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

Lord's Seat - a stony summit with old fence posts above conifer plantations, low cloud clinging to the fells beyond
Wainwright — North Western FellsAlso a Birkett

Lord's Seat

Lord's Seat at 552m (1,811ft) is the highest point of the Whinlatter Forest fells, a broad, grassy summit giving outstanding views of Bassenthwaite Lake and the Skiddaw massif.

552 m
Height
~2.5–3 h
Typical time
+7
Bonus Birketts
See routes & download GPX →

Home › Fells › Lord's Seat

Written and walked by Lee McCoy · Last reviewed

552 mWainwright — North Western 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 552 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 34 mph, 2.9 mm of rain forecast.

Tue 28 Jul
🌦️
15° / 14°
💨 34 mph
🌧 2.9 mm (77%)
Wed 29 Jul
🌧️
16° / 11°
💨 30 mph
🌧 11.0 mm (79%)
Thu 30 Jul
🌧️
13° / 5°
💨 30 mph
🌧 2.5 mm (76%)
Fri 31 Jul
🌤️
14° / 2°
💨 23 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (69%)
Sat 1 Aug
🌦️
14° / 4°
💨 15 mph
🌧 1.5 mm (63%)
Sun 2 Aug
🌤️
16° / 3°
💨 16 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (25%)
Mon 3 Aug
🌦️
15° / 6°
💨 16 mph
🌧 0.4 mm (20%)

Forecast snapshot from 28 Jul 2026, 04:58 UTC — refreshed nightly and updated live in your browser. Temperatures and gusts adjusted to the 552 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

Lord's Seat

Lord's Seat - a stony summit with old fence posts above conifer plantations, low cloud clinging to the fells beyond
© Lee McCoy

Lord's Seat at 552m (1,811ft) is the highest point of the Whinlatter Forest fells, a broad, grassy summit giving outstanding views of Bassenthwaite Lake and the Skiddaw massif. Wainwright noted the excellent lake views from this unfrequented corner of the North Western Fells. The ascent from Thornthwaite or Whinlatter Forest is pleasant and the summit offers a genuine sense of seclusion. Combined naturally with Broom Fell and Whinlatter for a circuit of the Whinlatter Forest fells.

Routes up Lord's Seat

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

Whinlatter Loop
13.6 km · ~3.8 hr
Classifications & hill data
Wainwright
North Western
Birkett
Fellranger
Synge
Marilyn
552 m
Height
1,811 ft
In feet
NY 2043 2655
Grid ref

Map & nearby Birketts

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

Nearest parking: Whinlatter Visitor Centre (paid), about 2.2 km from the summit (straight line). Full parking, toilets and bus details are below.

Birketts near Lord's 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.

0.7 km SEUllister Hill525 m · North Western
1.2 km STarbarrel Moss493 m · North Western
1.3 km SESeat How (Thornthwaite)495 m · North Western
1.8 km SSWWhinlatter Top525 m · North Western
2.4 km NWBurthwaite Heights318 m · North Western
2.6 km WGraystones455 m · North Western
3.0 km NNWRivings335 m · Northern

Routes over Lord's Seat

Whinlatter LoopRevised
13.56 km · ~671 m ascent · loop · ~3.5–5 h
Summits: GraystonesGraystones (Graystones North Top)Broom FellLord's SeatBarfWhinlatter TopWhinlatter (Brown How - Whinlatter)

