Borrowdale Birketts

The walk, stage by stage

1. 1

   Start → High House Bank (3.0 km, 169 m)

   Climb of about 169 m over 3.0 km (around 6% average).

   Start by leaving the secluded valley floor of Westmorland Borrowdale, beginning a long, steady traverse up the largely pathless, grassy slopes to gain the initial ridge line. The ascent weaves through rough pasture and lower intake walls, gradually pulling you onto the broad, open spine of High House Bank, setting the tone for a day of remote, trackless moorland walking

   Waypoints

   Westmorland Borrowdale valley floor, intake boundary walls, High House Bank summit

   Decision point

   Use the valley floor as a receding baseline and aim for the obvious topographical crest of the ridge above; an old boundary fence line often acts as a reliable handrail once you reach the higher ground

   Easy to get wrong

   This is Shap Fells territory, meaning you will immediately encounter thick, tussocky grass that fiercely resists a steady walking rhythm. There are no well-worn tourist paths here; you are entirely reliant on picking your own line through the reeds and rushes, which hold a tremendous amount of water even after relatively dry spells

   If you need to get off

   Since you are just beginning the route, the safest retreat is to reverse your bearing and walk straight back down the grassy bank to the safety of the valley road along Borrow Beck

2. 2

   High House Bank → Robin Hood (1.9 km, 83 m)

   Climb of about 83 m over 1.9 km (around 4% average).

   Continue tracking across the wide, rolling watershed, moving generally north or north-west toward the minor, grassy rise of Robin Hood. The gradient is very shallow, allowing for a steady, albeit bouncy, stride across the expansive upland pasture, bridging the gap between these two barely distinguishable tops

   Waypoints

   High House Bank ridge, upland moorland traverse, Robin Hood summit

   Decision point

   A dilapidated wire fence runs intermittently along this watershed; keep it in sight as a bombproof linear handrail, as visual navigation between these featureless grassy lumps is nearly impossible in thick clag

   Easy to get wrong

   The ground here is a vast sponge. The depressions between the rises are notorious for deep, hidden peat bogs and waterlogged sphagnum moss. Your ankles will take a beating from the uneven tussocks, and a direct line is rarely the driest; constant route-picking is mandatory to keep your boots above the waterline

   If you need to get off

   If the bogs become impassable or the weather turns, drop east off the ridge to descend into the adjacent Crookdale valley, which offers a sheltered, low-level walk-out

3. 3

   Robin Hood → Lord's Seat (Crookdale) (Lord's Seat - High House Fell) (1.5 km, 56 m)

   Undulating section of about 1.5 km.

   Push further along the crest of the moorland, navigating a broad, trackless expanse that dips slightly before rising to the unremarkable elevation of Lord's Seat. You are now deep into the remote interior of the Shap Fells, overlooking the desolate trench of Crookdale to your right

   Waypoints

   Robin Hood, trackless depressions, Lord's Seat (Crookdale) summit

   Decision point

   Continue utilizing the fence line as your primary guide; in whiteout conditions, you must pace your distance and maintain a strict compass bearing, as the rounded topography offers zero natural waypoints

   Easy to get wrong

   This section features more of the same energy-sapping, tussocky terrain, but with increased exposure to prevailing weather systems whipping across from the west. The summit of Lord's Seat is entirely anticlimactic and lacks any significant cairn, making it very easy to overshoot in poor visibility

   If you need to get off

   Bailing into Crookdale to the east remains your most reliable escape hatch; do not drop west into Borrowdale from here, as the descent is steeper and more heavily crag-broken

4. 4

   Lord's Seat (Crookdale) (Lord's Seat - High House Fell) → Ancrow Brow North Top (2.3 km, 74 m)

   Climb of about 74 m over 2.3 km (around 3% average).

   Leave Lord's Seat and embark on a sweeping, gentle ascent along the rim of the valley system, heading towards Ancrow Brow North Top. The route crosses a series of soggy cols and wide grassy swells, gradually gaining altitude as you work your way around the head of the catchment area

   Waypoints

   Lord's Seat, watershed rim, Ancrow Brow North Top

   Decision point

   The watershed itself dictates your path; keep the dropping valleys to your left and right, staying central on the highest, albeit flattest, ground available, while trusting your compass if the cloud base descends

   Easy to get wrong

   The 2.3 km distance feels significantly longer due to the yielding ground. Peat hags (eroded channels of exposed black peat) begin to feature more prominently here, requiring you to constantly drop into and climb out of muddy, slippery trenches that disrupt any chance of a steady walking pace

   If you need to get off

   If fatigue sets in, the best option is to contour back along your approach route; descending blindly off Ancrow Brow puts you into highly remote, difficult terrain far from any metalled roads

5. 5

   Ancrow Brow North Top → White Howe (Bannisdale) (3.1 km, 99 m)

   Climb of about 99 m over 3.1 km (around 3% average).

