Lonscale Fell, Skiddaw Lesser Man, Skiddaw and Bakestall in the sun!
Photo: © Lee McCoy
Key facts
Difficulty profile
Five independent axes, not one score — all field-checked on the ground here, with nothing left as a desk estimate.
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.
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.
1 Lonscale Fell2 Lonscale Pike (Lonscale Fell East Top)3 Jenkin Hill4 Skiddaw Lesser Man5 Skiddaw Little Man6 Skiddaw South Top7 Skiddaw Middle Top8 Skiddaw9 Broad End10 Bakestall
Easy 72%Moderate 17%Hard 10%Severe
Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap (switch layers top-right).
This walk covers about 19.25 km with around 1116 m of ascent, taking in 10 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: A stile of unmapped type — a dog may need lifting over.
- Buggy: Stiles or rough going on the route.
- Knees: A long, steep ~32% drop around the 10.0 km mark — hard on the knees.
On the line: 9 gates · 2 kissing gates · 2 step-over stiles · 3 stiles (type unmapped)
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 (opens in new tab) and we’ll fix it. Barrier data as of 2026-07-19. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).
Pacing
| Summit | Cumulative | Ascent | Time (fast–steady) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Lonscale Fell | 2.9 km | 430 m | 1:18–1:44 |
| 2Lonscale Pike (Lonscale Fell East Top) | 3.4 km | 441 m | 1:24–1:52 |
| 3Jenkin Hill | 5.0 km | 537 m | 1:54–2:31 |
| 4Skiddaw Lesser Man | 5.6 km | 636 m | 2:11–2:54 |
| 5Skiddaw Little Man | 5.9 km | 702 m | 2:21–3:08 |
| 6Skiddaw South Top | 7.0 km | 832 m | 2:47–3:43 |
| 7Skiddaw Middle Top | 7.2 km | 845 m | 2:51–3:48 |
| 8Skiddaw | 7.5 km | 866 m | 2:57–3:55 |
| 9Broad End | 8.3 km | 880 m | 3:08–4:10 |
| 10Bakestall | 9.5 km | 904 m | 3:25–4:32 |
| Finish | 19.2 km | 1116 m | 5:43–7:36 |
Naismith-based estimate — a fast/steady range. Your pace will vary. These use Naismith’s textbook constants (5 km/h, 600 m of ascent an hour). Measured against a pace fitted to 41 recorded Lakeland walks they run about 8% slow, and we have left them that way deliberately: a slow estimate strands nobody.
The walk, stage by stage
- 1
Start → Lonscale Fell (2.9 km, 430 m)
From the Gale Road (Latrigg) car park, take the path crossing Whit Beck before tackling the steep, grassy, and heather-clad ascent up the southern slopes to the summit of Lonscale Fell
WaypointsGale Road car park, Whit Beck, Lonscale Fell Wainwright summit
Decision pointA small summit cairn marks the true highest point
Easy to get wrongA demanding 15% climb straight out of the gate. The true Wainwright summit is a far grassier, flatter area, lacking a massive craggy top, which can easily confuse walkers
If you need to get offRetrace the steep grassy ascent directly back to the Gale Road car park
© Lee McCoy - 2
Lonscale Fell → Lonscale Pike (Lonscale Fell East Top) (0.4 km, 11 m)
Take an undulating, short diversion eastwards across the plateau to the striking, triangular pointed peak of Lonscale Pike
WaypointsLonscale Fell summit, Lonscale Pike (East Top)
Decision pointThe pointed profile of the Pike is unmistakable as you walk towards it
Easy to get wrongThis short section is straightforward, but the sudden, sheer drops over the old mining valley of Glenderaterra at the East Top are dramatic and require caution. Because the east peak is so distinctive, it is easy to mistakenly assume it is the very top of the fell from lower down
If you need to get offReturn to the main summit and descend back to the start
- 3
Lonscale Pike (Lonscale Fell East Top) → Jenkin Hill (1.6 km, 96 m)
Head west-northwest from the East Top, traversing the grassy plateau to intercept the wide, heavily trafficked main tourist path sweeping up from Keswick near Jenkin Hill
WaypointsLonscale Pike, grassy plateau, Jenkin Hill tourist path junction
Decision pointThe massive, unmissable tourist path is your definitive handrail for this intersection