⬇️ 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 Lord's 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 Lord's Seat36 labelled tops shown (17 distant behind the far-horizon toggle). Theoretical visibility in perfect clarity; computed from terrain, not photographed.eye levelNNEESESSWWNWScafell Pike · 19 kmHelvellyn · 18 kmSkiddaw · 6 kmBowfell · 20 kmRaise · 17 kmBlencathra · 12 kmSkiddaw Little Man · 6 kmGreat Dodd · 15 kmGrasmoor · 7 kmCrag Hill · 6 kmBroad End · 7 kmGreat Rigg · 22 kmHigh Raise · 19 kmClough Head · 14 kmUllscarf · 17 kmWhiteside East Top · 5 kmGreat Sca Fell · 11 kmHobcarton End · 3 kmBrae Fell · 12 kmBlake Fell · 12 kmBell Crags · 15 kmGreat Mell Fell · 19 kmGavel Fell · 12 kmCarl Side · 5 kmCriffel · 43 km · clear daysLonglands Fell · 11 kmBurnbank Fell · 11 kmGreat Meldrum · 22 kmBroom Fell · 1 kmGraystones · 3 kmBinsey · 9 kmFellbarrow · 8 kmSourfoot Fell · 8 kmSale Fell · 3 kmLothwaite · 3 kmGreen How · 12 kmScafell · 20 kmSkiddaw South Top · 6 kmGreat End · 18 kmCatstye Cam · 18 kmHigh Crag · 19 kmStybarrow Dodd · 16 kmEel Crag · 6 kmKnowe Crags · 11 kmGlaramara · 17 kmSand Hill · 5 kmRanderside · 15 kmPike of Stickle · 20 kmWhiteside · 6 kmHeron Pike North Top · 24 kmStanding Crag · 16 kmLittle Mell Fell · 22 kmGrike · 17 kmLining Crag · 17 kmBengairn · 52 km · clear daysGraystones · 3 kmSighty Crag · 67 km · clear daysSmithy Fell · 8 kmHatteringill Head · 7 kmCalkin Rig · 62 km · clear daysHigh Rigg · 12 kmRivings · 3 kmBainloch Hill · 44 km · clear daysClints Crags · 10 kmGrange Fell · 56 km · clear daysKillyleoch Hill · 64 km · clear daysSlieve Donard · 181 km · a handful of days a yearMerrick · 98 km · a rare clear daySnaefell · 89 km · a rare clear dayCairnsmore of Carsphairn · 94 km · a rare clear dayThe Cheviot · 117 km · a rare clear dayCairnsmore of Fleet · 81 km · a rare clear dayTinto · 111 km · a rare clear daySlieve Croob · 180 km · a handful of days a yearGreen Lowther · 91 km · a rare clear dayDivis · 180 km · a handful of days a yearWhite Coomb · 89 km · a rare clear dayCairn Table · 109 km · a rare clear dayCairnharrow · 73 km · a rare clear dayWisp Hill · 75 km · a rare clear dayRoan Fell · 71 km · a rare clear dayDun Rig · 105 km · a rare clear dayPeel Fell · 84 km · a rare clear day
What you can see from Lord's Seat, by direction
  • North-east: Skiddaw (6 km), Skiddaw North Top (6 km), Broad End (7 km)
  • East: Skiddaw South Top (6 km), Skiddaw Middle Top (6 km), Skiddaw Little Man (6 km), Skiddaw Lesser Man (6 km), Knowe Crags (11 km), Gategill Fell Top (11 km), Blencathra (12 km)
  • South-east: Little Dodd (15 km), Watson's Dodd (15 km), Great Dodd (15 km), Stybarrow Dodd (16 km), Raise (17 km), White Side (17 km), Helvellyn Lower Man (17 km), Helvellyn (18 km), Catstye Cam (18 km), Nethermost Pike (19 km), High Raise (19 km), High Crag (19 km), Dollywaggon Pike (20 km), Fairfield (21 km), Great Rigg (22 km)
  • South: Grisedale Pike (4 km), Sand Hill (5 km), Eel Crag (6 km), Crag Hill (6 km), Dale Head (11 km), Great Gable (16 km), Glaramara (17 km), Looking Steads (17 km), Great End (18 km), Broad Crag (19 km), Ill Crag (19 km), Scafell Pike (19 km), Scafell (20 km), Bowfell (20 km)
  • South-west: Grasmoor (7 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Slieve Donard (181 km, Ireland), Merrick (98 km, Scotland), Snaefell (89 km, Isle of Man), Cairnsmore of Carsphairn (94 km, Scotland), The Cheviot (117 km, England), Cairnsmore of Fleet (81 km, Scotland), Corserine (93 km, Scotland), Lamachan Hill (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 Lord's Seat

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.
78Wainwrights in view+5 marginal
99 kmFurthest sightlineMerrick
2Sea in viewIrish Sea, Solway Firth

