Hazard: Moderate
The great boggy hub of the Central Fells, on the watershed between Thirlmere and Borrowdale — reputedly the wettest ground in the Lake District. Its flat peat-hag plateau is almost featureless and often pathless, so the hazard here is pure navigation: in cloud it is one of the easiest places in the Lakes to lose your way, and the nearby Greenup Edge is a notorious spot for Coast to Coast walkers to go astray. Keswick Mountain Rescue Team covers this ground.
- Featureless boggy plateau (navigation): A flat peat-hag plateau with few landmarks and an indistinct, sometimes absent path. In mist it is very easy to drift off line over miles of similar ground. Take and trust a compass bearing and don't rely on finding a trodden path.
- Deep bog & peat hags: This is the wettest ground in the District — deep bog and peat hags that are tiring and disorientating, and can swallow a leg. Pick careful lines, keep to firmer ground where you can, and allow far more time than the distance suggests.
- Greenup Edge & the wet cols: The connecting ground around Greenup Edge is boggy and confusing in cloud and has caught out many walkers (including on the Coast to Coast). Watch carefully for path splits and navigate the junctions deliberately rather than following the lie of the land.
Who should attempt this fell: Ullscarf is gentle in gradient but a serious navigation and bog challenge — the blank, sodden plateau defeats people in cloud who'd handle far rougher ground. Be confident with map, compass and bearings, allow plenty of time for the wet going, take particular care around Greenup Edge, and turn back if cloud closes in over the featureless top. In winter the navigation is harder still.
What to watch for: Navigation errors on the featureless, pathless peat-hag plateau in cloud · Floundering or tiring badly in deep bog · Getting lost around Greenup Edge and the wet cols · Exposure and long, slow going far from shelter
Local Mountain Rescue: Keswick 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.
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