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

High Seat - a trig pillar on a rocky outcrop above grassy moorland, distant fells low on the horizon under blue sky
Wainwright — Central FellsAlso a Birkett

High Seat

High Seat at 608m (1,995ft) is the highest summit of the Bleaberry Fell–Armboth plateau above Thirlmere and Derwent Water — a broad, boggy moorland that Wainwright regarded as something of an endurance test, given the extensive wet ground.

609 m
Height
~3–4 h
Typical time
+7
Bonus Birketts
See routes & download GPX →

Home › Fells › High Seat

Written and walked by Lee McCoy · Last reviewed

609 mWainwright — Central Fells✓ summit is also a Birkett+7 bonus Birketts within 3 km Straightforward in cloud

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

Modelled guidance for the 609 m summit. Always check the Met Office mountain forecast and MWIS before you set off.

On the summit today (Tue 28 Jul): 15° to 14°C, gusts to 32 mph, 2.8 mm of rain forecast.

Tue 28 Jul
🌦️
15° / 14°
💨 32 mph
🌧 2.8 mm (100%)
Wed 29 Jul
🌧️
15° / 12°
💨 29 mph
🌧 4.4 mm (100%)
Thu 30 Jul
🌦️
13° / 4°
💨 29 mph
🌧 2.0 mm (78%)
Fri 31 Jul
🌤️
14° / 2°
💨 23 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (78%)
Sat 1 Aug
🌦️
15° / 3°
💨 14 mph
🌧 5.4 mm (54%)
Sun 2 Aug
🌫️
16° / 3°
💨 18 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (24%)
Mon 3 Aug
🌦️
15° / 4°
💨 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 609 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

High Seat

High Seat - a trig pillar on a rocky outcrop above grassy moorland, distant fells low on the horizon under blue sky
© Lee McCoy

High Seat at 608m (1,995ft) is the highest summit of the Bleaberry Fell–Armboth plateau above Thirlmere and Derwent Water — a broad, boggy moorland that Wainwright regarded as something of an endurance test, given the extensive wet ground. But the views from the summit compensate: the panorama from Skiddaw to the Helvellyn range is very fine, and the view west to Derwent Water and the Newlands fells is beautiful. Most naturally approached from Ashness Bridge or from the Watendlath road. The combination with Bleaberry Fell makes a good circuit above Derwent Water.

Routes up High Seat

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

Walla Crag, Bleaberry Fell, High Seat, High Tove and Armboth Fell
17 km · ~4.7 hr
Classifications & hill data
Wainwright
Central
Birkett
Fellranger
Synge
HuMP
609 m
Height
1,998 ft
In feet
NY 2870 1804
Grid ref

Map & nearby Birketts

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

Nearest parking: Watendlath (NT, paid), about 2.3 km from the summit (straight line). Full parking, toilets and bus details are below.

Birketts near High Seat (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.

1.5 km ENECastle Crag (Shoulthwalte)404 m · Eastern
2.0 km NEThe Benn (Sippling Crag)446 m · Eastern
2.2 km SMiddle Crag484 m · Central
2.3 km SSEArmboth Fell (Birkett)479 m · Central
2.5 km SEFisher Crag421 m · Central
2.7 km SShivery Knott491 m · Central
2.7 km ENEGreat How (Thirlmere)333 m · Eastern

Routes over High Seat

Walla Crag, Bleaberry Fell, High Seat, High Tove and Armboth FellRevised
17.02 km · ~792 m ascent · loop · ~4.5–6.5 h
Summits: Walla CragBleaberry FellHigh SeatArmboth Fell (Birkett)High Tove

