Best parking to hike Sale How
Where we have the data, each parking spot also shows the nearest public toilets and facilities (cafés, pubs, shops).
Latrigg car park — 3.2 km from summit (straight line)
Free car park at the top of Gale Road behind Latrigg — the shortest way up Skiddaw via Jenkin Hill, and 0.7 km from Latrigg itself. Gale Road runs a long way down and people park in random spots along it; this pin is the very top. Lee has confirmed in person.
Directions ↗ (opens in new tab)Something changed here?If it is full: Latrigg (verge) (2.5 km, 80 m up); Keswick, Crosthwaite Road (paid) (2.8 km, 74 m up); Keswick, Otley Road (paid) (3.0 km, 90 m up)
Latrigg car park (free) — 3.3 km from summit (straight line)
Walking base for Lonscale Fell, Jenkin Hill, Skiddaw Middle Top and Skiddaw — the 'Up to Skiddaw Round Trip' route starts 6 m away. Also serves 'Lonscale Fell, Skiddaw Lesser Man, Skiddaw and Bakestall in the sun!'. Free (OSM-tagged). Ground surface (OSM-tagged).
Directions ↗ (opens in new tab)Something changed here?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.
Vehicles are left entirely at their owner’s risk. We list places people park; we cannot vouch for any of them. Judge it on the day: take valuables with you, leave nothing on show, and if a spot feels wrong when you get there, park somewhere else.
Getting to Sale How by bus
The X4 stops at Bassenthwaite, opposite High Side Farm. From there it is 2.5 km and 142 m of ascent to the start of Birketts North of Skiddaw — a walk in before the walk. Last bus: Monday to Friday 20:28 towards Workington (X4) and 18:13 towards Wigton (554) and 09:09 towards Carlisle (553); Saturday 20:43 towards Wigton (554) and 20:28 towards Workington (X4) and 18:24 towards Carlisle (553); Sunday 18:24 towards Carlisle (553) and 16:23 towards Wigton (554). Checked against the operator’s timetable, 7 September 2026. Times here are a guide, not a promise — leave yourself more than the minute.
Stagecoach X4 / X5
Penrith – Rheged – Threlkeld – Keswick – Braithwaite – Cockermouth – Workington
Catch it from: Penrith
Year-round, every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday between Penrith and Keswick and hourly on Sundays, from outside Penrith station. One ticket from any station on the West Coast Main Line to Keswick includes this bus: search for ‘Keswick Bus (KWK)’ when you book the train. From Penrith this is your way into Keswick and the Northern fells — Threlkeld/Scales stops serve Blencathra directly, Braithwaite serves the Coledale fells.
Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com (opens in new tab) or Traveline before relying on a last bus.