Crookdale Birketts
Start Shap Summit
Getting here Parking: Whatshaw Common (layby), 0.2 km from the start (straight line). Getting there ↓ · Route map ↓
Hardest part Severe distance: 20.95 km — a long day out.
Before you choose
- The Crookdale crossing is trackless — over 2 km of tussock and wet ground with no path; much of the round is faint at best. The old county-boundary fence is a useful handrail over most tops — use it in mist.
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 Robin Hood2 Lord's Seat (Crookdale) (Lord's Seat - High House Fell)3 Harrop Pike4 Great Saddle Crag5 Wasdale Pike6 Sleddale Pike7 Great Yarlside8 Little Yarlside9 Whatshaw Common
Easy 98%Moderate 2%HardSevere
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 walk, stage by stage
- 1
Start → Robin Hood (3.8 km, 170 m)
Starting from the laybys on the A6 near the Shap Summit, the route drops south to cross Crookdale Beck by Crookdale Bridge at Hause Foot, about 1.2 km in, then begins a long, gradual ascent west up the southern rim of Crookdale. The 4% average gradient is a gentle, grinding warm-up over nearly 4 km. The terrain transitions from rough, wet pasture to deep fell grass and heather. OSM maps a track, a restricted byway, paths and more tracks along the whole of this stage, up to the minor Birkett of Robin Hood; on the ground some of it may be faint.
WaypointsStart Point: A6 layby / Shap Summit area (approx. NY 553 053). Crookdale Beck Crossing: Crookdale Bridge, at Hause Foot, about 1.2 km in and the lowest point of the day (about 330 m). The Southern Ridge: The long, grassy spur flanking the valley. Robin Hood Summit (492 m): A subtle, grassy bump marked by a modest pile of stones.
Decision pointHandrails: Keep the deep cleft of the Crookdale valley strictly on your right (north). It serves as a massive linear boundary preventing you from drifting too far north.
Easy to get wrongTerrain Fatigue: The sheer distance of this initial stage across heavy tussock grass drains the legs quickly. Bogs: The lower pastures near the A6 and the beck are notoriously marshy. Expect wet boots within the first kilometre. Do not drop prematurely into the Crookdale valley to your right; the beck is difficult to cross higher up and the sides are steep and choked with bracken.
If you need to get offRetreat: Reverse your bearing dead east to intercept the A6 road.
- 2
Robin Hood → Lord's Seat (Crookdale) (Lord's Seat - High House Fell) (1.5 km, 62 m)
A high-level, undulating traverse along the broad, grassy crest of High House Fell. Continuing west-north-west, the gradient is minimal. The ground here is sprawling, featureless moorland, interrupted by slight, damp depressions holding standing water.
WaypointsHigh House Fell: The sprawling plateau connecting the tops. Lord's Seat Summit (524 m): A minor, grassy Birkett.
Decision pointLine of Sight: In clear weather, link the high points visually. You are generally following the watershed dividing Crookdale (to the north) and Borrowdale (to the south). Wasdale lies beyond Crookdale, further north.
Easy to get wrongMicro-Navigation: In thick clag, the subtle rises of Robin Hood and Lord's Seat look identical. It is very easy to walk straight past the summit if you aren't paying attention to your pacing and altimeter. Do NOT bail south off this ridge; you will drop into the deeply secluded Westmorland Borrowdale, committing yourself to a valley with no easy road links back to your start.
If you need to get offRetreat: Turn 180 degrees and march strictly east back along the ridge to the A6.
- 3
Lord's Seat (Crookdale) (Lord's Seat - High House Fell) → Harrop Pike (2.3 km, 151 m)
You now push higher into the catchment, hooking west, then north-west, towards the prominent high point of Harrop Pike. The 6% gradient signifies a steadier, noticeable climb. The terrain deteriorates significantly here, introducing deep peat hags, thick moss, and sodden ground as you approach the boundary with the Far Eastern fells.
WaypointsThe Peat Hags: The deeply eroded terrain on the approach to the summit. Harrop Pike Summit (637 m): The highest point of the route, crowned with an impressive, prominent stone cairn and a boundary fence.
Decision pointFence Line: The wire boundary fence near the summit of Harrop Pike acts as a flawless catch feature. If visibility is poor, aim to hit the fence and follow it to the cairn.
Easy to get wrongThe Bogs: This section is exceptionally wet. You will constantly detour around black peat trenches and deep pools hidden under bright green sphagnum moss. Exhaustion: High-stepping out of peat hags and traversing deep heather on an incline is brutally tiring. Do NOT bail west off Harrop Pike. This drops you into Longsleddale or the Kentmere system, completely severing you from your vehicle on the A6.
If you need to get offRetreat: We have not checked a line down from Harrop Pike for this guide, so none is offered here. The way back is the way you came.
