Place Fell

Written and walked by Lee McCoy · Summited August 2026

Home › Fells › Place Fell

657 mWainwright — Far Eastern Fells+5 bonus Birketts within 3 km Fewer traps in Clag

Place Fell at 657m (2,156ft) is the great ridge fell on the eastern shore of Ullswater, its long summit ridge giving one of the finest views of the lake in all Lakeland.

Summit conditions on Place Fell

On the summit on Tuesday 27 October: 11° to 5°C, gusts to 53 mph, 21.2 mm of rain forecast over the whole day, midnight to midnight.

Against our lines, Tuesday 27 October: wind, cold and cloud from the Met Office UKV 2 km model (daylight hours, as in the verdict above); rain from the summit line’s forecast (the whole day). A tile is large when this top is past its line.

Wind on the top

Past the line

58 mph, our estimate for the open top in the worst daylight hour

The Met Office 2 km model’s gust of 48 mph times our exposure factor of 1.22. The summit line above gives Open-Meteo’s highest gust for the whole day, 53 mph, before any exposure factor.

The line Our line: 25 mph, where our wind Scale begins its 25–35 band: “balance affected; buffeting on exposed ground”. MWIS (opens in new tab) describes what wind does to a walker across a range rather than at a line: from about 20–25 mph it starts to affect your balance.

Estimated: it is not calibrated against summit readings, and the two forecasts can disagree by more than a band.

Rain, and the becks

Past the line

21.2 mm of rain over the whole day, midnight to midnight

The same figure as the summit line above and the 7-day forecast.

The line Our line: 6 mm in the day, where our scorer counts a day as soaking. We read rainfall, never river levels: becks in spate.

Open-Meteo’s forecast. It says nothing about rain already in the ground.

Also checked cold: feels like 1 °C, no ice or snow forecast; cloud: a clear-top reading of 22 out of 100, over our in-cloud line of 20. Under a line is not the same as fine: it means only that these figures are under the lines we use.

Not in these tiles Lightning, river levels, snow or ice already lying, and the ground under your feet. A tile cannot see them, so an empty space here never means they are absent.

Snow figures with a second opinion: Powered by Met Office data

Full 7-day summit forecast ↓

Wainwrights are scored for walking conditions each morning from the Met Office’s UK forecast model, read for each summit through Open-Meteo; the forecast figures are Open-Meteo’s, worked out for the summit’s height. How we check →

Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (opens in new tab)

Routes up Place Fell

Choose the way up before the car park: these four routes start from three places, and the last two rows give the parking and bus at each route’s own start. Full maps further down.

Compared	Brock Crags, Angletarn Pikes, Beda Fell & Place Fell	Angletarn Pikes and the Martindale round	Place Fell and The Knight	Finishing of the Far Eastern Fells
Starts from	Hartsop village (donation)	Hartsop village (donation)	Patterdale	Hartsop
Distance and climb	19.71 km, 1,072 m of climb	22.23 km, 1,402 m of climb	7.28 km, 547 m of climb	22.5 km, 1,294 m of climb
Time, fast to steady	~5½–7¾ h	~6¾–9¼ h	~2¼–3¼ h	~6½–9 h
Scrambling	Rounded fells and no scrambling on the paths.	Not mentioned in the route’s notes	Hands for a few steps: the last push from Boredale Hause to Place Fell's top (about km 3.2).	Hands for a few steps: the highest rock of Angletarn Pikes' North Top (about km 11.4).
Exposure	Easy	Easy	Not assessed	Not assessed
Navigation	Moderate	Hard	Moderate	Hard
Steepest stretch	Descent of about 27% at 15.7 km (Hard)	Climb of about 30% at 1.2 km (Hard)	Descent of about 35% at 4.8 km (Hard)	Descent of about 31% at 4.0 km (Hard)
After the summit	No further tops	No further tops	Over The Knight	No further tops
Walked or planned	Walked in part; km 2.8–3.3, km 10.0–14.9, km 16.7–19.3 from the map	Walked in part; km 0.3–1.7, km 19.4–22.1 from the map	Planned: drawn, not yet walked	Walked by Lee, August 2026
Car park at the start	Hartsop village (donation)	Hartsop village (donation)	Patterdale Hotel Car Park (Patterdale Hotel, paid)	Cow Bridge, Hartsop (paid)
Bus to the start	508, 580 m walk from Hartsop, adjacent to road end	508, 560 m walk from Hartsop, adjacent to road end	508 at the start	508 at the start

Times run from fast to steady pace (Naismith’s rule). Scrambling quotes each route’s own notes; “not mentioned” means they do not say, not that the ground has none. Each route’s page has its map, stages and GPX.

