Carrock Fell High Pike, Knott and Great Calva
Photo: © Lee McCoy
Start Carrock Fell Foot
Getting here Parking: Roadside parking for Carrock Fell (free), 0.0 km from the start (straight line). Getting there ↓ · Route map ↓
Hardest part Severe distance: 20.98 km — a long day out. Severe steepness: Steepest sustained climb about 43% around the 0.6 km mark. Severe terrain: Tussock, marshy hollows and the trackless bogs of Miller Moss between the tops. The bog between Little Lingy Hill and Knott has hidden stream channels (stage 8, walked by Lee on 29 Sep 2026). Severe – graded by Lee on the ground
Before you choose
- Carrock Fell: The crags are bypassed by a steep grassy rake (Rake Trod) that is hard to find, hidden among bracken and scree, on loose volcanic rock. Take care to locate and stay on the line; the loose rock, thistles and heather make for a tortuous, slippery climb.
- Miller Moss to Knott (stage 8): Very boggy and dangerous from west of Little Lingy Hill, past Thief Gill, up to about 640 m on Knott: hidden streams have cut deep channels you cannot see, and the crossing of Thief Gill is a jump followed by a steep, muddy climb. Avoid it unless you are a very experienced fell walker with at least one other person; a satellite SOS device is essential. A likely better line from High Pike, which Lee has walked as our Carrock Fell and Knott route: follow the Cumbria Way to the foot of Coomb Height, then head south-west towards Rigg and climb Knott from the east.
Marked on the route map
- Thief Gill and the stage 8 bog, km 7.3 to 8.2: Very boggy and dangerous from west of Little Lingy Hill, past Thief Gill, to about 640 m on Knott: hidden stream channels you cannot see, and a jump over Thief Gill followed by a steep, muddy climb. Read the stage 8 warning (Miller Moss to Knott) under Safety & conditions before you go.
Conditions on this route
We score every Lakeland Wainwright each morning on cloud, wind, rain and underfoot, and this route crosses 4 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.
See also walking in bad weather and today’s conditions.
Route map
1 Carrock Fell2 Round Knott3 Miton Hill4 High Pike (Caldbeck)5 Hare Stones6 Great Lingy Hill7 Miller Moss (Little Lingy Hill)8 Knott9 Great Calva
Easy 86%Moderate 7%Hard 5%Severe 3%
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. Warning pins and striped stretches on the map mark the ground listed under Marked on the route map.
The walk, stage by stage
- 1
Carrock Fell Foot → Carrock Fell (1.7 km, 434 m)
From the roadside near Stone Ends, climb at once up the steep eastern nose of Carrock Fell, through deep heather and blocky scree, crossing the tumbled ruins of an Iron Age hill fort to the rocky summit plateau.
WaypointsCarrock Fell Foot (start), Carrock Fell eastern spur, Iron Age hill fort ruins, Carrock Fell summit (662m).
Decision pointThe line up is Rake Trod, a steep grassy rake that is hard to find among bracken and scree; take care to locate and stay on it. The collapsed stone walls of the hill fort form a distinctive ring around the summit and lead you to the highest rocky outcrops and the summit cairn.
Easy to get wrongThe climb is a very steep start to the day. Unlike the rest of the grassy northern fells, Carrock Fell is rough gabbro rock; the boulder fields are awkward and mobile, and very slick and dangerous when wet or icy, with a high risk of twisted ankles.
If you need to get offTurn round and carefully downclimb the rocky spur to the valley road. Do not bail to the north or south: the flanks steepen into perilous, craggy ravines.
© Lee McCoy · 2 photographs - 2
Carrock Fell → Round Knott (0.9 km, 9 m)
Leave the rocky crown of Carrock Fell and head west, dropping off the stones into a wide expanse of spongy grass; cross a shallow depression and step up to the small rocky top of Round Knott.
WaypointsCarrock Fell western plateau, Round Knott summit.
Decision pointRound Knott is one of the few distinct rocky features breaking through the grass here, a good catching feature directly ahead as you traverse west.
Easy to get wrongThe ground changes abruptly from hard rock to thick, waterlogged grass, deeply rutted with hidden peat hags and saturated sphagnum moss.
