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2.35 km · ~175 m ascent · ~0.5–1 h · loop · 1 summit

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ModerateLoopPlanned

Binsey Walk

2.35 km
Distance
~0.5–1 h
Typical time
~175 m
Ascent
1
Summit
Download GPX →Maps & guidebooks

Key facts

Distance 2.35 km
Ascent ~175 m
Descent ~177 m
Time ~0.5–1 h
Type Loop
The northern outlier, and the biggest view-per-minute in the Lake District. Binsey stands alone above the Solway plain with nothing between it and Scotland — forty minutes up a grassy path and you can see the whole Skiddaw massif on one side and the Galloway hills on the other. A first fell, an evening fell, a fell for a bad forecast everywhere else.
✎️ Planned route — drawn but not personally walked or checked yet. A planned line is a suggestion, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate independently and carry a map & compass.

🧭 The automated detail on this page — distance, climb, pacing and a first-pass difficulty read — is live. Hand-written field notes are being added.

Difficulty profile

LengthEasy2.35 km — a short outing.
SteepnessModerateSteepest sustained pull about 20% around the 0.5 km mark.
TerrainEasyA short grassy pull on a clear, good path. (Editorially assessed from the documented character of the route, not computed from gradient; not yet personally walked.)
NavigationEasyA single isolated hill with an obvious path and an ancient summit cairn. You cannot get lost. (Editorially assessed from the documented character of the route, not computed from gradient; not yet personally walked.)
ExposureEasyNo drops and no scrambling anywhere on the route. (Editorially assessed from the documented character of the route, not computed from gradient; not yet personally walked.)

Five independent axes, not one score — all field-checked on the ground here, with nothing left as a desk estimate.

Conditions on this route

We score every Lakeland Wainwright each morning on cloud, wind, rain and underfoot, and this route crosses 1 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.

OpenTopoMap
Elevation profile
Elevation profile Rises from about 268 m to 442 m over 2.4 km, with the summits marked in order. 442 m 268 m 0 km 2.4 km 1

1 Binsey

~175 m
Total ascent
442 m
High point
269 m
Start height

Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap (switch layers top-right).

This walk covers about 2.35 km with around 175 m of ascent, taking in 1 summit. 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
Gates only
Buggy
Not buggy-able
Knees
Steep in places
  • Dog: Gates and kissing gates only — a dog can do the whole route.
  • Buggy: Stiles or rough going on the route.
  • Knees: A sustained ~20% descent around the 1.7 km mark — a little jarring on tired knees.

On the line: 3 gates

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 and we’ll fix it. Barrier data as of 2026-07-14. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).

Pacing

SummitCumulativeAscentTime (fast–steady)
Binsey1.2 km174 m0:31–0:42
Finish2.4 km175 m0:46–1:01

Naismith-based estimate — a fast/steady range. Your pace will vary.

The walk, stage by stage

Start → Binsey (1.2 km, 174 m)

Climb of about 174 m over 1.2 km (around 14% average).

Binsey → Finish (1.2 km, 1 m)

Descent of about 175 m over 1.2 km.

Stage-by-stage field notes coming soon.

Summits bagged (1)

  • Binsey 447 m · Northern · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge, Marilyn

🅿️ Getting there & parking

Peter House Farm, Bassenthwaite (roadside) — 3.1 km from the start (straight line)
Dash Falls track — Bakestall, Great Calva, Skiddaw the quiet way.
Directions
Dodd Wood (paid) — 7.7 km from the start (straight line)
Forestry car park for Dodd, Carl Side and the Ullock Pike ridge onto Skiddaw.
Directions

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 or Traveline before travelling.

⚠️ Safety & conditions

  • Binsey is exposed to the west with nothing to shelter it — it can be far windier on top than the short climb suggests.

Check live conditions in the “From the fells” panel, on MWIS and the Met Office mountain forecast before you set off.

Make it easier or harder

Easier and harder options coming soon.

⬇️ Download

Download GPX

GPX track for your GPS or phone.

📚 Maps & guidebooks for Binsey Walk

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Appears in these collections
Dog-friendly walksEasy walks