Distance, climb and the steepest stretch are measured from each route’s GPX track; the other grades are set on the ground, judged from the map or estimated from OpenStreetMap, and each route page says which. How we check →

Is Place Fell hard to climb?

It's a steep but straightforward climb with no scrambling — a rewarding 657 m (2,156 ft) summit above Ullswater. The effort is a fairly relentless pull up to Boredale Hause and on to the rocky top, rather than anything technical.

The thing to watch is navigation: the rocky, knolly summit and the busy path junction at Boredale Hause catch people out in cloud.

Sources: Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team (opens in new tab)

How we check →

Conditions and 7-day summit forecast

Modelled for the 657 m summit (Open-Meteo). Check the Met Office mountain forecast and MWIS before you set off.

Full 7-day forecast

Tue 27 Oct

11° / 5°

53 mph

21.2 mm (100%)

Wed 28 Oct

9° / 5°

43 mph

7.6 mm (100%)

Thu 29 Oct

8° / 7°

25 mph

0.1 mm (33%)

Fri 30 Oct

8° / 6°

28 mph

0.0 mm (23%)

Sat 31 Oct

10° / 3°

14 mph

0.3 mm (18%)

Sun 1 Nov

7° / 2°

11 mph

0.0 mm (10%)

Mon 2 Nov

7° / -2°

16 mph

0.0 mm (0%)

Taken 27 October 2026, 08:13 UTC; the live forecast replaces it when it loads. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (opens in new tab)

Pro mountain forecasts: MWIS · Met Office mountain forecast

Parking & buses for Place Fell

Parking

Route starts first, then the car parks nearest the summit, which are not always a way up.

Hartsop village (donation) — at the start of Brock Crags, Angletarn Pikes, Beda Fell & Place Fell and Angletarn Pikes and the Martindale round

For Hartsop Dodd, Gray Crag, High Street via Hayeswater, Brock Crags. It asks an optional donation, not a charge (Lee, who walked past it on 14 August 2026). People also use the Cow Bridge car park, 0.9 km away, if they would rather not drive down the lane.

Directions Something changed here?

If it is full: Cow Bridge, Hartsop (paid) (0.9 km, 32 m up)

Patterdale Hotel Car Park (Patterdale Hotel, paid) — at the start of Place Fell and The Knight

Walking base for Place Fell, The Knight, Arnison Crag and Birks — the 'Place Fell and The Knight' route starts 23 m away. Also serves 'St Sunday Crag'. Fees: pay and display, coins only (LDNPA directory, read 30 August 2026). Unpaved surface (OSM-tagged).

Directions Something changed here?

Cow Bridge, Hartsop (paid) — 0.3 km from the start of Finishing of the Far Eastern Fells (straight line)

Paid car park by Brothers Water — Hartsop above How, Dovedale, Caudale Moor. Fees: pay and display; coins and cards; RingGo ID 37323 (LDNPA, checked August 2026).

Directions When people arrive, and what it costs →Something changed here?

4 more places to park near Place Fell

KGV Playing Field Community Car Park, Patterdale — 1.8 km from summit (straight line)

For Place Fell, St Sunday Crag, the Grisedale fells. Walking base for Arnison Crag, Birks, St Sunday Crag and Gavel Pike — the 'St Sunday Crag' route starts 506 m away. Also serves 'Place Fell and The Knight'. On the King George V Playing Field; Patterdale Parish Council lists it as open all year, postcode CA11 0PJ (Parking in Patterdale map, October 2025). The National Park's car-parks directory (read 12 September 2026) adds that it may be closed to the public on cricket-match, other sports and local community days.

Directions Something changed here?

Public toilets (~705 m straight line) — Free Public toilets (~926 m straight line) White Lion Inn Patterdale Hotel

Bridgend (layby) — 2.5 km from summit (straight line)

On the A592 at Bridgend, between Patterdale and Hartsop, beside a bus stop. The nearest route starts are the two at Cow Bridge, 1.2 km south on foot, and the two in Patterdale, 1.7 km north on foot ('St Sunday Crag', which climbs Arnison Crag, and 'Place Fell and The Knight'). Free (OSM-tagged).