If you need to get offThe better option in a whiteout is to reverse your bearing and retreat east back to the distinctive rocky plateau of Carrock Fell, descending your ascent route.
© Lee McCoy - 3
Round Knott → Miton Hill (0.7 km, 14 m)
Continue north-west across rolling moorland of heather and Molinia grass to the subtle grassy swelling of Miton Hill, its top marked only by a small cairn.
WaypointsRound Knott descent, Miton Hill summit.
Decision pointIf the cloud base drops, rely on a north-westerly compass bearing: there are no distinct crags to guide you. The deep trench of the Grainsgill Beck valley to your left (south) is a broad boundary against drifting off course.
Easy to get wrongMiton Hill is a featureless bump, bar its small cairn, in a sea of identical green and brown moorland, making disorientation incredibly easy in thick hill fog.
If you need to get offWe have not checked a way down from here. Go back east the way you came, over Carrock Fell, or on along the route; decide early, because the moor ahead is long and wet.
© Lee McCoy · 2 photographs - 4
Miton Hill → High Pike (Caldbeck) (1.7 km, 77 m)
Continue north-west across the wet moorland, picking up better-defined grassy trods as the ground begins a gentle ascent. The path broadens and firms up onto the broad summit dome of High Pike, with its trig point, stone shelter and memorial bench.
WaypointsMiton Hill, High Pike summit (658m).
Decision pointIn clear weather, High Pike's grassy dome and its summit structures are easy to spot from miles away. In thick cloud you will eventually meet the well-trodden path of the Cumbria Way, which crosses the summit.
Easy to get wrongThe climb is gentle, but the tussocky grass and marshy hollows still drain energy. This part of the fell is very exposed to freezing northern winds straight off the Solway Firth, so the summit wind shelter is welcome.
If you need to get offFrom High Pike, you can bail north/north-east down the distinct, engineered track towards Caldbeck, a clear descent off the high fells.
© Lee McCoy · 2 photographs - 5
High Pike (Caldbeck) → Hare Stones (0.9 km, 7 m)
Turn sharply south, leaving High Pike for the bogs. Cross the wet, spongy saddle near the heads of the local becks and rise slightly over the peat to the boggy top of Hare Stones.
WaypointsHigh Pike southern slopes, Hare Stones summit.
Decision pointKeep the drop into the Grainsgill Beck catchment well to your left (east). Navigation here relies on a southerly compass bearing.
Easy to get wrongThis is some of the wettest ground in the Lake District, scarred with deep drainage channels and hidden pools of black water that need wide detours. The top of Hare Stones is only a slight rise in the swamp.
If you need to get offRetreat north back to the clear paths of High Pike. Bailing to the east or west will put you onto steep, pathless terrain above deep stream gullies.
© Lee McCoy - 6
Hare Stones → Great Lingy Hill (0.7 km, 10 m)
Cross the relatively flat, featureless moorland, picking a careful line through heather and peat to Great Lingy Hill, with Lingy Hut, a bothy, about 430 m south-south-east of the summit and off the line.
WaypointsGreat Lingy Hill summit; Lingy Hut (bothy) is a detour off the line, about 0.85 km there and back.
Decision pointLingy Hut, a small bothy, is the only building on this part of the moor and a useful landmark in clear weather; it is easy to miss against the horizon.
Easy to get wrongThe exposure to northern winds is extreme here, with no natural shelter on the plateau. The ground stays wet, and finding the bothy in a whiteout needs dead-reckoning navigation.
If you need to get offLingy Hut may give shelter, but we have not checked its current state and you should not plan around it. We have not checked a way down from the hut either: the way back is the way you came. If you cannot move safely, call 999 or 112 for the Police, then Mountain Rescue.
© Lee McCoy - 7
Great Lingy Hill → Miller Moss (Little Lingy Hill) (0.7 km, 13 m)
Leave Great Lingy Hill and head west into the waterlogged hollow of Miller Moss, through deep sphagnum and meandering streams, then over the slight, spongy rise of Little Lingy Hill.
WaypointsMiller Moss bog, Little Lingy Hill.
Decision pointAvoid the lowest ground where the water pools, and link the slightly higher, drier heathery hummocks. Keep the grassy dome of Knott dead ahead as your target.