⬇️ 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 High Seat

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 High Seat36 labelled tops shown (7 distant behind the far-horizon toggle). Theoretical visibility in perfect clarity; computed from terrain, not photographed.eye levelNNEESESSWWNWScafell Pike · 13 kmSkiddaw · 11 kmHelvellyn Lower Man · 6 kmBowfell · 12 kmGreat Gable · 11 kmPillar · 13 kmNethermost Pike · 7 kmCatstye Cam · 6 kmEsk Pike · 12 kmRaise · 6 kmBlencathra · 10 kmDollywaggon Pike · 8 kmGreat Dodd · 6 kmGrasmoor · 12 kmStybarrow Dodd · 6 kmHigh Stile · 12 kmKirk Fell · 12 kmGrisedale Pike · 10 kmWatson's Dodd · 5 kmDow Crag · 20 kmGreat Rigg · 10 kmSand Hill · 11 kmRobinson · 9 kmSergeant Man · 9 kmJenkin Hill · 10 kmLong Side · 11 kmClough Head · 6 kmLonscale Fell · 9 kmKnott · 15 kmCalfhow Pike · 5 kmWhiteless Pike · 11 kmHigh Pike · 17 kmHeron Pike North Top · 12 kmSteel Fell · 8 kmLord's Seat · 12 kmWhinlatter Top · 11 kmIll Crag · 12 kmWhite Side · 5 kmCrinkle Crags · 14 kmRed Pike · 14 kmSkiddaw Lesser Man · 10 kmLingmell · 13 kmEel Crag · 10 kmKnowe Crags · 9 kmHigh Raise · 8 kmDale Head · 7 kmHindscarth · 7 kmUllscarf · 6 kmCold Pike · 15 kmScales Fell · 11 kmHigh Spy · 6 kmHobcarton End · 11 kmMaiden Moor · 5 kmSouther Fell · 13 kmCriffel · 55 km · clear daysStanding Crag · 5 kmBleaberry Fell · 2 kmWhite Stones · 12 kmOuterside · 8 kmBell Crags · 4 kmHigh Tove · 2 kmThrelkeld Knotts · 7 kmDodd · 10 kmTarbarrel Moss · 11 kmArmboth Fell · 2 kmBarf · 11 kmBrown Rigg · 4 kmNab Scar · 13 kmThe Benn · 2 kmFisher Crag · 2 kmWalla Crag · 3 kmHigh Rigg · 4 kmGreat How · 3 kmMerrick · 109 km · a rare clear dayCairnsmore of Carsphairn · 106 km · a rare clear dayThe Cheviot · 120 km · a rare clear dayCairn Table · 120 km · a handful of days a yearFair Snape Fell · 77 km · a rare clear dayBishop Forest Hill · 76 km · a rare clear dayWhite Hill · 71 km · a rare clear day
What you can see from High Seat, by direction
  • North: Knowe Crags (9 km), Skiddaw Lesser Man (10 km), Gategill Fell Top (10 km), Skiddaw Little Man (10 km), Blencathra (10 km), Skiddaw South Top (11 km), Skiddaw Middle Top (11 km), Skiddaw (11 km), Skiddaw North Top (12 km)
  • North-east: Great Dodd (6 km)
  • East: White Side (5 km), Raise (6 km), Stybarrow Dodd (6 km), Catstye Cam (6 km)
  • South-east: Helvellyn Lower Man (6 km), Nethermost Pike (7 km), High Crag (7 km), Dollywaggon Pike (8 km)
  • South: Bowfell (12 km), Shelter Crags (13 km), Crinkle Crags (13 km), Crinkle Crags (14 km), Crinkle Crags (14 km), Crinkle Crags (14 km), Crinkle Crags South Top (14 km)
  • South-west: Great Gable (11 km), Great End (11 km), Esk Pike (12 km), Broad Crag (12 km), Ill Crag (12 km), Lingmell (13 km), Scafell Pike (13 km), Pillar (13 km), Scafell (14 km), Red Pike (14 km)
  • West: Crag Hill (10 km), Eel Crag (10 km), Grasmoor (12 km), High Stile (12 km), High Stile (12 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Merrick (109 km, Scotland), Cairnsmore of Carsphairn (106 km, Scotland), The Cheviot (120 km, England), Corserine (105 km, Scotland), Lamachan Hill (104 km, Scotland), Cairn Table (120 km, Scotland), Cairnsmore [Black Craig of Dee] (91 km, Scotland), Millfore (99 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 High Seat

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.
88Wainwrights in view+5 marginal
110 kmFurthest sightlineMerrick · possible under favourable refraction
1Sea in viewSolway Firth

On the clearest days the view reaches across to Scotland.

