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5.74 km · ~166 m ascent · ~1–2 h · loop · 1 summit

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HardLoopPlanned

Knipe Scar - Birkett

5.74 km
Distance
~1–2 h
Typical time
~166 m
Ascent
1
Summit
Download GPX →Maps & guidebooks

Key facts

Distance 5.74 km
Ascent ~166 m
Descent ~166 m
Time ~1–2 h
Type Loop
✎️ Planned route — drawn but not personally walked or checked yet. A planned line is a suggestion, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate independently and carry a map & compass.

🧭 The automated detail on this page — distance, climb, pacing and a first-pass difficulty read — is live. Hand-written field notes are being added.

Difficulty profile

LengthEasy5.74 km — a short outing.
SteepnessModerateSteepest sustained pull about 19% around the 1.4 km mark.
TerrainModerateMostly good mountain path. desk assessment — not field-verified
NavigationHardCare needed in cloud — ~33% featureless high ground. desk assessment — not field-verified
ExposureNot assessedExposure (drops, scrambling, how bad a slip would be) can’t be judged from gradient data alone, so we don’t guess. A rating appears once the route is editorially assessed or walked.

Five independent axes, not one score. “Desk” ratings come from maps and guidebooks, not yet walked — treat them as a guide, not a survey.

Access & barriers

Can a dog, a buggy or dodgy knees manage this route? A quick read from the gates and stiles mapped along the way.

Dog
Gates only
Buggy
Not buggy-able
Knees
Gentle descent
  • Dog: Gates and kissing gates only — a dog can do the whole route.
  • Buggy: Stiles or rough going on the route.
  • Knees: No sustained steep descent — kind on the knees.

On the line: 5 gates · 1 step-over stile

These are mapped barriers, from OpenStreetMap — coverage in the Lakes is good but not guaranteed complete. Spotted a stile or gate we’ve missed? Tell us and we’ll fix it. Barrier data as of 2026-07-26. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).

☀️ 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.

Why this matters: 78% of Mountain Rescue call-outs come after midday — the day runs out on the way home, not on the way up. See also walking in bad weather and today’s conditions.

OpenTopoMap
Elevation profile
Elevation profile Rises from about 176 m to 335 m over 5.7 km, with the summits marked in order. 335 m 176 m 0 km 5.7 km 1

1 Knipescar Common (Knipe Scar)

~166 m
Total ascent
335 m
High point
177 m
Start height

Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap (switch layers top-right).

This walk covers about 5.74 km with around 166 m of ascent, taking in 1 summit. The map above shows the line; the elevation profile and stage notes are below.

Pacing

SummitCumulativeAscentTime (fast–steady)
Knipescar Common (Knipe Scar)2.5 km159 m0:46–1:01
Finish5.7 km166 m1:25–1:54

Naismith-based estimate — a fast/steady range. Your pace will vary.

The walk, stage by stage

Start → Knipescar Common (Knipe Scar) (2.5 km, 159 m)

Climb of about 159 m over 2.5 km (around 6% average).

Knipescar Common (Knipe Scar) → Finish (3.3 km, 7 m)

Descent of about 156 m over 3.3 km.

Stage-by-stage field notes coming soon.

Summits bagged (1)

🅿️ Getting there & parking

Shap village (free) — 5.0 km from the start (straight line)
For the Shap fells and Crosby Ravensworth commons.
Directions
Wet Sleddale dam (free) — 7.1 km from the start (straight line)
For the quiet Shap-side fells: Seat Robert, Sleddale fells.
Directions

Positions are approximate. Lakeland car parks fill before 9am on fine weekends.

💧 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.)

🚌 Buses

Route 106
Penrith – Eamont Bridge – Askham – Shap – Kendal
Catch it from: Penrith
Monday–Saturday, infrequent — plan carefully. Useful for the Shap and Crosby Ravensworth outlying fells.

Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com or Traveline before travelling.

⚠️ Safety & conditions

Check live conditions in the “From the fells” panel, on MWIS and the Met Office mountain forecast before you set off.

Make it easier or harder

Easier and harder options coming soon.

⬇️ Download

Download GPX

GPX track for your GPS or phone.

📚 Maps & guidebooks for Knipe Scar - Birkett

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Appears in these collections
Dog-friendly walks