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

Wainwright — Western FellsAlso a Birkett

Caw Fell

Caw Fell at 697m (2,287ft) is a Wainwright summit in the Western Fells, a remote and rarely visited top above the south side of Ennerdale.

697 m
Height
~6–7.5 h
Typical time
+3
Bonus Birketts
See routes & download GPX →

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697 mWainwright — Western Fells✓ summit is also a Birkett+3 bonus Birketts within 3 km Serious in Clag

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

Modelled guidance for the 697 m summit. Always check the Met Office mountain forecast and MWIS before you set off.

On the summit today (Tue 28 Jul): 14° to 13°C, gusts to 34 mph, 2.8 mm of rain forecast.

Tue 28 Jul
🌦️
14° / 13°
💨 34 mph
🌧 2.8 mm (99%)
Wed 29 Jul
🌧️
13° / 10°
💨 29 mph
🌧 11.2 mm (100%)
Thu 30 Jul
🌦️
11° / 6°
💨 28 mph
🌧 3.7 mm (87%)
Fri 31 Jul
🌤️
13° / 3°
💨 21 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (86%)
Sat 1 Aug
🌦️
13° / 6°
💨 14 mph
🌧 2.7 mm (82%)
Sun 2 Aug
☁️
14° / 8°
💨 18 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (35%)
Mon 3 Aug
🌦️
14° / 6°
💨 17 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 697 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

Caw Fell

Caw Fell, a Lake District fell
Photo: Freddyj66 at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Caw Fell at 697m (2,287ft) is a Wainwright summit in the Western Fells, a remote and rarely visited top above the south side of Ennerdale. Wainwright included it as one of the most isolated fells in his Western guide — difficult to reach without a long approach and giving a genuine sense of adventure. The views across Ennerdale and towards Pillar and the Scafell group reward the effort. Best approached from Ennerdale or via the ridge from Iron Crag.

Routes up Caw Fell

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

Middle Fell, Haycock Seatallan and Buckbarrow
17.8 km · ~5.6 hr
Very Long Day Out
26.8 km · ~8.3 hr
Classifications & hill data
Wainwright
Western
Birkett
Fellranger
Synge
Nuttall
697 m
Height
2,287 ft
In feet
NY 1320 1099
Grid ref

Map & nearby Birketts

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

Nearest parking: Bowness Knott, Ennerdale (Forestry, paid), about 4.9 km from the summit (straight line). Full parking, toilets and bus details are below.

Birketts near Caw Fell (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.

0.8 km ELittle Gowder Crag734 m · Western
1.3 km NWIron Crag (Ennerdale Fell)640 m · Western
2.3 km NNELingmell (Ennerdale)427 m · Western

Routes over Caw Fell

Middle Fell, Haycock Seatallan and BuckbarrowLive
17.8 km · ~1253 m ascent · loop · ~5.5–7.5 h
Summits: Middle FellHaycockLittle Gowder CragCaw FellSeatallanGlade HowBuckbarrow

⬇️ Download GPX

Full route guide ↗

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

Very Long Day OutLive
26.76 km · ~1743 m ascent · loop · ~8–11 h
Summits: YewbarrowYewbarrow North Top (Stirrup Crag)Red Pike (Wasdale)Scoat Fell (Little Scoat Fell)SteepleHaycockLittle Gowder CragCaw FellMiddle FellSeatallanGlade HowBuckbarrow

