Birketts by Dunnerdale Fells
Start Seathwaite (Duddon Valley)
Getting here Parking: Walna Scar Road, above Seathwaite (layby), 0.5 km from the start (straight line). Getting there ↓ · Route map ↓
Hardest part Hard distance: 19.95 km — a long day out. Hard steepness: Steepest sustained descent about 34% around the 9.7 km mark.
Before you choose
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.
See also walking in bad weather and today’s conditions.
Route map
1 Walna Scar2 White Maiden3 White Pike (Seathwaite)4 Pikes5 Caw6 Brock Barrow7 Fox Haw8 Raven's Crag (Stickle Pike)
Easy 74%Moderate 23%Hard 3%Severe
Heights on this chart and its high point are read from the track itself (a terrain model sampled along the line, or a GPS recording), so a top can differ from its listed height, usually reading lower.
Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap, with SRTM elevation data (switch layers top-right).
The elevation profile is under the map; the stage notes follow.
The line to the summit of Brock Barrow is drawn, not recorded.
The walk, stage by stage
- 1
Start → Walna Scar (2.9 km, 455 m)
Ascend from the Duddon Valley, joining the historic Walna Scar track. Grind up the relentless, stony byway before cutting away from the pass to tackle the final, steep grassy slopes directly to the summit of Walna Scar.
WaypointsDuddon Valley (start), Walna Scar road (track), Walna Scar summit (621m).
Decision pointThe massive, engineered Walna Scar track is a clear handrail for the majority of the ascent. Once nearing the high pass, peel off south-west to hit the highest ground marking the summit.
Easy to get wrongThe Walna Scar road is heavily eroded and stony, making for hard going on the feet. Leaving the track for the summit is a short pull over grass, on a path OSM maps, that can be completely saturated after heavy rain.
If you need to get offSimply retrace your steps back down the Walna Scar track, which offers a wide and easy-to-follow retreat all the way to the valley floor.
- 2
Walna Scar → White Maiden (0.8 km, 13 m)
Head south along the broad, sweeping grassy ridge. It is an easy, undulating stroll over short turf, dipping slightly before a negligible rise brings you to the modest summit cairn of White Maiden.
WaypointsWalna Scar ridge, White Maiden summit (613m).
Decision pointThe ridge is broad but exceptionally well-defined. Keep the steep, craggy drops into the upper Duddon clearly on your right (west) and the gentle slopes of the Coniston massif to your left.
Easy to get wrongThe ridge is highly exposed to the prevailing westerlies sweeping up from the Duddon estuary, offering zero shelter from incoming weather. The short grass is wonderful for making good time, but can become greasy and slick when wet.
If you need to get offRetrace your steps north to the Walna Scar track and descend it the way you came. Do not attempt to drop blindly into the steep, craggy western flanks from this ridge.
- 3
White Maiden → White Pike (Seathwaite) (0.5 km, 5 m)
Continue west along the ridge as the grassy terrain abruptly transitions into a shattered, rocky crest. Carefully navigate the blocky stones to reach the prominent, craggy tor of White Pike.
WaypointsRidge line west of White Maiden, White Pike summit tor (600m).
Decision pointThe rocky crown of White Pike is highly distinct and acts as a perfect visual aiming point directly ahead on the ridge line.
Easy to get wrongThe sudden shift from smooth grass to jagged volcanic rock requires a sharp change in pace. The rocks of White Pike are blocky; they can be incredibly slick when coated in damp lichen or morning dew.
If you need to get offRetreat north back along the grass to the Walna Scar road. Dropping off the steep, craggy western or southern flanks of White Pike is highly dangerous and trackless.
- 4
White Pike (Seathwaite) → Pikes (4.3 km, 95 m)
Leave White Pike north-east, as the track does, back over Walna Scar to where you left the Walna Scar track on the way up (about 1.3 km), then descend west-south-west down the Walna Scar Road, the way you came up, for about 0.9 km. At about 430 m, leave the road on a path heading west-south-west, go through a gate onto a bridleway heading south-west past the Walna Scar slate quarries, then follow a footpath south, fording Wash Dub Beck and then the River Lickle, before a path climbs south-west and west to the minor, grassy rise of Pikes.
