hikes.guideLake District

19.84 km · ~1036 m ascent · ~5.5–7.5 h · loop · 8 summits

Home / Routes / Birketts by Dunnerdale Fells
SevereLoopPlanned

Birketts by Dunnerdale Fells

19.84 km
Distance
~5.5–7.5 h
Typical time
~1036 m
Ascent
8
Summits
Download GPX →Maps & guidebooks

Key facts

Distance 19.84 km
Ascent ~1036 m
Descent ~1039 m
Time ~5.5–7.5 h
Type Loop
✎️ 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

LengthHard19.84 km — a long day out.
SteepnessSevereSteepest sustained pull about 39% around the 9.7 km mark.
TerrainModerateMostly good mountain path. desk assessment — not field-verified
NavigationModerateClear line, hard to stray. desk assessment — not field-verified
ExposureNot assessedExposure (drops, scrambling, how bad a slip would be) can’t be judged from gradient data alone, so we don’t guess. A rating appears once the route is editorially assessed or walked.

Five independent axes, not one score. “Desk” ratings come from maps and guidebooks, not yet walked — treat them as a guide, not a survey.

☀️ 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 108 m to 608 m over 19.8 km, with the summits marked in order. 608 m 108 m 0 km 19.8 km 12345678

1 Walna Scar2 White Maiden3 White Pike (Seathwaite)4 Pikes5 Caw6 Brock Barrow7 Fox Haw8 Raven's Crag (nameless (Stickle Pike - Raven's Crag))

~1036 m
Total ascent
608 m
High point
163 m
Start height

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

This walk covers about 19.84 km with around 1036 m of ascent, taking in 8 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
Mostly gates
Buggy
Not buggy-able
Knees
Tough descent
  • Dog: A stile of unmapped type — a dog may need lifting over.
  • Buggy: Stiles or rough going on the route.
  • Knees: A long, steep ~39% drop around the 9.6 km mark — hard on the knees.

On the line: 8 gates · 1 kissing gate · 1 stile (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 and we’ll fix it. Barrier data as of 2026-07-26. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).

Pacing

SummitCumulativeAscentTime (fast–steady)
Walna Scar2.9 km451 m1:20–1:47
White Maiden3.7 km456 m1:30–2:00
White Pike (Seathwaite)4.2 km456 m1:36–2:08
Pikes8.5 km536 m2:36–3:27
Caw9.4 km620 m2:54–3:52
Brock Barrow10.6 km631 m3:10–4:13
Fox Haw12.0 km734 m3:38–4:50
Raven's Crag (nameless (Stickle Pike - Raven's Crag))14.7 km854 m4:22–5:49
Finish19.8 km1036 m5:42–7:34

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

The walk, stage by stage

Start → Walna Scar (2.9 km, 451 m)

Climb of about 451 m over 2.9 km (around 16% average).

Walna Scar → White Maiden (0.8 km, 6 m)

Undulating section of about 0.8 km.

White Maiden → White Pike (Seathwaite) (0.5 km, 0 m)

Undulating section of about 0.5 km.

White Pike (Seathwaite) → Pikes (4.3 km, 80 m)

Climb of about 80 m over 4.3 km (around 2% average).

Pikes → Caw (0.9 km, 84 m)

Climb of about 84 m over 0.9 km (around 9% average).

Caw → Brock Barrow (1.2 km, 11 m)

Descent of about 216 m over 1.2 km.

Brock Barrow → Fox Haw (1.4 km, 104 m)

Climb of about 104 m over 1.4 km (around 7% average).

Fox Haw → Raven's Crag (nameless (Stickle Pike - Raven's Crag)) (2.7 km, 120 m)

Climb of about 120 m over 2.7 km (around 4% average).

Raven's Crag (nameless (Stickle Pike - Raven's Crag)) → Finish (5.1 km, 182 m)

Climb of about 182 m over 5.1 km (around 4% average).

Stage-by-stage field notes coming soon.

Summits bagged (8)

🅿️ Getting there & parking

Seathwaite, Duddon Valley (roadside) — 0.3 km from the start (straight line)
Limited roadside parking near the Newfield Inn for the Dunnerdale fells and Walna Scar side.
Directions
Hardknott Pass (roadside pull-ins) — 4.5 km from the start (straight line)
Limited pull-ins near the pass summit for Hard Knott and Harter Fell. Don't block passing places.
Directions

Positions are approximate. Lakeland car parks fill before 9am on fine weekends.

💧 Water, shelter & getting away

🛖 map (60 m)

On-route facilities © OpenStreetMap contributors — an absent marker does not mean the facility isn’t there.

🚌 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

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

Short version: turn back at about 10.4 km (drop to Start) — roughly half the distance.

⬇️ Download

Download GPX

GPX track for your GPS or phone.

📚 Maps & guidebooks for Birketts by Dunnerdale Fells

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases — at no extra cost to you. How affiliate links work →