⬇️ 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 Caw Fell

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 Caw Fell33 labelled tops shown (22 distant behind the far-horizon toggle). Theoretical visibility in perfect clarity; computed from terrain, not photographed.eye levelNNEESESSWWNWScafell Pike · 9 kmScafell · 9 kmSkiddaw · 22 kmPillar · 4 kmGreat Dodd · 23 kmGrasmoor · 10 kmGategill Fell Top · 25 kmScoat Fell · 3 kmHigh Stile · 5 kmSwirl How · 18 kmThe Old Man of Coniston · 19 kmHaycock · 1 kmGrisedale Pike · 13 kmHigh Crag · 6 kmWhiteside · 12 kmSeatallan · 3 kmHarter Fell · 14 kmBlack Combe · 26 kmWhitfell · 18 kmCaw · 19 kmLittle Gowder Crag · 1 kmCriffel · 54 km · clear daysIron Crag · 1 kmStarling Dodd · 5 kmGreat Borne · 5 kmLank Rigg · 4 kmGale Fell · 5 kmWhoap · 4 kmMurton Fell · 9 kmGreat Worm Crag · 15 kmDarling Fell · 12 kmBlakeley Raise · 7 kmMuncaster Fell · 13 kmSkiddaw Little Man · 22 kmGrey Friar · 17 kmRed Pike · 5 kmBuck Pike · 19 kmWalna Scar · 19 kmBuck Barrow · 20 kmMiddle Fell · 4 kmBlake Fell · 9 kmMellbreak North Top · 8 kmGrike · 6 kmGraystones · 16 kmBengairn · 57 km · clear daysKelton Fell · 8 kmFlat Fell · 8 kmSnowdon · 165 km · a handful of days a yearSlieve Donard · 171 km · a handful of days a yearMerrick · 103 km · a rare clear dayAran Fawddwy · 190 km · a handful of days a yearBroad Law · 112 km · a rare clear daySnaefell · 77 km · a rare clear dayCairnsmore of Carsphairn · 102 km · a rare clear daySlieve Croob · 172 km · a handful of days a yearYr Eifl · 183 km · a handful of days a yearGreen Lowther · 104 km · a rare clear dayDivis · 174 km · a handful of days a yearCulter Fell · 118 km · a rare clear dayCadair Berwyn · 179 km · a handful of days a yearBeneraird · 120 km · a handful of days a yearAgnew's Hill · 172 km · a handful of days a yearWisp Hill · 92 km · a rare clear dayColt Hill · 98 km · a rare clear dayFair Snape Fell · 79 km · a rare clear dayWinter Hill · 110 km · a rare clear dayLaw Kneis · 103 km · a rare clear dayPibble Hill · 78 km · a rare clear dayMull Hill · 104 km · a rare clear day
What you can see from Caw Fell, by direction
  • North: Whiteside (12 km)
  • North-east: High Stile (5 km), Red Pike (5 km), High Stile (5 km), High Crag (6 km), Robinson (9 km), Dale Head (10 km), Grasmoor (10 km), Crag Hill (11 km), Eel Crag (11 km), Grisedale Pike (13 km), Skiddaw Little Man (22 km), Skiddaw South Top (22 km), Skiddaw Middle Top (22 km), Skiddaw (22 km), Skiddaw North Top (22 km), Little Dodd (23 km), Broad End (23 km), Great Dodd (23 km), Clough Head (23 km), Gategill Fell Top (25 km)
  • East: Haycock (1 km), Steeple (3 km), Scoat Fell (3 km), Pillar (4 km)
  • South-east: Scafell (9 km), Scafell Pike (9 km), Slight Side (10 km), Harter Fell (14 km), Grey Friar (17 km), Swirl How (18 km), Great How (18 km), Brim Fell (19 km), Dow Crag (19 km), Buck Pike (19 km), The Old Man of Coniston (19 km), Brown Pike (19 km), Walna Scar (19 km), White Maiden (20 km)
  • South: Seatallan (3 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Snowdon (165 km, Wales), Slieve Donard (171 km, Ireland), Carnedd Llewelyn (153 km, Wales), Merrick (103 km, Scotland), Aran Fawddwy (190 km, Wales), Broad Law (112 km, Scotland), Snaefell (77 km, Isle of Man), Moel Siabod (162 km, Wales).

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 Caw Fell

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.
39Wainwrights in view+5 marginal
165 kmFurthest sightlineSnowdon (Yr Wyddfa) · possible under favourable refraction
2Sea in viewIrish Sea, Solway Firth

On the clearest days the view reaches across to Wales, Scotland and the Isle of Man.