Easy to get wrongMiller Moss is a wet expanse that lives up to its name. Expect wide, zig-zagging detours to avoid sinking knee-deep into the black peat and reeds, which make the stage feel much longer.
If you need to get offIf the bogs prove too much or the weather turns, go back the way you came. Do not push south into the steep Grainsgill Beck ravine.
© Lee McCoy · 2 photographs - 8
Miller Moss (Little Lingy Hill) → Knott (1.7 km, 140 m)
Head west off Little Lingy Hill into very boggy ground. At Thief Gill, about 0.3 km into the stage, jump the small stream, then turn right and climb a steep, muddy bank. The bog continues up Knott's eastern flank to about 640 m; above that the long pull leads to the subtle summit cairn on the massive, domed plateau.
WaypointsKnott eastern flanks, Knott summit (710m).
Decision pointRely on a south-westerly compass bearing for most of the stage, as the track runs, and the persistent upward gradient to funnel you towards the high point.
Easy to get wrongWest of Little Lingy Hill the ground is very boggy, and hidden streams have cut deep channels under the vegetation that you cannot see until a leg goes through. From Thief Gill up to about 640 m the ground is very boggy and dangerous, even where the Ordnance Survey map shows the boggy ground to either side. The jump over Thief Gill and the muddy bank beyond it need care. Avoid this stage unless you are a very experienced fell walker and with at least one other person; a satellite SOS device is essential. Above the bog, Knott is one of the most featureless summits in the Lake District, and its vast grassy dome makes disorientation in thick fog likely.
If you need to get offGo back east the way you came. Dropping west or south off Knott commits you to remote, trackless valleys, and we have not checked a line down them.
© Lee McCoy · 2 photographs - 9
Knott → Great Calva (2.7 km, 145 m)
Drop steeply off the southern flanks of Knott into the deep, boggy trench between the two fells. Cross the saturated saddle at the head of Wiley Gill, then climb the steep, heather-choked northern nose of Great Calva.
WaypointsKnott southern descent, Knott–Great Calva saddle, Great Calva northern slopes, Great Calva summit (691m).
Decision pointGreat Calva's conical profile is a clear landmark from the saddle. A dilapidated boundary fence runs directly up the northern ridge to the summit; follow it closely as a handrail.
Easy to get wrongThe stage drops a long way into a notorious bog, then climbs steeply straight back out. The path up Great Calva is a deeply eroded trench through waist-high heather that traps heat and water, a hard climb on tired legs.
If you need to get offFrom the saddle you can bail south-east beside Wiley Gill, about 2 km down to the Cumbria Way track; we have not checked this line on foot.
© Lee McCoy · 2 photographs Great Calva → Finish (9.5 km, 27 m)
Descend Great Calva's eastern slope as the route does, leaving the summit heading east-south-east on a path, down to the valley. Follow the bridleway and track east down the valley; from about 16 km the route is on the minor road through Mosedale, and it finishes on the road back to Stone Ends. Some 5 km of the return is on roads, often without a pavement. Where there is no pavement, keep to the right to face oncoming traffic, stay close to the side and be ready to walk in single file; before a sharp right-hand bend, cross to the other side and cross back after it. Wear something bright, or reflective in poor light (Highway Code rules 2 and 3).
WaypointsGreat Calva descent, Cumbria Way track, River Caldew, Grainsgill Beck, Mosedale, Carrock Fell Foot (finish).
Decision pointOn the valley floor the track and the river run together down the valley. The stream crossings on the way have not been checked on foot; after heavy rain, expect them to be higher.
Easy to get wrongThe walk-out is long and jarring. The hard, stony estate tracks are tough on feet that have spent hours on soft peat, and the small rises along the valley floor are hard going at the end of a long day.
If you need to get offYou are on the final escape route. Stick to the main valley track and ignore any faint sheep trods that lead back up the steep, craggy sides of the valley.
© Lee McCoy · 2 photographs
GPX track for your GPS or phone. Walked by Lee, September 2026
Summits bagged (9)
- 1Carrock Fell662 m
- 2Round Knott603 m
- 3Miton Hill607 m
- 4High Pike (Caldbeck)658 m
- 5Hare Stones627 m
- 6Great Lingy Hill616 m
- 7Miller Moss (Little Lingy Hill)610 m
- 8Knott710 m
- 9Great Calva691 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.