WaypointsWalna Scar (passed about 70 m to your right), Walna Scar Road, the turn off the road (about 2.2 km into the stage), Walna Scar slate quarries, Wash Dub Beck ford, River Lickle ford, Pikes summit (469m).
Decision pointIn clear weather, the imposing, rocky pyramid of Caw serves as a massive beacon ahead. In thick clag, the turn to find is where the route leaves the Walna Scar Road, about 0.9 km below where you rejoined it; after that, keep to the footpath south across the two becks, and check your compass where it crosses the bogs and hummocks.
Easy to get wrongThe descent off the ridge is back down the stony Walna Scar Road, which drops about 170 m in under 1 km and is steep and loose. Beyond the road, the paths cross heather moorland with hidden bogs, and the ground by the River Lickle is wet; the peat hags demand detours, making the 2% gradient feel much harder.
If you need to get offUntil you leave the Walna Scar Road, the way back is the way you came: down the road to the start. No way down to the Duddon Valley from this moorland has been checked for this guide: the slopes are steep, pathless bracken. If exhausted by the bogs, judge going on or going back from where you are.
- 5
Pikes → Caw (0.9 km, 89 m)
Leave the spongy moorland of Pikes and tackle the aggressively steep, rocky eastern flank of Caw. Pick a line up through the crags and loose scree to the summit trig pillar and its commanding viewpoint.
WaypointsCaw eastern slopes, Caw summit trig point (529m).
Decision pointAim directly for the craggy apex. The white trig pillar sits on the absolute highest point and is easy to spot once you crest the final rocky shelf.
Easy to get wrongCaw is a formidable, rocky pyramid. The ascent is short but incredibly steep. The faint paths are loose, easily lost among the crags, and highly exposed to the wind.
If you need to get offDo not attempt to bypass the summit on the steep lateral flanks. If the climb is too intimidating, retreat to Pikes; no way down to the Duddon Valley from there has been checked for this guide.
- 6
Caw → Brock Barrow (1.3 km, 30 m)
Plunge down the steep, grassy south-western nose of Caw, dropping rapidly off the high fell. Cross a minor, boggy depression before making a short pull onto the lower, bracken-covered summit of Brock Barrow.
WaypointsCaw south-western descent, connecting saddle, Brock Barrow summit (approx 343m).
Decision pointKeep the plunging Duddon Valley clearly on your right (west/north-west). Aim for the distinct, lower wooded hills of the valley floor to keep your bearing straight down the spur.
Easy to get wrongThe 216m descent off Caw is a relentless, knee-jarring drop over grass that turns into a dangerous slip-and-slide when wet. In summer, the lower slopes of Brock Barrow are heavily infested with ticks and chest-high bracken that completely swallows the path.
If you need to get offYou are effectively descending towards the valley already. No way down to the valley from here has been checked for this guide; stay on the route.
- 7
Brock Barrow → Fox Haw (1.5 km, 111 m)
Turn south-east, descending into the complex, knobbly terrain of the Dunnerdale Fells. Weave through a labyrinth of rocky outcrops, boggy hollows, and heather to reach the incredibly subtle, craggy top of Fox Haw.
WaypointsDunnerdale Fells southern approach, Fox Haw summit.
Decision pointA compass is vital here in low visibility. Fox Haw is just one of many small crags; use the massive bulk of the Stickle Pike ridge to the north as a long-distance backstop.
Easy to get wrongThe Dunnerdale Fells are notorious for micro-navigation nightmares. The terrain is a chaotic jumble of identical rocky knolls and waterlogged depressions, making it exhausting to walk in a straight line and very easy to lose your bearings.
If you need to get offNo way off these fells into the Duddon Valley has been checked for this guide; in poor visibility, stop and relocate before going on.
