Birketts above Ullswater
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 3 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 Low How2 High Brow3 Randerside4 Great Dodd5 Stybarrow Dodd6 Hart Side7 Birkett Fell8 Brown Hills9 Round How10 Bracken How
Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap (switch layers top-right).
This walk covers about 16.45 km with around 694 m of ascent, taking in 10 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: Gates and kissing gates only — a dog can do the whole route.
- Buggy: Stiles or rough going on the route.
- Knees: A sustained ~21% descent around the 12.0 km mark — a little jarring on tired knees.
On the line: 8 gates · 2 step-over stiles
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 2026-07-26. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).
Pacing
| Summit | Cumulative | Ascent | Time (fast–steady) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low How | 3.4 km | 202 m | 1:01–1:21 |
| High Brow | 4.1 km | 288 m | 1:19–1:44 |
| Randerside | 6.2 km | 457 m | 2:00–2:40 |
| Great Dodd | 7.2 km | 599 m | 2:26–3:14 |
| Stybarrow Dodd | 9.0 km | 673 m | 2:56–3:54 |
| Hart Side | 11.2 km | 684 m | 3:23–4:29 |
| Birkett Fell | 11.8 km | 686 m | 3:30–4:40 |
| Brown Hills | 13.4 km | 686 m | 3:49–5:05 |
| Round How | 15.6 km | 693 m | 4:16–5:41 |
| Bracken How | 15.9 km | 694 m | 4:20–5:45 |
| Finish | 16.4 km | 694 m | 4:27–5:55 |
Naismith-based estimate — a fast/steady range. Your pace will vary.
The walk, stage by stage
Start → Low How (3.4 km, 202 m)
Climb of about 202 m over 3.4 km (around 6% average).
Low How → High Brow (0.7 km, 86 m)
Climb of about 86 m over 0.7 km (around 12% average).
High Brow → Randerside (2.1 km, 169 m)
Climb of about 169 m over 2.1 km (around 8% average).
Randerside → Great Dodd (0.9 km, 142 m)
Climb of about 142 m over 0.9 km (around 16% average).
Great Dodd → Stybarrow Dodd (1.9 km, 74 m)
Climb of about 74 m over 1.9 km (around 4% average).
Stybarrow Dodd → Hart Side (2.2 km, 11 m)
Descent of about 92 m over 2.2 km.
Hart Side → Birkett Fell (0.6 km, 2 m)
Undulating section of about 0.6 km.
Birkett Fell → Brown Hills (1.6 km, 0 m)
Descent of about 171 m over 1.6 km.
Brown Hills → Round How (2.2 km, 7 m)
Descent of about 187 m over 2.2 km.
Round How → Bracken How (0.3 km, 1 m)
Undulating section of about 0.3 km.
Bracken How → Finish (0.6 km, 0 m)
Descent of about 70 m over 0.6 km.
Stage-by-stage field notes coming soon.
Summits bagged (10)
- Low How 497 m · Eastern · Birkett, Synge
- High Brow 575 m · Eastern · Birkett, Synge
- Randerside 729 m · Eastern · Birkett, Synge
- Great Dodd 857 m · Eastern · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge, Nuttall, HuMP
- Stybarrow Dodd 844 m · Eastern · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge, Nuttall
- Hart Side 756 m · Eastern · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge, Nuttall
- Birkett Fell 725 m · Eastern · Birkett
- Brown Hills 551 m · Eastern · Birkett, Synge
- Round How 387 m · Eastern · Birkett, Synge
- Bracken How 373 m · Eastern · Birkett, 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
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 8.2 km (drop to Start) — roughly half the distance.
📚 Maps & guidebooks for Birketts above Ullswater
- Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
- Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
- Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
- Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
- Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
- Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases — at no extra cost to you. How affiliate links work →
