hikes.guideLake District

7.26 km · ~262 m ascent · ~1.5–2.5 h · loop · 2 summits

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HardLoopPlanned

Pinnacle Howe and Four Stones Hill

7.26 km
Distance
~1.5–2.5 h
Typical time
~262 m
Ascent
2
Summits
Download GPX →Maps & guidebooks

Key facts

Distance 7.26 km
Ascent ~262 m
Descent ~260 m
Time ~1.5–2.5 h
Type Loop
✎️ Planned route — drawn but not personally walked or checked yet. A planned line is a suggestion, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate independently and carry a map & compass.

🧭 The automated detail on this page — distance, climb, pacing and a first-pass difficulty read — is live. Hand-written field notes are being added.

Difficulty profile

LengthEasy7.26 km — a short outing.
SteepnessModerateSteepest sustained pull about 23% around the 5.5 km mark.
TerrainModerateMostly good mountain path. desk assessment — not field-verified
NavigationHardCare needed in cloud — ~22% featureless high ground. 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.

☀️ 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 209 m to 399 m over 7.3 km, with the summits marked in order. 399 m 209 m 0 km 7.3 km 12

1 Pinnacle Howe2 Four Stones Hill

~262 m
Total ascent
399 m
High point
254 m
Start height

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

This walk covers about 7.26 km with around 262 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
Mostly gates
Buggy
Not buggy-able
Knees
Steep in places
  • Dog: A stile of unmapped type — a dog may need lifting over.
  • Buggy: Stiles or rough going on the route.
  • Knees: A sustained ~23% descent around the 5.4 km mark — a little jarring on tired knees.

On the line: 2 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 and we’ll fix it. Barrier data as of 2026-07-26. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).

Pacing

SummitCumulativeAscentTime (fast–steady)
Pinnacle Howe2.9 km152 m0:50–1:06
Four Stones Hill3.9 km194 m1:06–1:28
Finish7.3 km262 m1:53–2:31

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

The walk, stage by stage

Start → Pinnacle Howe (2.9 km, 152 m)

Climb of about 152 m over 2.9 km (around 5% average).

Pinnacle Howe → Four Stones Hill (1.0 km, 42 m)

Undulating section of about 1.0 km.

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

Climb of about 68 m over 3.4 km (around 2% average).

Stage-by-stage field notes coming soon.

Summits bagged (2)

🅿️ Getting there & parking

Wet Sleddale dam (free) — 5.6 km from the start (straight line)
For the quiet Shap-side fells: Seat Robert, Sleddale fells.
Directions
Shap village (free) — 5.9 km from the start (straight line)
For the Shap fells and Crosby Ravensworth commons.
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

Route 106
Penrith – Eamont Bridge – Askham – Shap – Kendal
Catch it from: Penrith
Monday–Saturday, infrequent — plan carefully. Useful for the Shap and Crosby Ravensworth outlying fells.

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 3.2 km (drop to Start) — roughly half the distance.

⬇️ Download

Download GPX

GPX track for your GPS or phone.

📚 Maps & guidebooks for Pinnacle Howe and Four Stones Hill

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