Easy to get wrongA moderate 6% incline over often spongy ground before you hit the main highway path
If you need to get offOnce on the main Jenkin Hill path, turning left (south) provides a fast, safe, and heavily trodden descent back to Gale Road
© Lee McCoy · 2 photographs - 4
Jenkin Hill → Skiddaw Lesser Man (0.6 km, 99 m)
Leave the main tourist highway (which skirts the fell) by turning right and climbing the steep grassy bank directly up to Skiddaw Lesser Man
WaypointsJenkin Hill, Skiddaw Lesser Man top
Decision pointThe clear trod diverging from the main path points directly up the ridge line
Easy to get wrongA sharp 16% climb that quickly works the lungs after the easier traverse
If you need to get offDrop back down the short grassy slope to rejoin the Jenkin Hill path
- 5
Skiddaw Lesser Man → Skiddaw Little Man (0.3 km, 66 m)
A very brief but punishing final pull to the summit of Skiddaw Little Man
WaypointsLesser Man top, Skiddaw Little Man summit
Decision pointThe path is highly visible and leads directly to the summit cairn
Easy to get wrongThis is a severe 22% average gradient. Though short, the steepness is a genuine lung-buster
If you need to get offDescend the way you came to safely reconnect with the main tourist path below
© Lee McCoy - 6
Skiddaw Little Man → Skiddaw South Top (1.1 km, 130 m)
Descend slightly to the hause, then brace for the notoriously loose, slatey ascent up the zig-zags to the main Skiddaw ridge, arriving at the South Top
WaypointsLittle Man descent, Skiddaw South Top
Decision pointThe broad, heavily eroded zig-zag path is completely obvious
Easy to get wrongThe 12% climb up Skiddaw’s southern flank is covered in loose slate and scree, making foot placement tiring and slippery. Wind exposure dramatically increases as you crest the main ridge
If you need to get offRetrace steps to the hause and drop south-east to pick up the main tourist path back to Latrigg
© Lee McCoy - 7
Skiddaw South Top → Skiddaw Middle Top (0.2 km, 12 m)
A quick, undulating walk northwards along the wide, exposed summit ridge of Skiddaw
WaypointsSkiddaw South Top, Skiddaw Middle Top
Decision pointHandrail the broad ridge crest
Easy to get wrongExtremely exposed. Wind speeds on this massive slate plateau can be staggering
If you need to get offTurn back to the South Top and descend the scree path
- 8
Skiddaw Middle Top → Skiddaw (0.3 km, 21 m)
Continue north along the broad ridge to reach the main summit trig point and viewplate
WaypointsMiddle Top, Skiddaw main summit (trig point)
Decision pointThe trig point and viewplate at the summit are massive visual markers
Easy to get wrongStraightforward walking on loose slate, but weather conditions and high winds are the primary hazard here
If you need to get offIn a complete whiteout, the safest route for most is to simply reverse the entire ridge walk south
© Lee McCoy - 9
Skiddaw → Broad End (0.8 km, 14 m)
Drop north off the main summit over the stony plateau, descending steadily towards the subsidiary bump of Broad End
WaypointsSkiddaw summit, Broad End
Decision pointFollow the distinct path leading north along the ridge line
Easy to get wrongThe terrain remains rocky and barren. The initial descent off Skiddaw can be tricky to navigate in thick clag
If you need to get offIf visibility is zero, returning to the summit and using the main southern tourist path is the safest bet
© Lee McCoy - 10
Broad End → Bakestall (1.2 km, 24 m)
Continue the steady northern descent from Broad End over grassy, undulating terrain to reach the summit of Bakestall
WaypointsBroad End, Bakestall summit
Decision pointA fence line provides a useful handrail for parts of this northern descent
Easy to get wrongThe terrain shifts from slate back to grass. Stay well clear of the precipitous western edges at Dead Crags
If you need to get offPush forward to Bakestall, as the descent down Birkett Edge ahead is the safest way off this northern flank
© Lee McCoy · 2 photographs Bakestall → Finish (9.7 km, 213 m)