Directions Something changed here?

Bridgend, south (layby) — 2.6 km from summit (straight line)

On the A592 at Bridgend, between Patterdale and Hartsop, beside the Bridgend bus stops. The nearest route starts are the two at Cow Bridge, 1.1 km south on foot, and the two in Patterdale, 1.9 km north on foot ('St Sunday Crag', which climbs Arnison Crag, and 'Place Fell and The Knight'). Free (OSM-tagged).

Directions Something changed here?

Beda Fell (layby) — 2.9 km from summit (straight line)

Nearest fells: Beda Fell (Beda Head) (0.8 km), Gowk Hill (1.1 km), Brownthwaite Crag (1.2 km). Free (OSM-tagged). Grass surface (OSM-tagged).

Directions Something changed here?

Positions are approximate.

Of the pay-and-display machine tickets sold at Cow Bridge from 17 August 2024 to 31 March 2026, 34% were bought before 10am (our count of FOI/2026.500 ticket data). Contains public sector information provided by the Lake District National Park Authority and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Vehicles are left at their owner’s risk: we list places people park and cannot vouch for any of them. Take valuables with you and leave nothing on show.

Buses

The 508 and 509 stop at Hartsop, in road end, a 20 m walk from the start of Finishing of the Far Eastern Fells — a route we rate Severe overall (hardest: distance). The last bus is 17:44 towards Penrith (508) and 15:50 towards Keswick (509), every day. Checked against the operator’s timetable, 7 September 2026; that timetable runs to 1 November 2026. Times here are a guide, not a promise — leave yourself more than the minute.

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.

Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com (opens in new tab) or Traveline before relying on a last bus.

Getting there across the Lake District: Buses · Parking map · By train · By boat

Hazards on Place Fell

Hazard & Incident Information for Place Fell

Checked by Lee McCoy, 14 June 2026. Draws on published material from Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team. Editorial background, not a live callout feed.

Hazard: Moderate

A craggy, much-loved fell rising abruptly above Ullswater opposite Patterdale, presenting an intimidating jumble of crags and steep scree on its western face while its top is gently rolling, boggy moorland dotted with rocky outcrops. The paths thread cleverly through the crags by rakes and gullies, so navigation needs care, and the multi-path junction at Boredale Hause is a well-known place to go astray. Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team covers this ground.

The crag-and-scree western face above Ullswater: The Ullswater side is steep, rocky and broken; the path only works by weaving through rakes and gullies. Stray off it in cloud and you can quickly be among crags and steep scree. Keep to the established line and don't shortcut down the face.
Boredale Hause (confusing path junction): Several paths meet at Boredale Hause and it is a notorious spot for taking the wrong one, especially in mist. Know which path you want before you arrive, and use a compass: the stone-pitched path over Steel Edge is the reliable line between the summit and Boredale Hause; at the Hause, make sure you take the path west down to Patterdale.
The boggy, outcrop-dotted summit in cloud: The rolling top has rocky knolls, bog and little to navigate by, and there is virtually no shelter. In poor visibility stick to the path and take a bearing for your chosen descent.

Who should attempt this fell: Place Fell is a rewarding fell, but it earns its 'moderate' through navigation rather than difficulty: keep to the path that threads the western crags, and be especially careful at Boredale Hause, where it's easy to take the wrong line — the stone-pitched Steel Edge path is the dependable line between the summit and the Hause. Carry map and compass for the featureless top, and dress for an exposed hill with no shelter.

What to watch for: Walkers straying onto the steep crags/scree of the western face in cloud · Taking the wrong path at the Boredale Hause junction · Navigation errors on the featureless, boggy summit · Exposure with no shelter in bad weather

Local Mountain Rescue: Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team (opens in new tab)

Safety: 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 (opens in new tab)

Navigating in cloud

Fewer traps in cloud

Of the three things our terrain model measures, the highest reading here is the amount of steep ground within half a kilometre of the summit. This top is in the lowest of the index’s four bands, and a low band never means “safe”: carry map and compass and know how to use them.

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 Place Fell compares with all 214: the Clag Index (experimental).

If you need Mountain Rescue

Dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Police, then Mountain Rescue.

Before you call, have ready: where you are (a grid reference if you can – the OS Locate app shows yours on your phone), what has happened, how many of you there are, and your mobile number.

