag · 6 kmGreat Rigg · 7 kmStony Cove Pike · 5 kmIll Bell · 4 kmCaudale Moor · 5 kmLittle Stand · 15 kmLow White Stones · 13 kmYoke · 4 kmPlace Fell · 12 kmHeron Pike North Top · 6 kmBlack Combe · 33 km · clear daysGreat Mell Fell · 20 kmWhite Howe · 12 kmRed Screes · 4 kmSallows · 4 kmFroswick · 5 kmIngleborough · 46 km · clear daysWhernside · 41 km · clear daysWard's Stone · 50 km · clear daysCalf Crag · 11 kmWild Boar Fell · 36 km · clear daysTop o' Selside · 16 kmWansfell Pike · 1 kmGummer's How · 17 kmBrunt Knott · 9 kmClaife Heights · 8 kmnameless · 9 kmWhite Hill · 54 km · clear daysOrrest Head · 6 kmCunswick Scar · 14 kmGreat End · 18 kmBrim Fell · 15 kmSergeant Man · 12 kmPike of Blisco · 13 kmLittle Carrs · 14 kmHigh Pike · 5 kmWhite Maiden · 18 kmHeron Pike · 6 kmSt Raven's Edge · 3 kmThe Forest · 12 kmBorder End · 18 kmWhite Stones · 14 kmLow Pike · 4 kmSour Howes · 3 kmBaugh Fell · 36 km · clear daysGreat Knoutberry Hill · 42 km · clear daysTroutbeck Tongue · 2 kmTottlebank Height · 21 kmHampsfell · 26 kmYarlside · 29 kmBigland Barrow · 22 kmBrant Fell · 9 kmSnowdon · 170 km · a handful of days a yearArenig Fawr · 178 km · a handful of days a yearPendle Hill · 75 km · a rare clear dayMoel y Gamelin · 160 km · a handful of days a year
What you can see from Baystones (Wansfell), by direction
  • North: Caudale Moor (5 km), Stony Cove Pike (5 km), Place Fell (12 km)
  • North-east: Yoke (4 km), Ill Bell (4 km), Thornthwaite Crag (6 km)
  • South-west: Brim Fell (15 km), The Old Man of Coniston (15 km)
  • West: Codale Head (12 km), Wetherlam (12 km), Pavey Ark (12 km), Sergeant Man (12 km), Thunacar Knott (13 km), High Raise (13 km), Low White Stones (13 km), Pike of Blisco (13 km), Swirl How (14 km), Little Carrs (14 km), Great Carrs (14 km), Great How (14 km), Cold Pike (14 km), Crinkle Crags (15 km), Crinkle Crags South Top (15 km), Crinkle Crags (15 km), Crinkle Crags (15 km), Shelter Crags (15 km), Little Stand (15 km), Crinkle Crags (16 km), Bowfell (16 km), Esk Pike (17 km), Allen Crags (17 km), Great End (18 km), Ill Crag (18 km), Broad Crag (19 km), Scafell Pike (19 km), Scafell (20 km), Great Gable (20 km)
  • North-west: High Pike (5 km), Great Rigg (7 km), Fairfield (8 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Snowdon (170 km, Wales), Carnedd Llewelyn (158 km, Wales), Moel Siabod (166 km, Wales), Arenig Fawr (178 km, Wales), Pendle Hill (75 km, England), Moel y Gamelin (160 km, Wales), Cadair Berwyn (176 km, Wales), Boulsworth Hill (87 km, England).

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 Baystones (Wansfell)

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.
45Wainwrights in view+5 marginal
170 kmFurthest sightlineSnowdon (Yr Wyddfa) · possible under favourable refraction
1Sea in viewMorecambe Bay

On the clearest days the view reaches across to Wales.

