Whitbarrow - Lord's Seat
Whitbarrow, whose summit is Lord's Seat at 216m (708ft), is a magnificent limestone escarpment above the Lyth valley, its white scarp edge — visible from miles around — giving outstanding views of Morecambe Bay, the Kent estuary and the Lakeland fells.
Summit conditions on Whitbarrow - Lord's Seat
On the summit on Tuesday 27 October: 14° to 8°C, gusts to 38 mph, 2.6 mm of rain forecast over the whole day, midnight to midnight.
The forecast figures are Open-Meteo’s, worked out for the summit’s height. How we check →
Routes up Whitbarrow - Lord's Seat
Hand-mapped, with GPX to download — full maps further down.
Distance and climb are measured from the route’s GPX track, and the time from them by Naismith’s rule; the route page says what each grade rests on. How we check →
How hard is Whitbarrow - Lord's Seat?
The shortest way up we hold is Whitbarrow Scar and Lord's Seat from Witherslack — 11.06 km, 266 m of ascent, ~2½–3¾ h. On our scale its hardest axes are distance, steepness and navigation — Moderate.
All axes: length: Moderate · steepness: Moderate · navigation: Moderate · terrain: Not assessed · exposure: Not assessed.
These are the route page’s grades, set by the rules on how we grade: length and steepness measured from its GPX track, the others set on the ground, judged from the map or estimated from OpenStreetMap. The route page says which. How we check →
Conditions and 7-day summit forecast
Modelled for the 216 m summit (Open-Meteo). Check the Met Office mountain forecast and MWIS before you set off.
Full 7-day forecast
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)
Parking & buses for Whitbarrow - Lord's Seat
Parking
Route starts first, then the car parks nearest the summit, which are not always a way up.
3 more places to park near Whitbarrow - Lord's Seat
Positions are approximate.
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 6C, 530 and X6 stop at Witherslack Longhowe End (near), a 410 m walk from the start of Whitbarrow Scar and Lord's Seat from Witherslack — a route we rate Moderate overall (hardest: distance, steepness and navigation). We haven’t published last buses, Sunday or winter service yet, so check the timetable before you rely on getting back.
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 Whitbarrow - Lord's Seat
Hazard & Incident Information for Whitbarrow - Lord's Seat
Checked by Lee McCoy, . Editorial background, not a live callout feed.
Lord's Seat is the top of Whitbarrow, a limestone plateau with bare rock and scree around the summit. The cliff of Whitbarrow Scar runs along the plateau's south-western edge, about 400 m from the cairn, and a smaller crag lies about 100 m east of it.
- The scar edge: Whitbarrow Scar is a limestone cliff along the south-western edge of the plateau, with a smaller crag just east of the summit. Keep well back from the lip, and keep children and dogs close, especially in a strong wind.
- Wet limestone: Bare limestone and scree on the plateau are slippery when wet or frosty. Take care on rock steps after rain.
What to watch for: Going too close to the scar edge for the view · Slips on wet limestone
Safety: Hazard guidance compiled by hikes.guide from our own fell notes, not from Mountain Rescue reports - 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.
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
Skip mapFree mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap, with SRTM elevation data (switch layers top-right).
Parking, toilets and buses: Parking & buses ↑.
Birketts within 3 km of Whitbarrow - Lord's Seat
No bonus Birketts within 3 km.
Routes over Whitbarrow - Lord's Seat
The start is the car park at Town End, Witherslack, about 110 m from the Derby Arms. The first and last 2 km or so share the same lanes and bridleway, through Mill Side.
Download GPX Planned route · not yet walked
Route guide: Whitbarrow Scar and Lord's Seat from Witherslack →
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 Whitbarrow - Lord's Seat
Water & shelter on the way up
On the Whitbarrow Scar and Lord's Seat from Witherslack route:
On-route facilities © OpenStreetMap contributors, per route — an absent marker doesn’t mean none.
About Whitbarrow - Lord's Seat
Classifications & hill data
Is Whitbarrow - Lord's Seat a Wainwright?
Whitbarrow - Lord's Seat is one of Wainwright's Outlying Fells, not one of the 214 in the Pictorial Guides. It is also on the Marilyn list.
Selected lists
This is the summit’s grid reference. If you call from anywhere else, give your own position, not this one.
The summit is not a Birkett top.
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 →
Frequently asked questions about Whitbarrow - Lord's Seat
Is Whitbarrow a nature reserve?
Lord’s Seat, the summit, is on Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s Whitbarrow – Hervey Memorial Reserve. The Trust’s reserve page has its visiting guidance, including dogs and the grazing stock; read it before you go.
Questions from Google’s “People also ask”. · Last updated 2026-10-02 · Suggest a question or correction (opens in new tab)