Then stay where you are until the rescue team contacts you.

If you cannot make a voice call because of a hearing or speech impairment, emergency SMS works only if you have registered first: text “register” to 999.

From Mountain Rescue England and Wales’s guidance on calling them out (opens in new tab) (read 26 October 2026).

Map, GPX and nearby Birketts

Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap, with SRTM elevation data (switch layers top-right).

Parking, toilets and buses: Parking & buses ↑.

Birketts within 3 km of Place Fell

These Birkett tops are not Wainwright summits. Distances are straight lines: check the ground and access on a map before adding one.

0.7 km NThe Knight552 m · Far Eastern

1.3 km NNWBirk Fell (Bleaberry Knott)512 m · Far Eastern

1.6 km NEHigh Dodd501 m · Far Eastern

2.2 km NNELow Birk Fell373 m · Far Eastern

2.6 km NESleet Fell378 m · Far Eastern

Routes over Place Fell

Angletarn Pikes and the Martindale round

Summits: Rest Dodd The Nab Brock Crags (Wainwright)Angletarn Pikes (Angletarn Pikes North Top)Beda Fell (Beda Head)Place Fell

This is the antidote to Helvellyn on an August Saturday. The Nab is one of the least-visited Wainwrights, and the reward for the boggy trudge out to it is a summit almost nobody stands on. Angletarn Pikes and its tarn are the prettiest thing in the Far Eastern fells.

Download GPX Walked in part, August 2026 · km 0.3–1.7, km 19.4–22.1 from the map

Best season: Late spring to autumn. The ground between Rest Dodd and The Nab is notoriously boggy and the navigation is committing in cloud — save this one for a clear day with dry ground underfoot. The Dalemain Estate says the deer forest may be closed between September and February, so check with the estate before an autumn or winter walk.

Picked for its light in: September

Warnings: The Nab is in the Martindale deer forest, owned by the Dalemain Estate. The estate says the area may be closed between September and February for deer management, and at other times as needed, and asks walkers to check before they visit. It asks everyone to keep away from the deer, especially at calving time. This route reaches The Nab along the ridge from Rest Dodd and comes back the same way. It does not go down into Rampsgill or Bannerdale. The top of The Nab is open access land. On open access land, dogs must be on a lead of no more than 2 m from 1 March to 31 July, and near livestock at any time (GOV.UK: use your right to roam). The ground either side of The Nab is genuinely boggy — peat hags and wet channels that swallow the path. Expect wet feet and slow going, and do not judge your timings by the distance alone. A big day: over 22 km and 1,350 m of ascent, with navigation graded hard. The high ground is broad, rolling and short of landmarks — in cloud this is a compass-and-pacing exercise. Long and remote: carry what you need to get yourself out.

Route guide: Angletarn Pikes and the Martindale round →

Brock Crags, Angletarn Pikes, Beda Fell & Place Fell

Summits: Brock Crags (Wainwright)Angletarn Pikes (Angletarn Pikes North Top)Beda Fell (Beda Head)Place Fell

A grand tour of the quieter Far Eastern fells, with Angle Tarn and the Ullswater view from Place Fell as the highlights — a long but rewarding round.

Download GPX Walked in part, August 2026 · km 2.8–3.3, km 10.0–14.9, km 16.7–19.3 from the map

Best season: Year-round in good conditions, best in clear weather for the Ullswater and High Street views. A long day — the ridges and cols are boggy in places and slow when wet.

Warnings: A long day (nearly 20 km, over 1,000 m of ascent) — start early, carry food, water and layers, and keep an eye on the time and the light. Boggy in places, especially along the Beda Fell ridge and the cols — slow when wet. The higher ground can be confusing in mist — carry map and compass. Livestock on the lower fells and valleys; keep dogs under close control.

Route guide: Brock Crags, Angletarn Pikes, Beda Fell & Place Fell →

Finishing of the Far Eastern Fells

Summits: Rest Dodd The Nab Brock Crags (Wainwright)Angletarn Pikes (Angletarn Pikes North Top)Beda Fell (Beda Head)Place Fell

Download GPX Walked by Lee, August 2026

Route guide: Finishing of the Far Eastern Fells →

Place Fell and The Knight

Summits: Place FellThe Knight

Much better as a one-way day than an out-and-back: take the Ullswater Steamer from Glenridding to Howtown and walk back over the top, with Ullswater below you the whole way. We have not measured that line, so its distance and time are not given here: the figures on this page are for the loop from Patterdale. Sail first and walk back, so a slow descent can’t become a missed boat. (Seasonal timetable; checked 4 Aug 2026.)

