Sour Howes, Sallows, Yorke, Illl Bell, Frostwick and Troutbeck Tongue in the sun!
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 Sour Howes2 Sallows3 Yoke4 Ill Bell5 Froswick6 Troutbeck Tongue
Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap (switch layers top-right).
This walk covers about 27.56 km with around 1395 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: 2 ladder/squeeze stile(s) a dog can’t get through.
- Buggy: Stiles or rough going on the route.
- Knees: A long, steep ~33% drop around the 15.8 km mark — hard on the knees.
On the line: 32 gates · 5 kissing gates · 2 ladder stiles · 4 step-over stiles · 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 (opens in new tab) and we’ll fix it. Barrier data as of 2026-07-20. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).
Pacing
| Summit | Cumulative | Ascent | Time (fast–steady) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sour Howes | 7.8 km | 593 m | 2:33–3:23 |
| Sallows | 9.5 km | 668 m | 3:01–4:00 |
| Yoke | 12.6 km | 935 m | 4:05–5:25 |
| Ill Bell | 13.7 km | 1031 m | 4:27–5:56 |
| Froswick | 14.7 km | 1106 m | 4:47–6:21 |
| Troutbeck Tongue | 18.1 km | 1186 m | 5:36–7:27 |
| Finish | 27.6 km | 1395 m | 7:50–10:25 |
Naismith-based estimate — a fast/steady range. Your pace will vary.
The walk, stage by stage
Start → Sour Howes (7.8 km, 593 m)
Climb of about 593 m over 7.8 km (around 8% average).
Sour Howes → Sallows (1.7 km, 76 m)
Climb of about 76 m over 1.7 km (around 4% average).
Sallows → Yoke (3.1 km, 267 m)
Climb of about 267 m over 3.1 km (around 9% average).
Yoke → Ill Bell (1.1 km, 96 m)
Climb of about 96 m over 1.1 km (around 9% average).
Ill Bell → Froswick (1.0 km, 75 m)
Climb of about 75 m over 1.0 km (around 8% average).
Froswick → Troutbeck Tongue (3.5 km, 80 m)
Climb of about 80 m over 3.5 km (around 2% average).
Troutbeck Tongue → Finish (9.4 km, 209 m)
Climb of about 209 m over 9.4 km (around 2% average).
Stage-by-stage field notes coming soon.
Summits bagged (6)
- Sour Howes 483 m · Far Eastern · Wainwright, Birkett, Synge
- Sallows 516 m · Far Eastern · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge
- Yoke 707 m · Far Eastern · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge, Nuttall
- Ill Bell 757 m · Far Eastern · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge, Nuttall, HuMP
- Froswick 720 m · Far Eastern · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge, Nuttall
- Troutbeck Tongue 364 m · Far Eastern · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge
🅿️ 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
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 14.2 km (drop to Start) — roughly half the distance.
📚 Maps & guidebooks for Sour Howes, Sallows, Yorke, Illl Bell, Frostwick and Troutbeck Tongue in the sun!
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