Pinnacle Howe and Four Stones Hill

The walk, stage by stage

1. 1

   Haweswater, by the dam (verge) → Pinnacle Howe (3.0 km, 174 m)

   Descent of about 46 m, then a climb of about 174 m, over 3.0 km.

   Starting from the verge parking at Hugh's Laithes Pike, below the Haweswater dam, the route follows the lane downhill for about a kilometre, heading east-north-east and bending round to cross Haweswater Beck by the road bridge. It then takes a public footpath north-west and north to the lane at Burnbanks, and a rough track that climbs north-west past field walls towards Drybarrows. As you clear the intake walls, the terrain transitions into the rolling, expansive moorland of Bampton Common. The ascent averages around 6%, on paths heading west across undulating grassy fell, to a point on the path just south of Pinnacle Howe—a small but surprisingly distinct rocky knoll that breaks up the grassy plateau. There is no mapped path up the knoll: the route leaves the path and climbs about 20 m over open ground to the top, about 70 m to the north, then comes back down to the path the same way.

   Waypoints

   Haweswater, by the dam (verge): The start, on the lane below the Haweswater dam. Haweswater Beck Bridge: The road bridge at about 1.0 km, where the route leaves the lane for the footpath. Burnbanks: The hamlet the route passes at about 1.2 km, where the footpath meets the lane. Drybarrows Intake: The boundary area where the walled farm tracks yield to the open fell. Pinnacle Howe Summit (383m): A prominent rocky hump about 70 m north of the path, with no mapped path to the top, offering excellent rearward views over the Eden Valley and the Pennines.

   Decision point

   Drystone Walls: The network of walls leading up past Drybarrows guides you onto the open fell. Visual Handrails: Looking back, the Haweswater dam is a distinctive structural landmark on the ascent.

   Easy to get wrong

   Boggy Ground: While the gradient is easy, Bampton Common acts as a massive sponge. The hollows near the intake walls and the approach to Pinnacle Howe can be deeply saturated and claggy, even in summer. Summer Vegetation: The lower paths climbing out of Burnbanks suffer from aggressive bracken growth from June to September, which can obscure the trail and slow progress.

   If you need to get off

   The way back is the way you came.

2. 2

   Pinnacle Howe → Four Stones Hill (1.2 km, 58 m)

   Undulating section of about 1.2 km.

   A short, rolling traverse heading roughly south-west across the grassy expanse of Bampton Common. There is very little elevation change here, but the terrain is rough, tussocky grass that requires high stepping. The path is often faint or braided by sheep tracks. Four Stones Hill sits slightly higher on the plateau, identifiable by its rocky outcrops and the standing stones that give the hill its name. Its top is about 80 m south-south-east of the path, with no mapped path to it; the route goes up to it and comes back the same way.

   Waypoints

   Bampton Common: The expansive, undulating saddle between the two summits. Four Stones Hill Summit: The high point featuring a modest cairn, surrounded by a scattering of low-lying stones, offering a sudden, dramatic plunge in view down to Haweswater.

   Decision point

   Haweswater: The colossal trench of the reservoir sits directly to your south. Compass Bearings: In low visibility, take a south-westerly bearing from Pinnacle Howe towards the rocky summit of Four Stones Hill rather than drifting north into the pathless bogs of Bampton Fell.

   Easy to get wrong

   Tussocky Terrain: The lack of a heavily trodden, singular path means you are often breaking your own trail through thick, uneven grass, which can be surprisingly tiring on the ankles. Exposure: This plateau is highly exposed to south-westerly winds funnelling directly down the trench of Haweswater. Clag Disorientation: Without walls to guide you between Pinnacle Howe and Four Stones Hill, it is very easy to drift off-bearing if the mist rolls in across the common.

   If you need to get off

   Do not improvise a descent towards Haweswater if you lose your position. Stop and work out where you are; go back the way you came, to Pinnacle Howe, only if you can identify that line and use it safely. If you cannot move safely, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Police, then Mountain Rescue.

3. Four Stones Hill → Finish (3.4 km, 68 m)

   Descent of about 207 m, then a climb of about 68 m, over 3.4 km.

   From the summit of Four Stones Hill the route heads north-east: first back down to the path it arrived on, about 80 m away over open ground with no mapped path, then along that grassy path east, the way you came, passing close to Great Birkhouse Hill. About 0.7 km from the summit, where your outward line from Pinnacle Howe comes in from the north, the route keeps east instead: across a small stream, then along a path below Burn Banks, and down a short, steeper slope past rock outcrops to a track. The track leads east to Burnbanks, where the route rejoins its outward line at about 6.2 km. From there it is the way you walked out, in reverse. The public footpath leads south-east to the road bridge over Haweswater Beck. The lane then climbs about 45 m back up to the verge below the dam, mostly heading west-south-west.

   Waypoints

   Great Birkhouse Hill: A 389 m top just south-west of the path, about 0.4 km from Four Stones Hill. Stream Crossing: A small stream at about 4.9 km, just after the route leaves its outward line. Burnbanks: Where the route rejoins its outward line, at about 6.2 km. Haweswater Beck Bridge: The road bridge at about 6.5 km. Haweswater Dam: The massive concrete structure beside the lane, just before the finish.

   Decision point

   Rejoining the Outward Line: From Burnbanks, at about 6.2 km, the route is the footpath and lane you walked out on. The Dam: The dam is a landmark near the finish.

   Easy to get wrong

   Steep Descent: The steepest sustained descent on the route is about 250 m at around 23%, at about 5.7 to 6.0 km, past rock outcrops.

   If you need to get off

   You are on the final descent to the road. Follow the route's own line to the finish.