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

Ullock Pike, a Lake District fell
Wainwright — Northern FellsAlso a Birkett

Ullock Pike

Ullock Pike at 692m (2,270ft) is the sharp, pointed north-western extremity of the Skiddaw ridge, its needle-like profile visible from the Bassenthwaite valley below.

690 m
Height
~3–4 h
Typical time
+5
Bonus Birketts
See routes & download GPX →

Home › Fells › Ullock Pike

Written and walked by Lee McCoy · Last reviewed

690 mWainwright — Northern Fells✓ summit is also a Birkett+5 bonus Birketts within 3 km Straightforward in cloud

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

Modelled guidance for the 690 m summit. Always check the Met Office mountain forecast and MWIS before you set off.

On the summit today (Tue 28 Jul): 15° to 13°C, gusts to 32 mph, 3.4 mm of rain forecast.

Tue 28 Jul
🌦️
15° / 13°
💨 32 mph
🌧 3.4 mm (77%)
Wed 29 Jul
🌧️
14° / 11°
💨 26 mph
🌧 10.1 mm (79%)
Thu 30 Jul
🌧️
12° / 4°
💨 30 mph
🌧 2.4 mm (76%)
Fri 31 Jul
🌤️
14° / 1°
💨 23 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (69%)
Sat 1 Aug
🌦️
13° / 3°
💨 15 mph
🌧 1.5 mm (63%)
Sun 2 Aug
🌤️
15° / 2°
💨 16 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (25%)
Mon 3 Aug
🌦️
14° / 5°
💨 15 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 690 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

Ullock Pike

Ullock Pike, a Lake District fell
© Lee McCoy

Ullock Pike at 692m (2,270ft) is the sharp, pointed north-western extremity of the Skiddaw ridge, its needle-like profile visible from the Bassenthwaite valley below. Wainwright noted it as the finest starting point for the great Skiddaw horseshoe — the ridge from Ullock Pike along Long Side and Carl Side to the main summit is the grandest approach to Skiddaw from any direction. The views from Ullock Pike across Bassenthwaite Lake and west towards the Solway coast are excellent from this pointed, airy summit.

Routes up Ullock Pike

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

Skiddaw via Ullock Pike and Dodd
12.4 km · ~4.3 hr · Hard
A grand horseshoe of the northern Skiddaw group from the forest at Dodd Wood. The walk climbs the clean, shapely ridge over Ullock Pike and along airy Longside Edge to Long Side, then drops to the col by Carl Side before the stiff, loose scree pull onto Skiddaw itself — and one of the great Lakeland summit views, out across the Solway Firth to Scotland. The return crosses back over Carl Side and takes a careful, GPS-checked line down to the wooded little top of Dodd before the drop home through the trees. Five Skiddaw-group Wainwrights — Ullock Pike, Long Side, Carl Side, Skiddaw and Dodd — on a satisfying, varied loop: clean ridge, real summit, quiet forest to finish.
Classifications & hill data
Wainwright
Northern
Birkett
Fellranger
Synge
690 m
Height
2,264 ft
In feet
NY 2444 2876
Grid ref

Map & nearby Birketts

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

Nearest parking: Dodd Wood (paid), about 1.7 km from the summit (straight line). Full parking, toilets and bus details are below.

Birketts near Ullock Pike (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.

1.6 km ESkiddaw South Top926 m · Northern
1.6 km ESkiddaw Middle Top929 m · Northern
1.7 km NNWWatches333 m · Northern
2.0 km NEBroad End832 m · Northern
2.7 km ESESkiddaw Lesser Man824 m · Northern

Routes over Ullock Pike

Skiddaw via Ullock Pike and DoddRevised
12.41 km · ~1081 m ascent · loop · ~4–5.5 h · Loop · Hard
Summits: Ullock PikeLong SideSkiddaw Middle TopSkiddawCarl SideDodd (Skiddaw)

✎️ Start from the pay-and-display forestry car park at Dodd Wood (Mirehouse), on the A591 by the east shore of Bassenthwaite Lake — the path heads up through the trees, over a brook, and north past Sand Beds.

⬇️ Download GPX

Best season: A popular route walkable in most seasons. Save Longside Edge for a day without a gale, and expect the loose scree onto Skiddaw to be the one real effort. In winter the scree and the high, open ridge need proper care and kit.

