hikes.guideLake District

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

High Tove - a path crossing grassy moorland to a low cairn, hazy fells beyond and the sun flaring overhead
Wainwright — Central FellsAlso a Birkett

High Tove

High Tove at 515m (1,690ft) is a modest, boggy summit on the Armboth plateau between Thirlmere and Borrowdale, its open top giving views across to the Helvellyn range and north to Skiddaw.

515 m
Height
~2.5–3 h
Typical time
+8
Bonus Birketts
See routes & download GPX →

Home › Fells › High Tove

Written and walked by Lee McCoy · Last reviewed

515 mWainwright — Central Fells✓ summit is also a Birkett+8 bonus Birketts within 3 km Severe in cloud

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

Modelled guidance for the 515 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 32 mph, 4.0 mm of rain forecast.

Tue 28 Jul
🌦️
16° / 14°
💨 32 mph
🌧 4.0 mm (100%)
Wed 29 Jul
🌧️
16° / 12°
💨 30 mph
🌧 4.6 mm (100%)
Thu 30 Jul
🌦️
13° / 4°
💨 29 mph
🌧 2.0 mm (78%)
Fri 31 Jul
🌤️
15° / 2°
💨 23 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (78%)
Sat 1 Aug
🌦️
15° / 3°
💨 14 mph
🌧 5.4 mm (54%)
Sun 2 Aug
🌫️
16° / 4°
💨 18 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (24%)
Mon 3 Aug
🌦️
16° / 5°
💨 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 515 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 Tove

High Tove - a path crossing grassy moorland to a low cairn, hazy fells beyond and the sun flaring overhead
© Lee McCoy

High Tove at 515m (1,690ft) is a modest, boggy summit on the Armboth plateau between Thirlmere and Borrowdale, its open top giving views across to the Helvellyn range and north to Skiddaw. Wainwright included it as part of the Central Fells group, noting its somewhat featureless character is offset by the fine views on clear days. The ascent from Watendlath is straightforward across moorland. A good viewpoint fell for the Helvellyn range and Thirlmere.

Routes up High Tove

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

Birketts West of Thirlmere
23.1 km · ~6.4 hr
Standing Crag, High Tove, Armboth
14.3 km · ~3.8 hr
Walla Crag, Bleaberry Fell, High Seat, High Tove and Armboth Fell
17 km · ~4.7 hr
Classifications & hill data
Wainwright
Central
Birkett
Fellranger
Synge
515 m
Height
1,690 ft
In feet
NY 2891 1651
Grid ref

Map & nearby Birketts

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

Nearest parking: Watendlath (NT, paid), about 1.6 km from the summit (straight line). Full parking, toilets and bus details are below.

Birketts near High Tove (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.

0.7 km SMiddle Crag484 m · Central
0.9 km SEArmboth Fell (Birkett)479 m · Central
1.2 km SShivery Knott491 m · Central
1.6 km EFisher Crag421 m · Central
1.6 km SWatendlath Fell (Long Moss)515 m · Central
2.4 km SSEBell Crags (Long Moss) (Blea Tarn Fell)559 m · Central
2.5 km SEBrown Rigg462 m · Central
2.6 km NNECastle Crag (Shoulthwalte)404 m · Eastern

Routes over High Tove

Birketts West of ThirlmerePlanned
23.11 km · ~1047 m ascent · loop · ~6–8.5 h
Summits: Wythburn FellStanding CragColdbarrow Fell - High SaddleLow SaddleBell Crags (Long Moss) (Blea Tarn Fell)Watendlath Fell (Long Moss)Shivery KnottMiddle CragHigh ToveFisher Crag

⬇️ Download GPX

⚠️ Warnings: Access: The summit of Fisher Crag lies outside mapped CRoW open-access land. That records no statutory right of access — it is not a statement that access is forbidden, and permissive access is not recorded in that layer. This line is computed rather than walked, so treat the access as unchecked and look for the courteous way through — how we work this out.

Full route guide ↗

✎️ Planned route — drawn but not personally walked or checked yet.

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

Standing Crag, High Tove, ArmbothLive
14.26 km · ~545 m ascent · loop · ~3.5–5 h
Summits: Standing CragShivery KnottMiddle CragHigh ToveArmboth Fell (Birkett)Armboth Fell (Armboth Fell South Top)

