Around Loweswater
Key facts
Difficulty profile
Five independent axes, not one score. “Desk” ratings come from maps and guidebooks, not yet walked — treat them as a guide, not a survey.
Conditions on this route
We score every Lakeland Wainwright each morning on cloud, wind, rain and underfoot, and this route crosses 4 of them. The worst summit governs the verdict — a route is only as kind as its roughest top.
Modelled guidance — not a substitute for the mountain forecast or your own judgement. See how every fell ranks today →
☀️ Daylight & turnaround
Daylight is short from October to February — check today’s sunrise and sunset before you set off, and carry a head-torch and spare batteries. On short days, decide your turn-back time before you start.
Why this matters: 78% of Mountain Rescue call-outs come after midday — the day runs out on the way home, not on the way up. See also walking in bad weather and today’s conditions.
1 Darling Fell2 Smithy Fell3 Fellbarrow - Mosser Fell4 Burnbank Fell5 Blake Fell6 Gavel Fell
Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap (switch layers top-right).
This walk covers about 19.13 km with around 1019 m of ascent, taking in 6 summits. The map above shows the line; the elevation profile and stage notes are below.
Access & barriers
Can a dog, a buggy or dodgy knees manage this route? A quick read from the gates and stiles mapped along the way.
- Dog: A stile of unmapped type — a dog may need lifting over.
- Buggy: Stiles or rough going on the route.
- Knees: A long, steep ~33% drop around the 17.0 km mark — hard on the knees.
On the line: 30 gates · 2 kissing gates · 12 stiles (type unmapped)
These are mapped barriers, from OpenStreetMap — coverage in the Lakes is good but not guaranteed complete. Spotted a stile or gate we’ve missed? Tell us (opens in new tab) and we’ll fix it. Barrier data as of 2026-07-25. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).
Pacing
| Summit | Cumulative | Ascent | Time (fast–steady) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darling Fell | 3.3 km | 270 m | 1:06–1:28 |
| Smithy Fell | 5.3 km | 428 m | 1:47–2:22 |
| Fellbarrow - Mosser Fell | 5.8 km | 459 m | 1:56–2:34 |
| Burnbank Fell | 12.5 km | 817 m | 3:52–5:08 |
| Blake Fell | 13.8 km | 922 m | 4:18–5:43 |
| Gavel Fell | 15.3 km | 983 m | 4:41–6:14 |
| Finish | 19.1 km | 1019 m | 5:31–7:21 |
Naismith-based estimate — a fast/steady range. Your pace will vary.
The walk, stage by stage
Start → Darling Fell (3.3 km, 270 m)
Climb of about 270 m over 3.3 km (around 8% average).
Darling Fell → Smithy Fell (2.0 km, 158 m)
Climb of about 158 m over 2.0 km (around 8% average).
Smithy Fell → Fellbarrow - Mosser Fell (0.5 km, 30 m)
Undulating section of about 0.5 km.
Fellbarrow - Mosser Fell → Burnbank Fell (6.7 km, 358 m)
Climb of about 358 m over 6.7 km (around 5% average).
Burnbank Fell → Blake Fell (1.3 km, 105 m)
Climb of about 105 m over 1.3 km (around 8% average).
Blake Fell → Gavel Fell (1.5 km, 61 m)
Climb of about 61 m over 1.5 km (around 4% average).
Gavel Fell → Finish (3.9 km, 36 m)
Descent of about 392 m over 3.9 km.
Stage-by-stage field notes coming soon.
Summits bagged (6)
- Darling Fell 392 m · Western · Birkett, Synge
- Smithy Fell 392 m · Western · Birkett, Synge
- Fellbarrow - Mosser Fell 416 m · Western · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge
- Burnbank Fell 475 m · Western · Wainwright, Birkett, Synge
- Blake Fell 573 m · Western · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge, Marilyn
- Gavel Fell 524 m · Western · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge
🅿️ Getting there & parking
Positions are approximate. Lakeland car parks fill before 9am on fine weekends.
💧 No mapped drinking water or shelter on this route — that doesn’t mean there is none, and never drink untreated from a beck. (Facilities data © OpenStreetMap contributors.)
🚌 Buses
No regular bus serves the start — this is one for the car. Nearest hubs: Penrith (X4/X5 & 508), Ambleside and Windermere (555, 505, 516).
Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com (opens in new tab) or Traveline before travelling.
⚠️ Safety & conditions
Check live conditions in the “From the fells” panel, on MWIS (opens in new tab) and the Met Office mountain forecast (opens in new tab) before you set off.
Make it easier or harder
Short version: turn back at about 9.0 km (drop to Start) — roughly half the distance.
📚 Maps & guidebooks for Around Loweswater
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