Download GPX Planned route · not yet walked

Route guide: Place Fell and The Knight →

Every line here is a guide, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate for yourself and carry a map and compass. How to use this guide.

On the hill: terrain and water on Place Fell

Water & shelter on the way up

On the Angletarn Pikes and the Martindale round route:

Road End (467 m from the start, straight line)

On the Brock Crags, Angletarn Pikes, Beda Fell & Place Fell route:

bus shelter (42 m off the line) shelter (mapped, not checked; 55 m off the line)

On the Finishing of the Far Eastern Fells route:

bus shelter (9 m off the line) shelter (mapped, not checked; 94 m off the line) Road End (44 m from the start or finish, straight line) Patterdale Hotel (E bound) (63 m from the start or finish, straight line) Patterdale Hotel (W bound) (93 m from the start or finish, straight line) Cow Bridge car park (233 m from the start or finish, straight line)

On the Place Fell and The Knight route:

shelter (mapped, not checked; 97 m off the line) toilets (103 m off the line) Patterdale Hotel (E bound) (50 m from the start, straight line) Patterdale Hotel (W bound) (81 m from the start, straight line) Youth Hostel (N bound) (411 m from the start, straight line) Youth Hostel (S bound) (418 m from the start, straight line)

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

About Place Fell

Wainwright praised it warmly, describing the view across Ullswater to Helvellyn and the Eastern Fells as among the most beautiful lake views from any fell. The traverse of the full ridge from Sandwick to Patterdale is an excellent walk; the Ullswater steamer between Glenridding and Howtown can take the place of one leg. The eastern face drops to the secluded valley of Boredale, a rewarding descent.

Field notes

Walking up to Beda Fell I was convinced I wasn't going to do this one. My knees were shot, my watch was saying it's more than 30c and my water with the hydration salts wasn't, at this stage, wasn't agreeing with me. But as I was making my way down Hause Crag and Chapel in the Hause, I could see that the path up was well-maintained so I wouldn't have to bush-whack or other-think my ascent. So I turned right and put the pain to the back of my mind. I would be lying if I didn't have moments of regret as I ascended. My watch said it averaged around a 17 degrees incline which was acceptable, there were no challenging aspects but that view? Wow. Looking over the Knight and onto Ullswater was a delight. But my knees were still hurting regardless. It was frightfully hot and I only had my spare Lucozade to go. I scanned for a new, shorter route down. There weren't any so I turned around and escaped.

— Lee McCoy, who walked it on 3 of our routes

My Strava hikes over Place Fell

1 logged hike pass over this summit:

Finishing of the Far Eastern Fells (opens in new tab) — 23.1 km · 1463 m ascent · 6h 01m moving · 14 August 2026

Data from Strava.

Classifications & hill data

Is Place Fell a Wainwright?

Place Fell is a Wainwright. It is also on the Birkett list, the Synge list, the Nuttall list, the Fellranger list, the Marilyn list and the Hewitt list.

Selected lists

657 m

Height

2,156 ft

In feet

NY 4053 1694

Grid ref

This is the summit’s grid reference. If you call from anywhere else, give your own position, not this one.

The summit is also a Birkett.

Lists, height and summit position from the Database of British and Irish Hills; the feet are converted from its metres and the grid reference from that position. How we check →

The view from Place Fell

The 360° skyline from Place 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

The skyline as a list, by direction

East: Red Crag (5 km)
South-east: The Knott (5 km), High Raise (6 km), Rampsgill Head (6 km), Low Raise (6 km), High Street (7 km)
South: Caudale Moor (7 km), Stony Cove Pike (7 km), Thornthwaite Crag (7 km), Red Screes (8 km), Ill Bell (10 km), Yoke (11 km)
South-west: St Sunday Crag (5 km), Nethermost Pike (7 km), Hart Crag (7 km), High Crag (7 km), Fairfield (7 km), Dollywaggon Pike (7 km), Dove Crag (7 km), Crinkle Crags South Top (20 km)
West: Green Side (6 km), Catstye Cam (6 km), Raise (6 km), Stybarrow Dodd (6 km), Helvellyn (7 km), White Side (7 km), Helvellyn Lower Man (7 km)
North-west: Birkett Fell (5 km), Great Dodd (7 km), Blencathra (14 km), Gategill Fell Top (14 km), Knowe Crags (14 km), Atkinson Pike (14 km), Skiddaw Lesser Man (17 km), Skiddaw Little Man (18 km), Skiddaw South Top (19 km), Skiddaw Middle Top (19 km), Skiddaw (19 km), Skiddaw North Top (19 km), Broad End (19 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Broad Law (110 km, Scotland), The Cheviot (115 km, England), White Coomb (101 km, Scotland), Ettrick Pen (93 km, Scotland), Wisp Hill (82 km, Scotland), Cauldcleuch Head (84 km, Scotland), Roan Fell (76 km, Scotland), Dun Rig (116 km, Scotland).