⚠️ Warnings: Longside Edge is an airy ridge — fine in calm weather and nothing like Striding Edge, but it can feel daunting in a high wind.; The pull onto Skiddaw is loose scree, with a navigation trap: don't bear left too soon or you'll pass under the summit and miss it — aim straight up the scree.; The descent from Carl Side to Dodd needs care with the GPS: turn right down towards the road — the 'direct' line straight up to the left is almost impassable — then immediately left to pick up the clear path to Dodd.; Off Dodd, a clearing to the left looks like a short-cut but isn't: it leads through branches and moss to a sharp drop. Head back to the road and follow the track home.

Full route guide ↗

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

The View from Ullock Pike

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 Ullock Pike36 labelled tops shown (20 distant behind the far-horizon toggle). Theoretical visibility in perfect clarity; computed from terrain, not photographed.eye levelNNEESESSWWNWScafell Pike · 22 kmHelvellyn · 17 kmSkiddaw · 2 kmSkiddaw Middle Top · 2 kmSkiddaw South Top · 2 kmBowfell · 22 kmPillar · 18 kmRaise · 15 kmSkiddaw Little Man · 2 kmGrasmoor · 11 kmCrag Hill · 10 kmBroad End · 2 kmSwirl How · 28 kmKirk Fell · 19 kmCarl Side · 1 kmSeat Sandal · 20 kmSergeant Man · 20 kmWhiteside East Top · 10 kmStanding Crag · 16 kmBleaberry Fell · 10 kmBlake Fell · 16 kmCriffel · 44 km · clear daysBrae Fell · 8 kmLord's Seat · 5 kmBroom Fell · 5 kmBengairn · 54 km · clear daysLowthwaite Fell · 7 kmBinsey · 7 kmRoan Fell · 68 km · clear daysLing Fell · 6 kmSale Fell · 5 kmCalkin Rig · 59 km · clear daysCaermote Hill · 10 kmClints Crags · 11 kmWatch Hill · 10 kmGrange Fell · 53 km · clear daysSkiddaw North Top · 2 kmGreat End · 20 kmGreat Gable · 19 kmSteeple · 19 kmGrisedale Pike · 8 kmWetherlam · 28 kmRobinson · 13 kmUllscarf · 17 kmGavel Fell · 16 kmLong Side · 0 kmHobcarton End · 7 kmLonglands Fell · 7 kmNab Scar · 24 kmFellbarrow · 12 kmSourfoot Fell · 12 kmOrthwaite Bank · 5 kmWatches · 2 kmGreen How · 9 kmBishop Forest Hill · 64 km · clear daysMochrum Fell · 70 km · clear daysWhite Hill · 58 km · clear daysKillyleoch Hill · 65 km · clear daysSlieve Donard · 186 km · a handful of days a yearMerrick · 100 km · a rare clear daySnaefell · 94 km · a rare clear dayCairnsmore of Carsphairn · 95 km · a rare clear dayThe Cheviot · 113 km · a rare clear dayCairnsmore of Fleet · 84 km · a rare clear dayWindlestraw Law · 115 km · a rare clear dayTinto · 110 km · a rare clear daySlieve Croob · 185 km · a handful of days a yearGreen Lowther · 90 km · a rare clear dayWard's Stone · 78 km · a rare clear dayWhite Coomb · 87 km · a rare clear dayCairn Table · 109 km · a rare clear dayCairnharrow · 76 km · a rare clear dayAgnew's Hill · 179 km · a handful of days a yearCauldcleuch Head · 75 km · a rare clear dayColt Hill · 89 km · a rare clear dayDun Rig · 103 km · a rare clear dayPeel Fell · 81 km · a rare clear dayBlackwood Hill · 73 km · a rare clear day
What you can see from Ullock Pike, by direction
  • North-east: Broad End (2 km)
  • East: Skiddaw (2 km), Skiddaw Middle Top (2 km), Skiddaw South Top (2 km), Skiddaw North Top (2 km)
  • South-east: Skiddaw Little Man (2 km), Skiddaw Lesser Man (3 km), Raise (15 km), White Side (15 km), Helvellyn Lower Man (16 km), Catstye Cam (17 km), Helvellyn (17 km), Nethermost Pike (18 km), High Crag (18 km)
  • South: Great Gable (19 km), Kirk Fell (19 km), Great End (20 km), Esk Pike (21 km), Broad Crag (21 km), Ill Crag (22 km), Scafell Pike (22 km), Bowfell (22 km), Scafell (23 km), Shelter Crags (23 km), Crinkle Crags (24 km), Crinkle Crags (24 km), Crinkle Crags (24 km), Crinkle Crags (24 km), Crinkle Crags South Top (24 km), Swirl How (28 km), Brim Fell (30 km), The Old Man of Coniston (31 km)
  • South-west: Eel Crag (10 km), Crag Hill (10 km), Grasmoor (11 km), High Stile (16 km), Pillar (18 km), Black Crag (19 km), Steeple (19 km), Scoat Fell (19 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Slieve Donard (186 km, Ireland), Merrick (100 km, Scotland), Snaefell (94 km, Isle of Man), Cairnsmore of Carsphairn (95 km, Scotland), The Cheviot (113 km, England), Cairnsmore of Fleet (84 km, Scotland), Corserine (95 km, Scotland), Windlestraw Law (115 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 Ullock Pike