   Commit to the long, curving traverse that forms the top of the Bannisdale horseshoe, maintaining your elevation across the sprawling moorland to reach White Howe. This is the highest point of the circuit and requires a sustained, 3.1 km push over open, rolling fellside to locate the summit

   Waypoints

   Ancrow Brow North Top, Bannisdale horseshoe curve, White Howe summit

   Decision point

   The fence lines that divide these grazing commons are absolute lifesavers; follow the boundary fence that tracks the high ground all the way to White Howe, using it as an infallible guide through the featureless bogs

   Easy to get wrong

   Navigation and endurance are tested here. In the mist, this 3.1 km section is a highly disorienting sea of grass where every direction looks identical. The wind can be ferocious across this high, unbroken plateau, providing severe windchill even in the summer months

   If you need to get off

   If the weather turns violently foul on this exposed stretch, you can bail east into the head of the Bannisdale valley, using the river as a handrail to eventually find the farm tracks leading out to the A6

6. 6

   White Howe (Bannisdale) → The Forest (Borrowdale Head) (0.8 km, 44 m)

   Undulating section of about 0.8 km.

   Make a short, undulating jump across the high ground, leaving White Howe to cross a wet, shallow saddle before topping out on the broad, grassy dome of The Forest, which commands excellent views directly down into the head of Westmorland Borrowdale

   Waypoints

   White Howe, shallow wet saddle, The Forest summit

   Decision point

   The Forest is directly visible from White Howe in clear weather; simply maintain your general trajectory along the ridge line to crest the minor elevation

   Easy to get wrong

   While physically brief, the saddle between these two tops is famously saturated, often requiring wide detours to avoid knee-deep peat slime. The top of The Forest is broad and flat, meaning the best views require carefully walking to the northern edge of the plateau

   If you need to get off

   There are no safe, immediate descents off the steep northern face; you must either push forward to the descent at Lamb Pasture or retrace your steps to White Howe

7. 7

   The Forest (Borrowdale Head) → Lamb Pasture (1.8 km, 18 m)

   Descent of about 174 m over 1.8 km.

   Begin the committed descent off the high fells, dropping steeply off the northern flanks of The Forest to reach the lower, enclosed grazing lands of Lamb Pasture. The initial drop is trackless and steep, rapidly shedding altitude as you re-enter the agricultural zone

   Waypoints

   The Forest northern flanks, steep grassy descent, Lamb Pasture enclosures

   Decision point

   The deep trench of Borrowdale opening up below you acts as a massive visual catch-feature; aim for the intake walls that clearly mark the transition into the valley's pastureland

   Easy to get wrong

   The steep, slick grass on this descent is a nightmare on tired knees, acting like an ice rink after rain. As you drop into Lamb Pasture, you will hit thick bands of summer bracken and deeply rutted, muddy sheep tracks that require careful, slow footwork to avoid slipping

   If you need to get off

   You are actively escaping the high ground; this descent is a non-committing, one-way ticket directly into the sheltered valley system

8. Lamb Pasture → Finish (6.9 km, 275 m)

   Climb of about 275 m over 6.9 km (around 4% average).

   Pick up the rough agricultural tracks and sheep paths that trace the lower flanks of the valley, embarking on the long walk-out alongside Borrow Beck. This section undulates heavily as it contours along the valley side, eventually dropping to follow the watercourse directly back to your starting point near the A6

   Waypoints

   Lamb Pasture, valley contour paths, Borrow Beck, A6 / Huck's Bridge finish

   Decision point

   Borrow Beck is your ultimate handrail. Keep the river in the valley bottom roughly parallel to your path, and let the deeply cut topography of the Borrowdale valley funnel you naturally out to the road

   Easy to get wrong

   Do not underestimate this final 6.9 km stage; it involves 275m of accumulated climbing due to the constant, tiring undulations along the valley flanks. You will likely have to ford several small, fast-flowing feeder becks, and the farm tracks often resemble running streams or deep mud trenches for most of the year

   If you need to get off

   This entire stage serves as your safe valley exit. You are sheltered from the high winds and on established tracks; simply follow the valley floor steadily outwards to reach civilization