Far horizons
  • Merrick ScotlandNW · 110 km clear
  • Criffel ScotlandNW · 56 km distant
  • Solway Firth bay/estuaryNNW · 45 km in view
All 88 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

Bleaberry Fell, High Tove, Raven Crag, Armboth Fell (Armboth Fell South Top), Grange Fell (Brund Fell), Great Crag (Stonethwaite), Castle Crag, High Rigg (Naddle Fell), Cat Bells (Catbells), Maiden Moor, Watson's Dodd, White Side, Raise, High Spy, Stybarrow Dodd, Ullscarf, Great Dodd, Eagle Crag, Rosthwaite Fell - Bessyboot, Catstye Cam, Clough Head, Nethermost Pike, Sergeant's Crag, Dale Head, Barrow, Hindscarth, Causey Pike, Steel Fell (Dead Pike - Steel Fell), Dollywaggon Pike, Ard Crags, Scar Crags, Outerside, High Raise (High White Stones), Glaramara, Robinson, Seat Sandal, Grey Knotts, Base Brown, Knott Rigg, Lonscale Fell, Sail, Sergeant Man, Brandreth, Crag Hill (Eel Crag), Seathwaite Fell (Wainwright summit), Grisedale Pike, Skiddaw Little Man, Wandope, Dodd (Skiddaw), Blencathra - Hallsfell Top, Green Gable, Great Rigg, Carl Side, Whiteless Pike, Stone Arthur, Great Gable, Pike of Stickle, Hopegill Head, Long Side, Rossett Pike, Barf, Skiddaw, Great End, Grasmoor, Ullock Pike, Esk Pike, Kirk Fell, Heron Pike (Rydal), Lord's Seat, Whinlatter (Brown How - Whinlatter), Bowfell, Whiteside (Whiteside West Top), High Stile, Lingmell, Broom Fell, Scafell Pike, Pillar, Great Calva, Crinkle Crags - Long Top (Second Crinkle), Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top), Scafell, Red Pike (Wasdale), Cold Pike, Knott, Gavel Fell, High Pike (Caldbeck), Grey Friar, Dow Crag

How High Seat’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 High Seat

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

Watendlath (NT, paid) — 2.3 km from summit (straight line)
End of the narrow Watendlath road — Grange Fell, Great Crag, Armboth fells.
Directions
Swirls, Thirlmere (paid) — 3.1 km from summit (straight line)
The standard west-side route up Helvellyn via Browncove Crags.
Directions
🚺 The Swirls Car Park (461m) — Free · Accessible · RADAR key🚺 Armbroth Car Park (1587m) — Free

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 Walla Crag, Bleaberry Fell, High Seat, High Tove and Armboth Fell route:

🛖 map (2 m)🚺 map (18 m)🚌 Barrow Bay jetty (64 m)🚌 Derwentwater Youth Hostel (S bound) (99 m)🚌 Derwentwater Youth Hostel (N bound) (104 m)⛺ Derwentwater Independent Hostel (316 m)

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

Buses to High Seat 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.

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

My hikes over High Seat (Strava)

1 logged hike pass over this summit:

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

Hazard & Incident Information for High Seat

Hazard: Moderate

A boggy central fell on the watershed between Borrowdale and Thirlmere, with grand views but notoriously sodden ground — the ridge to Bleaberry Fell is often called the wettest ridge walk in the Lake District. The path is indistinct over rough, knolly bog, so navigation is the main hazard, with a steep descent by Ashness Gill. Keswick Mountain Rescue Team covers this ground.

  • Boggy, indistinct ground & navigation: Rough, knolly and exceptionally wet, with a faint path and many 'wet places'. In mist it's easy to drift off line over featureless ground. Take a compass bearing, use the fence line where present, and don't rely on a trodden path.
  • Deep bog (the wettest ridge in the Lakes): The traverse to Bleaberry Fell is among the boggiest ground anywhere — tiring and disorientating, and best saved for after a dry spell. Pick careful lines and allow plenty of time.
  • Steep Ashness Gill descent: The descent toward Ashness Bridge by Ashness Gill is fairly steep and the rough ground gets slippery in the wet. Take care with footing, especially in rain.
Who should attempt this fell: High Seat rewards a clear, dry day — the views are superb but the ground is sodden and the path faint, so be confident with map and compass, keep to handrails like the fence in cloud, and save the wettest ridge for drier weather. Take the Ashness Gill descent carefully, and treat the open ground as a navigation challenge in snow.

Most common causes: Navigation errors on the featureless, boggy plateau in cloud · Floundering in deep bog on the Bleaberry Fell ridge · Slips on the steep Ashness Gill descent and on slippery wet ground · Disorientation in snow or rain on the open top

Local Mountain Rescue: Keswick 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 High Seat 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 High Seat 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 High Seat

Maps & guidebooks for High Seat

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