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19.25 km · ~1116 m ascent · ~5.5–7.5 h · loop · 10 summits

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HardLoop

Lonscale Fell, Skiddaw Lesser Man, Skiddaw and Bakestall in the sun!

19.25 km
Distance
~5.5–7.5 h
Typical time
~1116 m
Ascent
10
Summits

Key facts

Distance 19.25 km
Ascent ~1116 m
Descent ~1119 m
Time ~5.5–7.5 h
Type Loop
A planned line is a suggestion, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate independently and carry a map & compass.

Difficulty profile

LengthHard19.25 km — a long day out.
SteepnessHardSteepest sustained pull about 32% around the 10.1 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 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.

OpenTopoMap
Elevation profile
Elevation profile Rises from about 298 m to 917 m over 19.3 km, with the summits marked in order. 917 m 298 m 0 km 19.3 km 12345678910

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

~1116 m
Total ascent
917 m
High point
300 m
Start height

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
Mostly gates
Buggy
Not buggy-able
Knees
Tough descent
  • 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

SummitCumulativeAscentTime (fast–steady)
Lonscale Fell2.9 km430 m1:18–1:44
Lonscale Pike (Lonscale Fell East Top)3.4 km441 m1:24–1:52
Jenkin Hill5.0 km537 m1:54–2:31
Skiddaw Lesser Man5.6 km636 m2:11–2:54
Skiddaw Little Man5.9 km702 m2:21–3:08
Skiddaw South Top7.0 km832 m2:47–3:43
Skiddaw Middle Top7.2 km845 m2:51–3:48
Skiddaw7.5 km866 m2:57–3:55
Broad End8.3 km880 m3:08–4:10
Bakestall9.5 km904 m3:25–4:32
Finish19.2 km1116 m5:43–7:36

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

The walk, stage by stage

Start → Lonscale Fell (2.9 km, 430 m)

Climb of about 430 m over 2.9 km (around 15% average).

Lonscale Fell → Lonscale Pike (Lonscale Fell East Top) (0.4 km, 11 m)

Undulating section of about 0.4 km.

Lonscale Pike (Lonscale Fell East Top) → Jenkin Hill (1.6 km, 96 m)

Climb of about 96 m over 1.6 km (around 6% average).

Jenkin Hill → Skiddaw Lesser Man (0.6 km, 99 m)

Climb of about 99 m over 0.6 km (around 16% average).

Skiddaw Lesser Man → Skiddaw Little Man (0.3 km, 66 m)

Climb of about 66 m over 0.3 km (around 22% average).

Skiddaw Little Man → Skiddaw South Top (1.1 km, 130 m)

Climb of about 130 m over 1.1 km (around 12% average).

Skiddaw South Top → Skiddaw Middle Top (0.2 km, 12 m)

Undulating section of about 0.2 km.

Skiddaw Middle Top → Skiddaw (0.3 km, 21 m)

Undulating section of about 0.3 km.

Skiddaw → Broad End (0.8 km, 14 m)

Descent of about 102 m over 0.8 km.

Broad End → Bakestall (1.2 km, 24 m)

Descent of about 152 m over 1.2 km.

Bakestall → Finish (9.7 km, 213 m)

Climb of about 213 m over 9.7 km (around 2% average).

Stage-by-stage field notes coming soon.

Summits bagged (10)

🅿️ Getting there & parking

Gale Road / Latrigg top (free) — 0.1 km from the start (straight line)
Free car park at the road end behind Latrigg — shortest way up Skiddaw via Jenkin Hill.
Directions (opens in new tab)
Keswick town (various paid) — 2.5 km from the start (straight line)
Hub for the Northern and North Western fells; bus interchange for the Ramblers.
Directions (opens in new tab)

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

💧 Water, shelter & getting away

On-route facilities © OpenStreetMap contributors — an absent marker does not mean the facility isn’t there.

🚌 Buses

Stagecoach 555
Kendal – Staveley – Windermere – Ambleside – Rydal – Grasmere – Thirlmere (Wythburn & Swirls) – Keswick
Catch it from: Windermere · Ambleside
Year-round, roughly hourly. The backbone bus of the A591 — ideal for Helvellyn (Wythburn/Swirls), Fairfield, the Central fells and anything around Grasmere/Rydal. From Penrith, take the X4/X5 to Keswick and change.
Stagecoach X4 / X5
Penrith – Rheged – Threlkeld – Keswick – Braithwaite – Cockermouth – Workington
Catch it from: Penrith
Year-round, frequent. From Penrith this is your way into Keswick and the Northern fells — Threlkeld/Scales stops serve Blencathra directly, Braithwaite serves the Coledale fells.
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.
Stagecoach 78 “Borrowdale Rambler”
Keswick – Lodore – Grange – Rosthwaite – Seatoller
Catch it from: Keswick (connect via 555 or X4/X5)
Year-round, frequent in season. Serves all the Borrowdale starts — Glaramara, the Scafells and Great Gable via Seathwaite (alight Seatoller, 20 min walk up the lane).

Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com (opens in new tab) or Traveline before travelling.

⚠️ 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.

⬇️ Download

Download GPX

GPX track for your GPS or phone.

📚 Maps & guidebooks for Lonscale Fell, Skiddaw Lesser Man, Skiddaw and Bakestall in the sun!

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