Far horizons
  • Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) WalesSSW · 170 km distant
  • Carnedd Llewelyn WalesSSW · 155 km clear
  • Ingleborough Yorkshire DalesSE · 46 km clear
  • Whernside Yorkshire DalesSE · 41 km clear
  • Morecambe Bay bay/estuaryS · 38 km in view
All 45 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

Troutbeck Tongue, Sour Howes, Sallows, Red Screes, Yoke, Low Pike, Ill Bell, Froswick, High Pike (Scandale), Stony Cove Pike (Caudale Moor), Nab Scar, Loughrigg Fell, Thornthwaite Crag, Heron Pike (Rydal), Great Rigg, Black Fell, Fairfield, Silver How, Holme Fell, Lingmoor Fell (Brown How), Blea Rigg, Tarn Crag (Easedale), Calf Crag, Wetherlam, Pavey Ark, Sergeant Man, Harrison Stickle, Thunacar Knott, Loft Crag, High Raise (High White Stones), Pike of Stickle, Pike of Blisco, Swirl How, Great Carrs, Cold Pike, Brim Fell, The Old Man of Coniston (Coniston Old Man), Crinkle Crags - Long Top (Second Crinkle), Bowfell, Esk Pike, Allen Crags, Great End, Scafell Pike, Scafell, Great Gable

How Baystones (Wansfell)’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 Baystones (Wansfell)

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

Church Bridge, Troutbeck (limited) — 2.6 km from summit (straight line)
For Wansfell, Troutbeck Tongue and the Ill Bell ridge via Garburn Pass.
Directions
🚺 Public toilets (423m) — Free🚺 Public toilets (1904m) — Free☕ The Old Post Office
Ambleside (various paid) — 2.7 km from summit (straight line)
Town car parks — Fairfield Horseshoe, Wansfell, Loughrigg from the door.
Directions
🚺 Ambleside Library (142m) — Free · Accessible🚺 Public toilets (316m) — Free☕ Sheila's Cottage☕ The Schelly☕ Costa🍺 Royal Oak🍺 The White Lion🍺 The Ambleside Inn🏪 Rohan🏪 Trespass🏪 F. W. Tyson🏪 Go Outdoors Express

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 Wansfell Pike and Baystones route:

🛖 map (62 m)🛖 map (75 m)🚺 map (94 m)🚌 Hayes Garden Centre (92 m)🚌 Loughrigg Avenue (207 m)🚌 Riverside Lodge (405 m)⛺ Ambleside Backpackers (139 m)

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

Buses to Baystones (Wansfell) from Penrith / Ambleside / Windermere

Stagecoach 555
Kendal – Staveley – Windermere – Ambleside – Rydal – Grasmere – Thirlmere (Wythburn & Swirls) – Keswick
Catch it from: Windermere · Ambleside
Year-round, roughly hourly. The backbone bus of the A591 — ideal for Helvellyn (Wythburn/Swirls), Fairfield, the Central fells and anything around Grasmere/Rydal. From Penrith, take the X4/X5 to Keswick and change.
Stagecoach 508 “Ullswater Bus”
Penrith – Pooley Bridge – Aira Force – Glenridding – Patterdale (summer services continue over Kirkstone Pass to Troutbeck and Windermere)
Catch it from: Penrith · Windermere (summer only)
The key route from Penrith for the Eastern and Far Eastern fells: Helvellyn from Glenridding, Place Fell, the Hartsop fells. The summer Kirkstone extension drops you at the pass for Red Screes and Caudale Moor.
Stagecoach 505 “Coniston Rambler”
Windermere – Ambleside – Skelwith Bridge – Hawkshead – Coniston
Catch it from: Windermere · Ambleside
Daily in season (reduced winter service). Best access for the Coniston fells (Old Man, Wetherlam group).
Stagecoach 516 “Langdale Rambler”
Ambleside – Skelwith Bridge – Elterwater – New Dungeon Ghyll – Old Dungeon Ghyll
Catch it from: Ambleside · Windermere (change at Ambleside)
The Langdale bus — Pikes, Bowfell, Crinkle Crags, Pike o' Blisco all walkable from the Dungeon Ghyll stops. Seasonal frequency varies; check before relying on the last bus back.

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

My hikes over Baystones (Wansfell) (Strava)

1 logged hike pass over this summit:

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

Navigating Baystones (Wansfell) 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 Baystones (Wansfell) 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 Baystones (Wansfell)

Maps & guidebooks for Baystones (Wansfell)

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