Computed from Copernicus GLO-30 terrain; distant tops from the Database of British and Irish Hills v18.4 (opens in new tab) (CC BY 4.0). See how we compute the view · and the summit intervisibility report below.

Sunrise and sunset on Place Fell

Place Fell sits close to the flat-horizon case. Even on its longest wait of the modelled year (on 1 December) first light is only 12 minutes after almanac sunrise, so the published sunrise time is a fair guide here.

Midsummer. The filled shape is the skyline as seen from the summit; the line is the sun’s path. Where they meet is first light — everything left of that point is the wait.

Times for 2026, in Lakeland clock time (GMT in winter, BST in summer) — and model outputs rather than observations.
	First light	Almanac sunrise	Difference
Midsummer	04:33 BST ±5.0 min	04:36	-3 min
Equinox	06:13 GMT ±5.0 min	06:15	-2 min
Midwinter	08:42 GMT ±5.0 min	08:32	+10 min

A low, open northern horizon — the ground falls away northwards (mean -0.21°).

Last light — when the sun leaves Place Fell

The evening here runs close to the flat-horizon case. Even on its earliest evening of the modelled year (on 1 January) last light is only 19 minutes before almanac sunset, so the published sunset time is a fair guide on Place Fell.

The evening of the same three days. A negative difference means a ridge takes the sun before the valley loses it.
	Last light	Almanac sunset	Difference
Midsummer	21:52 BST ±5.0 min	21:52	—
Equinox	18:14 GMT ±5.0 min	18:26	-12 min
Midwinter	15:30 GMT ±5.0 min	15:48	-18 min

These are daylight figures, not a descent plan: the light goes on fading for a good while after the sun leaves, and going down in it is a decision about your own ground and party, not about this table.

What you can see from Place Fell

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.

56Wainwrights in view+3 marginal

34 kmFurthest sightlineGreat Dun Fell

—Sea in viewnone from here

Far horizons

Great Dun Fell North PenninesENE · 34 km clear
Cross Fell North PenninesENE · 33 km clear

All 56 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

Angletarn Pikes (Angletarn Pikes North Top), Arnison Crag, Beda Fell (Beda Head), Glenridding Dodd, The Nab, Brock Crags (Wainwright), Steel Knotts (Pikeawassa - Steel Knotts), Sheffield Pike, Hallin Fell, Birkhouse Moor, Rest Dodd, Gowbarrow Fell (Wainwright summit), St Sunday Crag, Wether Hill, Hartsop Dodd, Loadpot Hill, The Knott (High Street), Hart Side, Hartsop Above How (Gill Crag - Hartsop Above How), High Raise (High Street), Rampsgill Head, Gray Crag, Bonscale Pike, Catstye Cam, Raise, High Hartsop Dodd, Stybarrow Dodd, Helvellyn, Nethermost Pike, Arthur's Pike, White Side, Hart Crag, High Street, Fairfield, Dollywaggon Pike, Stony Cove Pike (Caudale Moor), Little Hart Crag (Little Hart Crag - West Top), Dove Crag, Great Dodd, Little Mell Fell, Thornthwaite Crag, Middle Dodd, Red Screes, Great Mell Fell, Clough Head, Ill Bell, Yoke, Souther Fell, Blencathra - Hallsfell Top, Bannerdale Crags, Bowscale Fell, Lonscale Fell, Skiddaw Little Man, Carrock Fell, Skiddaw, High Pike (Caldbeck)

How the view from Place Fell compares with all 214 — the View Report: every Wainwright ranked by what you can see from the top.

