Mardale Ill Bell, High Street, The Knott, Rampsgill Head, High Raise and Kidsty Pike
Key facts
Difficulty profile
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 6 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 Mardale Ill Bell2 High Street3 The Knott (High Street)4 Rampsgill Head5 High Raise (High Street)6 Kidsty Pike
Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap (switch layers top-right).
This walk covers about 13.7 km with around 862 m of ascent, taking in 6 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 and kissing gates only — a dog can do the whole route.
- Buggy: Stiles or rough going on the route.
- Knees: A long, steep ~33% drop around the 11.2 km mark — hard on the knees.
On the line: 4 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 (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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mardale Ill Bell | 3.5 km | 507 m | 1:32–2:03 |
| High Street | 5.0 km | 585 m | 1:59–2:38 |
| The Knott (High Street) | 6.8 km | 624 m | 2:24–3:11 |
| Rampsgill Head | 7.5 km | 698 m | 2:40–3:33 |
| High Raise (High Street) | 8.3 km | 748 m | 2:54–3:52 |
| Kidsty Pike | 9.3 km | 778 m | 3:10–4:12 |
| Finish | 13.7 km | 862 m | 4:11–5:33 |
Naismith-based estimate — a fast/steady range. Your pace will vary.
The walk, stage by stage
Start → Mardale Ill Bell (3.5 km, 507 m)
Climb of about 507 m over 3.5 km (around 14% average).
Mardale Ill Bell → High Street (1.5 km, 78 m)
Climb of about 78 m over 1.5 km (around 5% average).
High Street → The Knott (High Street) (1.8 km, 39 m)
Descent of about 104 m over 1.8 km.
The Knott (High Street) → Rampsgill Head (0.7 km, 74 m)
Climb of about 74 m over 0.7 km (around 11% average).
Rampsgill Head → High Raise (High Street) (0.8 km, 49 m)
Undulating section of about 0.8 km.
High Raise (High Street) → Kidsty Pike (1.0 km, 31 m)
Descent of about 46 m over 1.0 km.
Kidsty Pike → Finish (4.4 km, 84 m)
Climb of about 84 m over 4.4 km (around 2% average).
Stage-by-stage field notes coming soon.
Summits bagged (6)
- Mardale Ill Bell 761 m · Far Eastern · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge
- High Street 828 m · Far Eastern · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge, Nuttall, Marilyn
- The Knott (High Street) 739 m · Far Eastern · Wainwright, Birkett, Synge
- Rampsgill Head 792 m · Far Eastern · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge, Nuttall
- High Raise (High Street) 804 m · Far Eastern · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge, Nuttall
- Kidsty Pike 781 m · Far Eastern · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge, Nuttall
🅿️ Getting there & parking
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
No regular bus serves the start — this is one for the car. Nearest hubs: Penrith (X4/X5 & 508), Ambleside and Windermere (555, 505, 516).
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 6.9 km (drop to Start) — roughly half the distance.
📚 Maps & guidebooks for Mardale Ill Bell, High Street, The Knott, Rampsgill Head, High Raise and Kidsty Pike
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