- 4
Harrop Pike → Great Saddle Crag (3.7 km, 29 m)
A massive, sprawling traverse. Leaving Harrop Pike, you swing east/north-east, dropping gradually across the vast expanse at the head of the Wasdale valley, on a path OSM maps for most of the way (not the last 0.35 km to Great Saddle Crag). The terrain is unrelenting moorland: heavy tussocks, hidden drainage lines, and boggy hollows, eventually leading to the rocky outcrops of Great Saddle Crag.
WaypointsWasdale Head (Shap) Basin: The sprawling, wet amphitheatre you must traverse. Wasdale Track: You will likely cross the rough macadam/stone track that services the valley bottom. Great Saddle Crag Summit (560 m): A Birkett marked by sudden, unexpected rocky outcrops in an otherwise grassy landscape.
Decision pointCompass Bearings: Absolute discipline is required here. Shoot a strict bearing to Great Saddle Crag and stick to it, breaking the walk into 1km paced intervals. The Valley Track: The hard-packed track in the valley bottom serves as a distinct linear feature to cross and re-orient yourself.
Easy to get wrongDistance Fatigue: Nearly 4 km of ankle-rolling terrain will test your mental and physical endurance. Clag Navigation: This vast basin is a navigational nightmare in fog. It is entirely featureless until you hit the valley track or the crags.
If you need to get offRetreat: We have not checked a way out along the Wasdale valley for this guide, so none is offered here.
- 5
Great Saddle Crag → Wasdale Pike (1.6 km, 28 m)
Continuing east, you traverse the high ground separating the Wasdale and Wet Sleddale catchments. The terrain remains undulating, grassy moorland, but generally becomes slightly firmer underfoot as you move away from the high western plateau.
WaypointsThe Dividing Ridge: The broad watershed between the valleys. Wasdale Pike Summit (565 m): A quiet, grassy Birkett.
Decision pointFencelines: Remnants of old wire fences run across this ridge; use them as handrails where possible.
Easy to get wrongFeatureless Topography: The summit of Wasdale Pike is subtle and easily missed without careful map reading.
If you need to get offRetreat: We have not checked a line down from this ridge for this guide, so none is offered here.
- 6
Wasdale Pike → Sleddale Pike (1.7 km, 23 m)
A gentle, descending traverse north along the Shap Fells. The ground is a mix of deep heather and coarse fell grass. You are gradually losing elevation towards the lower moorlands flanking the A6.
WaypointsThe Connecting Saddle: The wide expanse linking the pikes. Sleddale Pike Summit (506 m): Marked by a small cairn with views opening up toward the M6 corridor.
Decision pointVisual Target: In clear weather, look for the dark waters of Wet Sleddale Reservoir to the north-north-east, 2 to 3 km away; they serve as an orientation marker.
Easy to get wrongTerrain: The deep heather hides uneven ground; watch your foot placements on the descent.
If you need to get offRetreat: We have not checked a line down from Sleddale Pike for this guide, so none is offered here.
- 7
Sleddale Pike → Great Yarlside (3.0 km, 120 m)
A stage that turns you back south and keeps to the high ground; it does not drop into Wasdale. From Sleddale Pike, head south-east across pathless ground at about 500 m, then pick up a path south, climbing back over Wasdale Pike. From Wasdale Pike a path leads south-west along the high ground to the broad top of Great Yarlside, with a fence close by. The 4% average gradient is a steady climb, steepest on the pull back up to Wasdale Pike.
WaypointsWasdale Pike Summit (565 m): Crossed a second time; the line passes within about 25 m of the top you reached at the end of Stage 5. The Ridge Path: The path running south-west from Wasdale Pike to Great Yarlside. Great Yarlside Summit (591 m): A broad, expansive Birkett at the head of Wasdale.
Decision pointFence Line: From Wasdale Pike to Great Yarlside a fence runs close to the path, mostly within about 35 m of it; use it as a handrail in mist.
Easy to get wrongRegaining Elevation: Climbing from about 500 m at Sleddale Pike back up to almost 600 m on tired legs is mentally taxing.
If you need to get offRetreat: We have not checked a way out along the Wasdale valley for this guide, so none is offered here.
- 8
Great Yarlside → Little Yarlside (0.7 km, 7 m)
A rapid, short descent south-east along the ridge line. The grassy slope is reasonably firm, offering a quick loss of elevation toward the final tops.
WaypointsThe Grassy Col: The damp depression separating the two Yarlsides. Little Yarlside Summit (approx. 518 m): A minor, non-distinct rise on the descending ridge.
Decision pointRidge Line: Simply follow the spine of the high ground descending towards the A6.
Easy to get wrongSlippery Grass: The descent is steep enough that polished fell grass will be slick if wet.
If you need to get offRetreat: Keep following the ridge south-east, as the route does.