How the skyline, light and sightlines are computed

Computed, not photographed. First light is the first minute the sun’s upper limb clears this summit’s own skyline and last light the last minute it is still clear of it, both solved against the 360° horizon profile behind The View from Place Fell. Almanac sunrise and sunset are the flat-horizon convention. Every time carries a ± band from the 30 m elevation model — it smooths arêtes and cornices, so nothing here claims better than five minutes.

Sightlines from the Copernicus GLO-30 elevation model, which is a surface model: each 30 m cell holds the top of whatever stands there, trees and buildings included, rather than bare ground. 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.

Places to stay near this fell

Greenbank Farm Bed and Breakfast (opens in new tab) guest houseabout 1.8 km

Also nearby, but not independent

YHA Helvellyn (opens in new tab) hostelabout 3.2 km

We have not stayed at any of them. We take no bookings or affiliate fees. Distances are straight lines from each route start, never walking times. Properties found via OpenStreetMap (opens in new tab).

Frequently asked questions about Place Fell

Is Place Fell hard to climb? Answered above.

What is the easiest route up Place Fell?

The usual route climbs from Patterdale up to Boredale Hause, then north up the fell's southern ridge to the summit. The stone-pitched Steel Edge path is the reliable line on that ridge.

A classic round combines the summit with the beautiful Ullswater shoreline path back to Patterdale (or you can ride the Ullswater 'Steamer' one way).

How long does it take to climb Place Fell? Answered above: Routes up Place Fell.

Can you combine Place Fell with the Ullswater shoreline walk?

Yes — and it's one of the finest outings in the area. The east-shore path between Patterdale/Side Farm and Howtown is widely rated among the best lakeside walks in England, winding through birch woods beneath Place Fell's craggy flank.

A popular plan takes the Ullswater 'Steamer' from Glenridding to Howtown, walks the shoreline, then climbs Place Fell back to Patterdale — or simply links the summit and the shore into a circuit.

Is it easy to get lost on Place Fell?

It can be. The rolling, rocky summit has little to navigate by, and Boredale Hause is a notorious tangle of paths where it's easy to take the wrong one in mist. The western face above Ullswater is steep and craggy, threaded only by rakes.

Carry a map and compass, know which path you want at Boredale Hause (the stone-pitched Steel Edge path links the summit and Boredale Hause; from the Hause, Patterdale is to the west), and keep to the paths on the steep western side.

Sources: Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team (opens in new tab)

Is Place Fell suitable for beginners, families and dogs?

Yes — it's a popular fell for fit beginners, older children and dogs, with a clear (if steep) path and no scrambling, plus the lower shoreline path for gentler legs. The summit views over Ullswater are a big reward.

Keep children and dogs close on the rocky top and away from the steep western edge, keep dogs on a lead around sheep, and pick a clear day so Boredale Hause and the summit don't confuse you. That western face above Ullswater is steep, rocky and broken, and the path only works by weaving through rakes and gullies.

Sources: Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team (opens in new tab)

What should I wear and take up Place Fell?

Wear walking boots or sturdy shoes with good grip for the steep, rocky path, and carry warm and waterproof layers — the top is exposed and shelterless. Take a map and compass for the rocky summit and the Boredale Hause junction, plus food, water and a charged phone.

Check the forecast, and remember the summit is far colder and windier than the lakeshore.

Sources: MWIS — Lake District forecast (opens in new tab)

Questions from Google’s “People also ask”. · Last updated 2026-06-14 · Suggest a question or correction (opens in new tab)

Place Fell

Summit conditions on Place Fell

Wind on the top

Rain, and the becks

Routes up Place Fell

Is Place Fell hard to climb?

Conditions and 7-day summit forecast

Parking & buses for Place Fell

Parking

Buses

Hazards on Place Fell

Hazard & Incident Information for Place Fell

Navigating in cloud

If you need Mountain Rescue

Map, GPX and nearby Birketts

Birketts within 3 km of Place Fell

Routes over Place Fell

On the hill: terrain and water on Place Fell

Water & shelter on the way up

About Place Fell

Field notes

My Strava hikes over Place Fell

Classifications & hill data

Is Place Fell a Wainwright?

Selected lists

The view from Place Fell

The 360° skyline from Place Fell

Sunrise and sunset on Place Fell

Last light — when the sun leaves Place Fell

What you can see from Place Fell

Places to stay near this fell

Frequently asked questions about Place Fell

Other fells near Place Fell