When the sun reaches the tops
Not sunrise — the moment the sun clears the skyline from that summit, which on a fell with high ground to its east can be a good deal later.
- Carrock Fell — in late March the sun reaches it around 06:15, with the sunrise. In late September, about 07:00.
- High Pike (Caldbeck) — in late March the sun reaches it around 06:15, with the sunrise. In late September, about 07:00.
- Knott — in late March the sun reaches it around 06:15, with the sunrise. In late September, about 07:00.
- Great Calva — in late March the sun reaches it around 06:15, with the sunrise. In late September, about 07:00. It waits longest in late December — about a quarter of an hour after sunrise.
How to read these times
The two equinoxes are shown because they fall in the walking season, and late December too wherever a top keeps you waiting then; the clock gap between the equinoxes is British Summer Time, not the hill. Rounded to the nearest quarter hour and meant as a general idea, not a schedule.
Modelled from a 30 m elevation model against each summit’s own skyline — the same figures the fell pages carry, never observed. Cloud is not in it.
Getting there and back
Parking
2 more places 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.
- Mosedale / Bowscale (verge) — joins the loop at about km 18 of 21: a 190 m walk to the line, and you walk the round from there
- Roadside parking for Carrock Fell (free) — at the start
- Tarn Crags Top (layby) — joins the loop at about km 19.2 of 21: a 370 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 509, X4 and X5 stop at Mungrisdale, adjacent to Road End, 7.0 km away on foot: a walk of its own, not a way to the start.
Toilets and refreshments
The essentials
- Arrival Roadside parking at Carrock Fell Foot, beside the start: free, as mapped. Mosedale’s Quaker Meeting House car park, on the loop near the end, asks a donation of about £3 by card, and asks walkers to leave space on Sunday mornings. 27 m in a straight line, not a walking distance. (our parking audit, from OpenStreetMap; Mosedale: Lee's photo of the sign, 29 September 2026, checked 29 September 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 From west of Little Lingy Hill past Thief Gill to about 640 m on Knott the ground is very boggy, with hidden stream channels and a jump across Thief Gill: only for very experienced walkers, with at least one other person and a satellite SOS device. (our route notes (this route's own warnings), checked 28 September 2026)
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.)
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
Severe overall — hardest: Length, steepness and terrain (graded by Lee on the ground); exposure not assessed on the ground
Five independent axes, not one score. One of the five was set on the ground; the rest 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Carrock Fell | 1.7 km | 434 m | 1:03–1:24 |
| 2Round Knott | 2.5 km | 444 m | 1:15–1:40 |
| 3Miton Hill | 3.2 km | 458 m | 1:24–1:52 |
| 4High Pike (Caldbeck) | 4.9 km | 535 m | 1:52–2:30 |
| 5Hare Stones | 5.8 km | 542 m | 2:04–2:45 |
| 6Great Lingy Hill | 6.5 km | 552 m | 2:13–2:57 |
| 7Miller Moss (Little Lingy Hill) | 7.2 km | 565 m | 2:22–3:09 |
| 8Knott | 8.8 km | 705 m | 2:56–3:55 |
| 9Great Calva | 11.5 km | 850 m | 3:43–4:57 |
| Finish | 21.0 km | 877 m | 5:39–7:31 |
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 ~36% drop over 250 m around the 11.9 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 climb of about 43% around the 0.6 km mark.
- Drops and exposed ground: Not assessed on the ground; the map suggests Hard. 4 mapped crag feature(s) near the line — check the airy sections.
- Stiles and gates: A stile of unmapped type at 10.9 km — a dog may need lifting over. (OpenStreetMap, mapped as of 8 August 2026)
- Rock and scrambling: Ground underfoot: Severe – graded by Lee on the ground. Tussock, marshy hollows and the trackless bogs of Miller Moss between the tops. The bog between Little Lingy Hill and Knott has hidden stream channels (stage 8, walked by Lee on 29 Sep 2026).
- 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: 3 gates · 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 8 August 2026. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).