Birketts by Kirkland

The walk, stage by stage

1. 1

   Start → Godworth (3.0 km, 153 m)

   Climb of about 153 m over 3.0 km (around 5% average).

   Depart the Kirkland vicinity, taking the minor lanes and farm tracks that transition onto the open grazing land of the western foothills. The ascent is steady and shallow, weaving through enclosed pasture before breaking out onto rougher, tussocky moorland to crest the modest, largely unmarked grassy summit of Godworth

   Waypoints

   Kirkland valley approach, enclosed pasture lanes, lower moorland boundary, Godworth summit

   Decision point

   The drystone intake walls and wire fences of the lower agricultural land serve as primary handrails to guide you upwards; the summit of Godworth itself is poorly defined, so use the highest point of the grassy swell as your visual target once on the open fell

   Easy to get wrong

   As a lower foothill on the western fringes of the park, this area is heavily utilized for livestock grazing, meaning the ground is frequently churned into deep, boot-sucking mud after wet weather. Summer bracken is fiercely thick on these lower slopes, easily obscuring the faint sheep trods and hiding uneven, ankle-twisting holes that demand careful foot placement despite the gentle gradient

   If you need to get off

   Being on the extreme western edge of the fells, simply reversing your bearing to walk west or north-west will funnel you directly down the gentle slopes back into the safety of the Kirkland agricultural lanes

2. Godworth → Finish (6.2 km, 86 m)

   Climb of about 86 m over 6.2 km (around 1% average).

   Leave the minor top of Godworth and embark on a long, sprawling loop across the rolling western moorland, navigating a series of shallow depressions and minor rises. The route gradually hooks back towards the valley, picking up a network of rutted bridleways and old farm tracks that contour across the lower fellside, leading you steadily back to your starting point in Kirkland

   Waypoints

   Godworth summit, open moorland traverse, agricultural bridleways, Kirkland finish point

   Decision point

   Boundary fences and eventually solid farm tracks are your best friends on this return leg; once you intersect the established bridleways on the lower slopes, navigation becomes entirely bombproof all the way back to the road network

   Easy to get wrong

   The distance here is deceptive; while the overall elevation gain is minimal, the 6.2 km traverse across tussocky, trackless moorland is physically draining and hard on the ankles. The broad, shallow basins on this western fringe act as massive sponges, holding deep, hidden peat bogs that demand constant micro-navigation to avoid thoroughly soaking your boots on the long walk-out

   If you need to get off

   This entire loop acts as a non-committing, low-level walk-out; you are never far from the valley floor, and maintaining a general westerly or north-westerly trajectory at any point will safely drop you off the moorland and onto the minor country roads surrounding Kirkland