Descend the steep, grassy spur of Birkett Edge down to the waterfalls at Whitewater Dash. From here, turn right to pick up the wide, unpaved track of the Cumbria Way. Follow this long valley track south past Skiddaw House, then contour around the steep, craggy eastern flanks of Lonscale Fell all the way back to the Gale Road car park
WaypointsBirkett Edge, Whitewater Dash (Dash Falls), Cumbria Way, Skiddaw House, Glenderaterra valley track, Gale Road finish
Decision pointOnce at Whitewater Dash, the Cumbria Way is a huge, unmistakable dirt and gravel road that leads directly back to the Latrigg area
Easy to get wrongA massive, committing 9.7 km walk out. The initial descent down Birkett Edge is steep and tough on tired knees. The remaining distance along the Cumbria Way is a long, rolling valley track that, while technically easy, feels endless at the end of the day
If you need to get offOnce you are on the Cumbria Way track, you are on the primary, safe valley exit route with no further navigational traps
© Lee McCoy · 8 photographs
Summits bagged (10)
- 1Lonscale Fell715 m
- 2Lonscale Pike (Lonscale Fell East Top)703 m
- 3Jenkin Hill735 m
- 4Skiddaw Lesser Man824 m
- 5Skiddaw Little Man865 m
- 6Skiddaw South Top926 m
- 7Skiddaw Middle Top929 m
- 8Skiddaw930 m
- 9Broad End832 m
- 10Bakestall674 m
In the order you walk them — the same numbers the elevation profile, the stage notes and the pacing table use.
Getting there & parking
Positions are approximate. Lakeland car parks fill before 9am on fine weekends.
Vehicles are left entirely at their owner’s risk. We list places people park; we cannot vouch for any of them. Judge it on the day: take valuables with you, leave nothing on show, and if a spot feels wrong when you get there, park somewhere else.
Every option near this start, on the parking map →
Water, shelter & getting away
On-route facilities © OpenStreetMap contributors — an absent marker does not mean the facility isn’t there.
Buses
The X4 stops at Keswick, opposite The Pheasant. From there it is 2.5 km and 300 m of ascent to this start — a walk in before the walk. Last bus: Monday to Friday 17:49 towards Keswick (554); Saturday 20:19 towards Keswick (554); Sunday 17:50 towards Keswick (554). Checked against the operator’s timetable, 8 September 2026. Times here are a guide, not a promise — leave yourself more than the minute.
Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com (opens in new tab) or Traveline before travelling.
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 if one is full the others usually are too. Worth starting early, or having a different walk in mind before you set off.
- Latrigg car park
- Latrigg car park (free)
Worked out from the parking we hold within walking reach of this route and the other walks each place serves — two places that serve the same walks fill for the same reasons. We are not saying whether anywhere has spaces today, and we never will: this is what exists, not what is free.
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. 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.
- Lonscale Fell — in late March the sun reaches it around 06:30, about a quarter of an hour later. In late September, about 07:15. It waits longest in late March — about a quarter of an hour after sunrise.
- Skiddaw Little Man — in late March the sun reaches it around 06:15, with the sunrise. In late September, about 07:00.
- Skiddaw — in late March the sun reaches it around 06:15, with the sunrise. In late September, about 07:00.
- Bakestall — in late March the sun reaches it around 06:15, with the sunrise. In late September, about 07:00.
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.
Safety & conditions
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.
Make it easier or harder
Short version: turn back at about 9.4 km (drop to Start) — roughly half the distance.
Places to stay near this start
From Underscar: 10 places in Keswick
