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4.98 km · ~417 m ascent · ~1.5–2.5 h · loop · 2 summits

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Ling Fell & Sale Fell

4.98 km
Distance
~1.5–2.5 h
Typical time
~417 m
Ascent
2
Summits
Download GPX →Maps & guidebooks

Key facts

Distance 4.98 km
Ascent ~417 m
Descent ~416 m
Time ~1.5–2.5 h
Type Loop
A planned line is a suggestion, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate independently and carry a map & compass.

Difficulty profile

LengthEasy4.98 km — a short outing.
SteepnessSevereSteepest sustained pull about 37% around the 1.8 km mark.
TerrainModerateMostly good mountain path. desk assessment — not field-verified
NavigationModerateClear line, hard to stray. 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.

Conditions on this route

We score every Lakeland Wainwright each morning on cloud, wind, rain and underfoot, and this route crosses 2 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.

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 160 m to 370 m over 5.0 km, with the summits marked in order. 370 m 160 m 0 km 5.0 km 12

1 Ling Fell2 Sale Fell

~417 m
Total ascent
370 m
High point
160 m
Start height

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

This walk covers about 4.98 km with around 417 m of ascent, taking in 2 summits. The map above shows the line; the elevation profile and stage notes are below.

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
Tough descent
  • Dog: Gates and kissing gates only — a dog can do the whole route.
  • Buggy: Stiles or rough going on the route.
  • Knees: A long, steep ~37% drop around the 1.7 km mark — hard on the knees.

On the line: 2 gates

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 2026-07-25. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).

Pacing

SummitCumulativeAscentTime (fast–steady)
Ling Fell1.3 km214 m0:37–0:49
Sale Fell3.7 km415 m1:26–1:55
Finish5.0 km417 m1:41–2:15

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

The walk, stage by stage

Start → Ling Fell (1.3 km, 214 m)

Climb of about 214 m over 1.3 km (around 16% average).

Ling Fell → Sale Fell (2.5 km, 200 m)

Climb of about 200 m over 2.5 km (around 8% average).

Sale Fell → Finish (1.2 km, 2 m)

Descent of about 191 m over 1.2 km.

Stage-by-stage field notes coming soon.

Summits bagged (2)

  • Ling Fell 374 m · North Western · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge
  • Sale Fell 359 m · North Western · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge, HuMP

🅿️ Getting there & parking

Dodd Wood (paid) — 5.3 km from the start (straight line)
Forestry car park for Dodd, Carl Side and the Ullock Pike ridge onto Skiddaw.
Directions
Whinlatter Visitor Centre (paid) — 5.3 km from the start (straight line)
Forest centre — Lord's Seat, Barf, Whinlatter fells, Grisedale Pike's back route.
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

Stagecoach 77 / 77A “Honister Rambler”
Keswick – Portinscale – Hawse End (Catbells) – Grange – Seatoller – Honister Pass – Buttermere – Lorton – Whinlatter – Keswick (circular)
Catch it from: Keswick (connect via 555 from Windermere/Ambleside or X4/X5 from Penrith)
Seasonal (roughly Easter–October). Brilliant for the North Western fells: Catbells, Dale Head from Honister, the Buttermere fells and Whinlatter.

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

Short version: turn back at about 2.5 km (drop to Start) — roughly half the distance.

⬇️ Download

Download GPX

GPX track for your GPS or phone.

📚 Maps & guidebooks for Ling Fell & Sale Fell

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