- 8
Fox Haw → Raven's Crag (Stickle Pike) (2.7 km, 129 m)
Continue tracking south-west and then south through the disorienting, lumpy moorland. The route rolls persistently over hidden bogs and minor rocky swells, eventually leading you to the prominent, rugged bluff of Raven's Crag, sitting just south of Stickle Pike.
WaypointsCentral Dunnerdale Fells, Tarn Hill (proximity), Raven's Crag summit.
Decision pointStickle Pike dominates the skyline ahead and acts as a massive visual handrail. Keep aiming generally towards its pointed profile to ensure you are threading the Dunnerdale Fells in the right direction.
Easy to get wrongThe energy-sapping terrain continues. Finding a dry line can be hard, and hidden holes beneath the thick heather are a constant threat to tired ankles on this long traverse.
If you need to get offNo way down to the Duddon Valley road from this moor has been checked for this guide; judge going on or going back from where you are.
Raven's Crag (Stickle Pike) → Finish (5.1 km, 182 m)
Drop north-west from Raven's Crag, then swing north and north-east on the long, undulating march back towards Seathwaite. The route weaves past the Kiln Bank pass, linking grassy trods and old quarry tracks across the lower fellside, before finally dropping down the enclosed valley lanes to the finish.
WaypointsKiln Bank Cross (vicinity), lower Dunnerdale flanks, Seathwaite (finish).
Decision pointOnce you near the Kiln Bank road, use it and the subsequent lower valley boundary walls as solid catching features. The Duddon Valley floor acts as a massive, continuous handrail to your left (west) guiding you perfectly back to Seathwaite.
Easy to get wrongAt over 5 km, this is a very long, rolling walk-out at the end of an exhausting day. The 182m of ascent is hidden in relentless, minor undulations that will deeply test tired legs, and the lower paths are frequently choked with thick summer bracken.
If you need to get offThe route closely parallels the Duddon Valley floor. No direct way down to the valley road has been checked for this guide; stay on the route.
GPX track for your GPS or phone. Planned route · not yet walked
Summits bagged (8)
- 1Walna Scar621 m
- 2White Maiden613 m
- 3White Pike (Seathwaite)600 m
- 4Pikes469 m
- 5Caw529 m
- 6Brock Barrow343 m
- 7Fox Haw385 m
- 8Raven's Crag (Stickle Pike)361 m
In the order you walk them — the same numbers the elevation profile, the stage notes and the pacing table use.
Conditions and timing
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.
Getting there and back
Parking
1 more place to park near the start
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.
If the parking is full
There is no real plan B here. Every place we know beside this route serves the same walks and sits close together, so expect them to fill on the same mornings. Worth starting early, or having a different walk in mind before you set off.
- Seathwaite Parish Hall, Duddon Valley (paid) — joins the loop at about km 18.8 of 19.9: a 50 m walk to the line, and you walk the round from there
- Stickle Pike, north-east (layby) — joins the loop at about km 15.5 of 19.9: a 410 m walk to the line, and you walk the round from there
- Walna Scar Road, above Seathwaite (layby) — joins the loop at about km 0.5 of 19.9: a 50 m walk to the line, and you walk the round from there
We never say whether anywhere has spaces today. Walks to the line are measured along mapped paths (OpenStreetMap), not in a straight line. How we choose these places.
No signal when you get there? RoutePark keeps this list on your phone: choose this walk’s GPX at home, keep it, and it opens offline.
Buses
No bus we hold serves this start. The nearest stop we hold is the 505 at Coniston, outside The Ruskin Centre, 7.9 km away on foot: a walk of its own, not a way to the start.