Far horizons
  • Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) WalesSSW · 165 km clear
  • Carnedd Llewelyn WalesSSW · 150 km clear
  • Merrick ScotlandNW · 104 km clear
  • Snaefell Isle of ManWSW · 77 km clear
  • Criffel ScotlandNNW · 55 km clear
  • Solway Firth bay/estuaryNNW · 44 km in view
  • Irish Sea open waterNW · 25 km in view
All 39 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

Haycock, Steeple, Seatallan, Scoat Fell (Little Scoat Fell), Pillar, Middle Fell, Lank Rigg, Yewbarrow, Starling Dodd, Crag Fell, High Stile, Red Pike (Buttermere), Great Borne, Grike, High Crag (Buttermere), Illgill Head, Hen Comb, Scafell, Blake Fell, Slight Side, Dale Head, Grasmoor, Crag Hill (Eel Crag), Sail, Whiteside (Whiteside West Top), Low Fell, Hard Knott, Fellbarrow - Mosser Fell, Grisedale Pike, Harter Fell (Eskdale), Graystones (Graystones North Top), Grey Friar, Brim Fell, Dow Crag, The Old Man of Coniston (Coniston Old Man), Skiddaw Little Man, Skiddaw, Great Dodd, Clough Head

How Caw Fell’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 Caw Fell

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

Bowness Knott, Ennerdale (Forestry, paid) — 4.9 km from summit (straight line)
Forestry England car park at the end of the Ennerdale valley road, on the lake's north shore (OS NY 110 154; parking charges apply since 2023) — Great Borne, Starling Dodd, and the long walk-ins to Pillar and Steeple.
Directions
Greendale, Nether Wasdale (roadside, free) — 5.7 km from summit (straight line)
Free verge parking for Middle Fell, Seatallan and Buckbarrow.
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.

Buses to Caw Fell from Penrith / Ambleside / Windermere

No regular bus serves the start points for this fell — this is one for the car (or a long approach from the nearest served valley). The nearest hubs are Penrith (X4/X5 & 508), Ambleside and Windermere (555, 505, 516).

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

Hazard & Incident Information for Caw Fell

Hazard: Moderate

One of the remotest fells in Lakeland — a broad, flat-topped whaleback set well back from any valley on the southern arm of the Ennerdale horseshoe. The going underfoot is mostly easy grass, so it should not be under-estimated: the real challenges are the sheer distance from help, long pathless sections over a featureless top, and the crags dropping to Silver Cove on the Ennerdale side. A boundary wall along the ridge is the handiest navigation aid. Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team covers this ground.

  • Remoteness and the long walk-out: Caw Fell is a long way from any road or car park (Blengdale or Bowness Knott are the usual, distant, starts). A minor injury, navigation slip or late finish becomes serious because help is hours away. Carry full kit, food, water and a means of calling for help, and leave a generous time margin.
  • Broad featureless summit & pathless ground: The wide, flat top has little to fix on and the connecting ground (e.g. toward Lank Rigg) is pathless and boggy in places. In cloud, navigate by compass — the ridge wall is a useful handrail, but don't rely on finding a trodden path.
  • Crags above Silver Cove (Ennerdale side): The northern flank breaks into crags above Silver Cove. Keep back from the edge in mist or wind; the gentle grassy top gives little warning of the steeper ground.
Who should attempt this fell: Caw Fell is easy underfoot but a big, committing day for confident, self-reliant walkers. Treat it as a navigation and remoteness challenge first: be sure with map and compass, use the ridge wall as a handrail in cloud, keep clear of the Silver Cove crags, and carry everything you need to look after yourself a long way from help. Turn back if the weather closes in.

Most common causes: Trouble magnified by remoteness and a long walk-out · Navigation errors on the featureless top and pathless, boggy connecting ground · Walkers drifting toward the crags above Silver Cove in cloud · Being benighted far from the valley

Local Mountain Rescue: Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team · Reviewed 14 Jun 2026

Safety: Hazard guidance compiled from published Mountain Rescue reports and well-documented accident history - editorial background, not a live feed of callouts. Always check current conditions, carry proper navigation equipment, and seek qualified instruction before heading onto the fells. In an emergency, call 999, ask for Police, then Mountain Rescue.

Report incorrect information

Navigating Caw Fell in cloud

Serious in cloud

A broad, gently-sloping top with little to steer by — easy to lose your bearings and hard to relocate in mist. A serious place to be caught in cloud: carry map and compass (or GPS) and know how to use them, or save it for a clear day.

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 Caw Fell 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 Caw Fell

Maps & guidebooks for Caw Fell

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