- 9
Little Yarlside → Whatshaw Common (1.6 km, 76 m)
The final climb of the day. Continuing south-east, you cross rolling moorland on a path OSM maps (on the ground it may be faint). The 5% average ascent requires one last push through heavy tussocks and occasional boggy patches to reach the broad, flattened summit of Whatshaw Common.
WaypointsThe Rolling Moorland: The final stretch of the Shap Fells. Whatshaw Common (approx. 490 m): A highly subtle, sprawling top sitting directly above the A6.
Decision pointTraffic Noise: You are now very close to the A6 (and the M6 beyond it).
Easy to get wrongPacing: The summit is virtually indistinguishable from the surrounding moorland. Use your GPS or pace counting to confirm you have hit the high point.
If you need to get offRetreat: Turn directly east and drop off the fellside to the road.
Whatshaw Common → Finish (1.2 km, 1 m)
The final plunge off the moorland. You drop east off the common, descending through thick fell grass and bracken back toward the agricultural boundary and the A6 laybys. The descent is gentle but the ground remains rugged until you hit the tarmac.
WaypointsThe Descent Spur: The line dropping to the road, on a path and then a track OSM maps. Intake Walls / Fencelines: The boundary separating the fell from the highway verge. Finish Point: The A6 laybys / Shap Summit parking area.
Decision pointThe A6: The road is an unmissable, massive catch feature running perpendicular to your descent line.
Easy to get wrongUneven Ground: Ankle sprains are common here as tired legs navigate the hidden ditches and tussocks bordering the road. Highway Crossings: Take extreme care if you need to cross the A6 to reach your vehicle. Traffic moves at 60mph here and visibility can be poor on the summit curves.
If you need to get offRetreat: This is the walk-out. Head downhill and east until you hit the tarmac.
GPX track for your GPS or phone. Planned route · not yet walked
Summits bagged (9)
- 1Robin Hood492 m
- 2Lord's Seat (Crookdale) (Lord's Seat - High House Fell)524 m
- 3Harrop Pike637 m
- 4Great Saddle Crag560 m
- 5Wasdale Pike565 m
- 6Sleddale Pike506 m
- 7Great Yarlside591 m
- 8Little Yarlside518 m
- 9Whatshaw Common490 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
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.
- A6 Shap summit (layby) — joins the loop at about km 0.5 of 20.9: a 500 m walk to the line, and you walk the round from there
- Whatshaw Common (layby) — a 290 m walk to the start
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 6 and 555 stop at Staveley, outside Abbey Square, 17.9 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 on Whatshaw Common, about 235 m from the start: free, as mapped. The high laybys on the old A6 at Shap summit are about 450 m away. No capacity is recorded for either. 237 m in a straight line, not a walking distance. (our parking audit, from OpenStreetMap; the A6 laybys: Lee's own coordinate, 9 August 2026, 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 The Crookdale crossing is trackless: more than 2 km of tussock and wet ground with no path. The old county-boundary fence is a useful handrail over most tops in mist. (our route notes (this route's own warnings), checked 2 October 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; 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Robin Hood | 3.8 km | 170 m | 1:02–1:23 |
| 2Lord's Seat (Crookdale) (Lord's Seat - High House Fell) | 5.2 km | 232 m | 1:26–1:54 |
| 3Harrop Pike | 7.6 km | 383 m | 2:09–2:52 |
| 4Great Saddle Crag | 11.3 km | 412 m | 2:56–3:55 |
| 5Wasdale Pike | 12.8 km | 440 m | 3:18–4:23 |
| 6Sleddale Pike | 14.5 km | 463 m | 3:40–4:53 |
| 7Great Yarlside | 17.5 km | 583 m | 4:28–5:56 |
| 8Little Yarlside | 18.2 km | 590 m | 4:37–6:09 |
| 9Whatshaw Common | 19.8 km | 666 m | 5:04–6:44 |
| Finish | 20.9 km | 666 m | 5:18–7:03 |
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: No mapped stiles, but the ground underfoot has not been assessed; not a buggy line on what we know.
- Knees: A sustained ~21% descent over 250 m around the 18.4 km mark — a little jarring on tired knees.
With a dog
Not every line below has been assessed. The steepest stretch is a sustained descent of about 18% around the 18.6 km mark.
- Stiles and gates: Only gates and kissing gates are mapped: no stile a dog can’t get through. That is the barriers alone; check the route’s steep or rocky ground before you bring a dog. (OpenStreetMap, mapped as of 26 July 2026)
- Rock and scrambling: Ground underfoot: Not assessed.
- Drops and exposed ground: Not assessed on the ground; the map suggests Easy. Graded from slope only (~21% max); treat exposure as unverified.
- 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: 9 gates
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
- Shap Fell Bothy (opens in new tab)about 0.4 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).