Toilets and refreshments
The essentials
- Arrival The nearest mapped parking is a layby about 465 m from the start, towards White Pike: free and unsurfaced, as mapped. No capacity is recorded. 466 m in a straight line, not a walking distance. (our parking audit, from OpenStreetMap, checked 10 August 2026)
- Toilets No toilets are mapped within 250 m of the start. (OpenStreetMap, as mapped on 13 September 2026, checked 13 September 2026)
- Refreshments No café or pub is mapped within 250 m of the start: bring what you need. (OpenStreetMap, as mapped on 13 September 2026, checked 13 September 2026)
- Limitation Eight tops in 20 km and about 1,110 m of ascent, rated hard for steepness and length: allow 5¾ to 8 hours. (our route notes (this route's own summary), checked 2 October 2026)
Water, shelter & getting away
On-route facilities © OpenStreetMap contributors — an absent marker does not mean the facility isn’t there.
Getting there across the Lake District: Buses · Parking map · By train · By boat
Planning detail
How each grade on this page is set, and the timings stage by stage.
Difficulty profile
Hard overall — hardest: Length and steepness; terrain not assessed; exposure not assessed on the ground
Five independent axes, not one score. None of them was set on the ground: they are computed from the recorded track and the map, which measures the line rather than surveying the ground.
How we grade: each axis is Easy, Moderate, Hard or Severe, and a route between two bands takes the higher one. Length: under 8 km, 8–14 km, 14–20 km, over 20 km. Steepness, the steepest 500 m of the track: under 15%, 15–25%, 25–35%, over 35%. Terrain, navigation and exposure are judged rather than measured, and each note says why. How we grade.
Pacing
| Summit | Cumulative | Ascent | Time (fast–steady) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Walna Scar | 2.9 km | 455 m | 1:20–1:47 |
| 2White Maiden | 3.7 km | 468 m | 1:31–2:01 |
| 3White Pike (Seathwaite) | 4.2 km | 473 m | 1:38–2:10 |
| 4Pikes | 8.5 km | 568 m | 2:39–3:32 |
| 5Caw | 9.4 km | 657 m | 2:58–3:57 |
| 6Brock Barrow | 10.7 km | 687 m | 3:17–4:22 |
| 7Fox Haw | 12.1 km | 798 m | 3:46–5:00 |
| 8Raven's Crag (Stickle Pike) | 14.9 km | 927 m | 4:31–6:00 |
| Finish | 19.9 km | 1110 m | 5:50–7:46 |
A fast–steady range from Naismith’s rule, deliberately on the slow side. Breaks, weather, rough ground and the slowest person in your party all add to it. How we time walks.
Access & barriers
Can a dog, a buggy or dodgy knees manage this route?
- Buggy: Stiles or rough going on the route.
- Knees: A long, steep ~39% drop over 250 m around the 9.6 km mark — hard on the knees.
With a dog
Hardest for a dog here: drops and exposed ground (estimated from the map). The steepest stretch is a sustained descent of about 34% around the 9.7 km mark.
- Drops and exposed ground: Not assessed on the ground; the map suggests Hard. 3 mapped crag feature(s) near the line — check the airy sections.
- Stiles and gates: A stile of unmapped type at 18.9 km — a dog may need lifting over. (OpenStreetMap, mapped as of 26 July 2026)
- Rock and scrambling: Ground underfoot: Not assessed.
- Ways off early: None recorded for this route.
- Livestock, shade and water: Not recorded for this route yet. We never call a stream safe for a dog to drink, so carry enough for both of you. The lead rules, and what to do around cattle, are on dogs on the fells.
On the line: 5 gates · 1 kissing gate · 1 stile (type unmapped)
Barriers as mapped on OpenStreetMap, which can miss some. Spotted one? Tell us (opens in new tab). Barrier data as of 26 July 2026. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).
Places to stay near this start
- Wallabarrow (High Wallabarrow Farm self-catering cottage, camping barn and bunkhouse) (opens in new tab)about 1.5 km
We have not stayed at any of them. We take no bookings or affiliate fees. Distances are straight lines from the route start, never walking times. Properties found via OpenStreetMap (opens in new tab).
Walks from places nearby
- Walks from Duddon Valley — 1.1 km from this start
- Walks from Hardknott Pass — 4.6 km from this start
Straight-line distance from this walk’s start. Those lists hold the routes we have mapped and every Wainwright and Outlying fell within about 5 km of the town, ranked nearest first.