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12.62 km · ~362 m ascent · ~3–4 h · loop · 1 summit

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Ulthwaite Rigg

12.62 km
Distance
~3–4 h
Typical time
~362 m
Ascent
1
Summit
Download GPX →Maps & guidebooks

Key facts

Distance 12.62 km
Ascent ~362 m
Descent ~364 m
Time ~3–4 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

LengthModerate12.62 km round.
SteepnessModerateSteepest sustained pull about 22% around the 9.5 km mark.
TerrainModerateMostly good mountain path. desk assessment — not field-verified
NavigationSevereSerious navigation in poor visibility — ~41% 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 248 m to 489 m over 12.6 km, with the summits marked in order. 489 m 248 m 0 km 12.6 km 1

1 Ulthwaite Rigg

~362 m
Total ascent
489 m
High point
280 m
Start height

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

This walk covers about 12.62 km with around 362 m of ascent, taking in 1 summit. 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 ~22% descent around the 9.3 km mark — a little jarring on tired knees.

On the line: 23 gates · 2 step-over stiles · 4 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)
Ulthwaite Rigg5.4 km266 m1:31–2:01
Finish12.6 km362 m3:08–4:10

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

The walk, stage by stage

Start → Ulthwaite Rigg (5.4 km, 266 m)

Climb of about 266 m over 5.4 km (around 5% average).

Ulthwaite Rigg → Finish (7.2 km, 97 m)

Climb of about 97 m over 7.2 km (around 1% average).

Stage-by-stage field notes coming soon.

Summits bagged (1)

🅿️ Getting there & parking

Wet Sleddale dam (free) — 1.7 km from the start (straight line)
For the quiet Shap-side fells: Seat Robert, Sleddale fells.
Directions
Shap village (free) — 3.9 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

  • Upper Mosedale is peat-hag and tussock country with no paths — short route, slow miles. The plotted line is indicative; pick your own dry ground.

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

Easier and harder options coming soon.

⬇️ Download

Download GPX

GPX track for your GPS or phone.

📚 Maps & guidebooks for Ulthwaite Rigg

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