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

Far horizons
  • Merrick ScotlandNW · 99 km clear
  • Snaefell Isle of ManWSW · 90 km clear
  • Criffel ScotlandNW · 44 km distant
  • Solway Firth bay/estuaryNW · 33 km in view
  • Irish Sea open waterW · 28 km in view
All 78 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

Broom Fell, Barf, Whinlatter (Brown How - Whinlatter), Sale Fell, Grisedale Pike, Dodd (Skiddaw), Ullock Pike, Hopegill Head, Long Side, Outerside, Barrow, Carl Side, Whiteside (Whiteside West Top), Scar Crags, Causey Pike, Skiddaw, Skiddaw Little Man, Grasmoor, Fellbarrow - Mosser Fell, Latrigg, Cat Bells (Catbells), Low Fell, Lonscale Fell, Maiden Moor, Walla Crag, Binsey, Robinson, Great Cockup, Hindscarth, High Spy, Bleaberry Fell, Meal Fell, Burnbank Fell, Dale Head, Great Sca Fell, Longlands Fell, High Rigg (Naddle Fell), Blake Fell, High Seat, Gavel Fell, Grange Fell (Brund Fell), Blencathra - Hallsfell Top, Brae Fell, Clough Head, Great Crag (Stonethwaite), Watson's Dodd, Great Dodd, Stybarrow Dodd, Eagle Crag, Great Gable, Raise, White Side, Glaramara, Sergeant's Crag, Ullscarf, Grike, Helvellyn, Catstye Cam, Great End, Nethermost Pike, High Raise (High White Stones), Great Mell Fell, Scafell Pike, Dollywaggon Pike, Thunacar Knott, Scafell, Pike of Stickle, Bowfell, Seat Sandal, Harrison Stickle, Loft Crag, Gowbarrow Fell (Wainwright summit), Fairfield, Little Mell Fell, Great Rigg, Stone Arthur, Heron Pike (Rydal), Arthur's Pike

How Lord's 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 Lord's Seat

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

Whinlatter Visitor Centre (paid) — 2.2 km from summit (straight line)
Forest centre — Lord's Seat, Barf, Whinlatter fells, Grisedale Pike's back route.
Directions
🚺 Whinlatter Forest Park Centre (120m) — Free☕ The Cottage in the Wood☕ Cafe Ambio
Dodd Wood (paid) — 3.1 km from summit (straight line)
Forestry car park for Dodd, Carl Side and the Ullock Pike ridge onto Skiddaw.
Directions
🚺 Dodd Wood Car Park (79m) — Free☕ The Old Sawmill Tearoom

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 Lord's Seat 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.

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

My hikes over Lord's 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 Lord's Seat

Hazard: Moderate

The highest of the heavily forested fells north of Whinlatter Pass, an easy grassy top with a fine Bassenthwaite panorama. There are no crags to worry about, so the hazards are boggy ground and navigation — a mix of forest tracks, rough paths and very wet sections where, in mist, it's easy to head off in the wrong direction. Keswick Mountain Rescue Team covers this ground.

  • Boggy ground & navigation in mist: The way up and the link to neighbouring tops cross very boggy ground, and among the forest and featureless moor it's easy to take a wrong line in cloud. Sturdy waterproof footwear, a map and compass are needed; best done in good visibility.
  • Forest tracks & felled areas: Routes use Whinlatter forest tracks that change with felling and can differ from older maps; junctions are easy to muddle. Follow current signage and keep track of your position.
  • Exposure on the open top: The summit is open and can be windy with little shelter. Dress for changeable conditions, especially in winter when the bog freezes and paths ice.
Who should attempt this fell: Lord's Seat is a gentle, view-rich fell with no real cliffs — its catch is bog and navigation, so wear waterproof boots, carry map and compass, and pick a clear day for the views and to avoid going astray among the forest tracks and wet ground. In winter the boggy ground freezes and the forest paths can be icy.

Most common causes: Navigation errors in mist on boggy, featureless ground and forest junctions · Floundering in the wet ground between the tops · Confusion where forest tracks differ from the map after felling · Exposure in poor weather on the open summit

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 Lord's 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 Lord's 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 Lord's Seat

Maps & guidebooks for Lord's Seat

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