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.
84Wainwrights in view+6 marginal
101 kmFurthest sightlineMerrick · possible under favourable refraction
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 · 101 km clear
  • Snaefell Isle of ManWSW · 94 km clear
  • Criffel ScotlandNW · 45 km distant
  • Solway Firth bay/estuaryNNW · 33 km in view
  • Irish Sea open waterW · 32 km in view
All 84 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

Long Side, Dodd (Skiddaw), Skiddaw, Skiddaw Little Man, Barf, Lord's Seat, Sale Fell, Broom Fell, Great Cockup, Whinlatter (Brown How - Whinlatter), Ling Fell, Binsey, Barrow, Graystones (Graystones North Top), Longlands Fell, Grisedale Pike, Brae Fell, Outerside, Walla Crag, Causey Pike, Hopegill Head, Scar Crags, Cat Bells (Catbells), Sail, Crag Hill (Eel Crag), Whiteside (Whiteside West Top), Bleaberry Fell, Maiden Moor, Grasmoor, High Seat, Raven Crag, Fellbarrow - Mosser Fell, Low Fell, Robinson, Hindscarth, High Spy, Grange Fell (Brund Fell), Castle Crag, Dale Head, Great Crag (Stonethwaite), Fleetwith Pike, White Side, Burnbank Fell, High Crag (Buttermere), Blake Fell, Rosthwaite Fell - Bessyboot, Gavel Fell, Catstye Cam, Helvellyn, Eagle Crag, Ullscarf, Base Brown, Nethermost Pike, Sergeant's Crag, Pillar, Green Gable, Glaramara, Great Gable, Kirk Fell, Steel Fell (Dead Pike - Steel Fell), Steeple, Scoat Fell (Little Scoat Fell), High Raise (High White Stones), Seat Sandal, Allen Crags, Sergeant Man, Great End, Thunacar Knott, Esk Pike, Great Rigg, Pike of Stickle, Scafell Pike, Harrison Stickle, Bowfell, Scafell, Crinkle Crags - Long Top (Second Crinkle), Pike of Blisco, Cold Pike, Great Carrs, Wetherlam, Swirl How, Grey Friar, Brim Fell, The Old Man of Coniston (Coniston Old Man)

How Ullock Pike’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 Ullock Pike

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

Dodd Wood (paid) — 1.7 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
Peter House Farm, Bassenthwaite (roadside) — 3.5 km from summit (straight line)
Dash Falls track — Bakestall, Great Calva, Skiddaw the quiet way.
Directions

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 Skiddaw via Ullock Pike and Dodd route:

🛖 map (5 m)🚌 Mirehouse (S bound) (55 m)

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

Buses to Ullock Pike from Penrith / Ambleside / Windermere

No regular bus serves the start points for this fell — this is one for the car (or a long approach from the nearest served valley). The nearest hubs are Penrith (X4/X5 & 508), Ambleside and Windermere (555, 505, 516).

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

My hikes over Ullock Pike (Strava)

1 logged hike pass over this summit:

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

Navigating Ullock Pike 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 Ullock Pike 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 Ullock Pike

Maps & guidebooks for Ullock Pike

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