⬇️ Download GPX

Full route guide ↗

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

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 Tove

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 Tove36 labelled tops shown (1 distant behind the far-horizon toggle). Theoretical visibility in perfect clarity; computed from terrain, not photographed.eye levelNNEESESSWWNWScafell Pike · 12 kmHelvellyn · 6 kmBowfell · 11 kmGreat Gable · 10 kmPillar · 13 kmNethermost Pike · 6 kmCatstye Cam · 6 kmEsk Pike · 10 kmRaise · 5 kmFairfield · 8 kmBlencathra · 12 kmWhite Side · 5 kmGreat Dodd · 7 kmGrasmoor · 12 kmStybarrow Dodd · 6 kmCrinkle Crags South Top · 13 kmLingmell · 12 kmKirk Fell · 11 kmGrisedale Pike · 11 kmHigh Raise · 7 kmSand Hill · 12 kmDale Head · 7 kmRobinson · 9 kmSeat Sandal · 7 kmClough Head · 8 kmCalfhow Pike · 6 kmWhiteless Pike · 11 kmHigh Spy · 6 kmHeron Pike North Top · 10 kmSteel Fell · 6 kmLord's Seat · 13 kmWhinlatter Top · 12 kmSouther Fell · 14 kmNab Scar · 11 kmColdbarrow Fell · 4 kmStanding Crag · 3 kmIll Crag · 11 kmHelvellyn Lower Man · 5 kmHigh Crag · 6 kmDollywaggon Pike · 7 kmCrag Hill · 10 kmRed Pike · 14 kmKnowe Crags · 11 kmWatson's Dodd · 6 kmGrey Knotts · 8 kmGreat Knott · 13 kmScales Fell · 12 kmHonister Crag · 8 kmTarbarrel Moss · 12 kmCriffel · 56 km · clear daysBrown Crag · 4 kmHigh Seat · 2 kmBell Crags · 2 kmMiddle Crag · 1 kmRaven Crag · 3 kmCat Bells · 6 kmGreat Crag · 3 kmGrange Fell · 2 kmLothwaite · 16 kmCastle Rock · 4 kmBishop Forest Hill · 77 km · a rare clear day
What you can see from High Tove, by direction
  • North: Knowe Crags (11 km), Gategill Fell Top (11 km), Blencathra (12 km)
  • North-east: Watson's Dodd (6 km), Stybarrow Dodd (6 km), Little Dodd (6 km), Great Dodd (7 km)
  • East: Helvellyn Lower Man (5 km), White Side (5 km), Raise (5 km), Helvellyn (6 km), Catstye Cam (6 km)
  • South-east: Nethermost Pike (6 km), High Crag (6 km), Dollywaggon Pike (7 km), Fairfield (8 km)
  • South: Shelter Crags (12 km), Crinkle Crags (12 km), Crinkle Crags (12 km), Crinkle Crags (12 km), Crinkle Crags (12 km), Crinkle Crags South Top (13 km)
  • South-west: Glaramara (7 km), Looking Steads (8 km), Great Gable (10 km), Great End (10 km), Esk Pike (10 km), Kirk Fell East Top (11 km), Bowfell (11 km), Kirk Fell (11 km), Ill Crag (11 km), Lingmell (12 km), Scafell Pike (12 km), Red Pike (14 km)
  • West: Crag Hill (10 km), Wandope (11 km), Grasmoor (12 km), Pillar (13 km)
  • North-west: Eel Crag (11 km), Grisedale Pike (11 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Bishop Forest Hill (77 km, Scotland), Killyleoch Hill (77 km, Scotland), See Morris Hill (73 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 Tove

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.
47Wainwrights in view+20 marginal
57 kmFurthest sightlineCriffel
—Sea in viewnone from here

On the clearest days the view reaches across to Scotland.

Far horizons
  • Criffel ScotlandNW · 57 km distant
All 47 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

Armboth Fell (Armboth Fell South Top), High Seat, Grange Fell (Brund Fell), Great Crag (Stonethwaite), Raven Crag, Eagle Crag, White Side, Rosthwaite Fell - Bessyboot, Raise, Sergeant's Crag, Helvellyn, Watson's Dodd, Cat Bells (Catbells), Nethermost Pike, Catstye Cam, Stybarrow Dodd, Steel Fell (Dead Pike - Steel Fell), Great Dodd, Dollywaggon Pike, Dale Head, High Raise (High White Stones), Glaramara, Seat Sandal, Clough Head, Base Brown, Grey Knotts, Barrow, Fairfield, Seathwaite Fell (Wainwright summit), Brandreth, Stone Arthur, Green Gable, Rossett Pike, Great Gable, Great End, Esk Pike, Heron Pike (Rydal), Bowfell, Kirk Fell, Lingmell, Blencathra - Hallsfell Top, Scafell Pike, Crinkle Crags - Long Top (Second Crinkle), Pillar, Barf, Broom Fell, Souther Fell

How High Tove’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 Tove

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

Watendlath (NT, paid) — 1.6 km from summit (straight line)
End of the narrow Watendlath road — Grange Fell, Great Crag, Armboth fells.
Directions
Swirls, Thirlmere (paid) — 2.7 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 Birketts West of Thirlmere route:

🚺 map (29 m)

On the Standing Crag, High Tove, Armboth route:

🚺 map (29 m)

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 Tove 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 Tove (Strava)

1 logged hike pass over this summit:

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

Navigating High Tove in cloud

Severe

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 High Tove 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 Tove

Maps & guidebooks for High Tove

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases — at no extra cost to you. How affiliate links work →