West of Wet Sleddale - Birketts
Start Wet Sleddale Reservoir
Getting here Parking: Wet Sleddale Reservoir Car Park, 0.0 km from the start (straight line). Getting there ↓ · Route map ↓
Hardest part Severe distance: 23.82 km — a long day out.
Before you choose
- Classic Shap-fells going: faint trods, tussock and peat with long pathless stretches. The straight sections of the plotted line are bearings, not paths — carry map and compass and expect to weave.
Conditions on this route
We score every Lakeland Wainwright each morning on cloud, wind, rain and underfoot, and this route crosses 1 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.
See also walking in bad weather and today’s conditions.
Route map
1 Seat Robert2 High Wether Howe3 Nabs Moor4 Selside Pike5 Hare Shaw6 Powleys Hill7 Harper Hills8 Scalebarrow Knott9 Glede Howe
Easy 86%Moderate 13%Hard 1%Severe
Heights on this chart and its high point are read from the track itself (a terrain model sampled along the line, or a GPS recording), so a top can differ from its listed height, usually reading lower.
Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap, with SRTM elevation data (switch layers top-right).
The elevation profile is under the map; the stage notes follow.
The walk, stage by stage
- 1
Start → Seat Robert (3.5 km, 247 m)
Starting from the small parking area at Wet Sleddale Reservoir, the route immediately leaves civilization behind. You leave the reservoir and begin a long, gradual ascent west-south-west onto the open fell. The 6% average gradient is deceptive; the true difficulty lies in the terrain. OSM maps a track, a bridleway and footpaths along almost all of this stage, through deep fell grass, heather, and marshy patches to the isolated, rocky summit of Seat Robert.
WaypointsStart Point: Wet Sleddale Reservoir parking (approx. NY 552 114). The Eastern Flank: The long, grassy approach slopes. Seat Robert Summit (515 m): A prominent Birkett and one of the finest viewpoints in the Shap Fells, marked by an OS trig pillar and a well-built wind shelter.
Decision pointVisual Target: The dark waters of Wet Sleddale Reservoir directly behind you provide a perfect orientation check to ensure you are climbing the correct spur. Handrails: Keep the deep cleft of the valley (Sleddale Beck) on your left (south) as you climb.
Easy to get wrongTerrain Fatigue: The sheer distance of this initial pull across heavy tussock grass drains the legs quickly. There is no warm-up on firm ground. Bogs: The lower pastures near the reservoir are notoriously marshy. Expect wet boots within the first kilometre. Do not drift south into the steep, craggy ravines of Sleddale Beck; the ground is choked with bracken and highly uneven.
If you need to get offRetreat: Go back the way you came, keeping the reservoir in sight, to the start.
- 2
Seat Robert → High Wether Howe (1.7 km, 47 m)
Leaving the shelter of Seat Robert, you push south-west, then west, across the roof of the moorland. The terrain here is an undulating, highly saturated plateau. You are entering the notorious peat hags of the Shap watershed. The elevation change is minimal, but the continuous weaving around black bogs and deep moss makes for slow, laborious progress.
WaypointsThe Watershed Plateau: The sprawling, wet high ground. High Wether Howe Summit (531 m): A quiet, grassy Birkett marked by a small pile of stones.
Decision pointCompass Bearings: Essential. Shoot a strict bearing from Seat Robert and pace your distance. Valley Sighting: In clear weather, the lonely white building of Mosedale Cottage (a bothy) may be visible in the valley ahead of you (south-west), 2.5 to 3.7 km away.
Easy to get wrongThe Bogs: This area acts as a giant sponge. You will constantly be diverted by boot-swallowing peat trenches and deceptive, bright green sphagnum moss. Featureless Topography: In thick clag, the subtle rises here look identical. It is terrifyingly easy to walk in circles.
If you need to get offRetreat: The way back is the way you came, over Seat Robert. We have not checked a line down into Mosedale from this ridge, so none is offered here. If cloud comes in and you are not sure where you are, stop before you commit to ground you do not know. Work out where you are with the map and compass, then go back by a line you know: the way you came. If you cannot move safely, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Police, then Mountain Rescue.
- 3
High Wether Howe → Nabs Moor (1.7 km, 97 m)
Heading west, you drop about 130 m off High Wether Howe to cross Mosedale Beck at about 390 m, with Swine Gill straight after, then climb west beside Swine Gill onto the broad, grassy shoulder that links the lower Shap Fells to the higher Far Eastern massif. The ground remains heavily rutted with peat hags until you reach the slightly firmer, sprawling expanse of Nabs Moor.
WaypointsMosedale Beck: Crossed about 5.9 km in, at about 390 m; OpenStreetMap marks a ford at the crossing, and another where Swine Gill is crossed a few metres later. Nabs Moor (493 m): A broad, featureless shoulder serving as a stepping stone to Selside Pike.
Decision pointLine of Sight: As you gain elevation, the massive, domed bulk of Selside Pike dominates the horizon dead ahead, providing a clear visual target.
Easy to get wrongExhaustion: High-stepping out of peat hags and traversing deep heather on an incline is brutally tiring on the hip flexors.
If you need to get offRetreat: The way back is the way you came. We have not checked a line down into Mosedale from this ridge, so none is offered here.
- 4
Nabs Moor → Selside Pike (1.5 km, 199 m)
The steepest climb of the route. You attack the final 13% average gradient pull up the south-eastern flank of Selside Pike. The terrain mercifully transitions from deep, soft peat to shorter, firmer fell grass and stony patches as you gain altitude, eventually depositing you on the expansive Wainwright summit.
WaypointsThe South-Eastern Flank: The steep, unrelenting grassy pull. Selside Pike Summit (655 m): The highest point of your day, adorned with a well-built stone wind shelter.
Decision pointThe Corpse Road: You will cross or run parallel to the ancient, faint track of the Old Corpse Road nearing the summit. Fence Posts: A line of old fence posts runs across the Selside plateau, serving as a reliable guide in whiteout conditions.
Easy to get wrongWind Exposure: You are now on the high rim of the Far Eastern fells. Expect sudden, biting winds whistling across the plateau from the west. Steepness: After miles of soft bog-hopping, this 200m vertical climb will heavily tax your cardiovascular system. Do NOT bail west off Selside Pike; it drops you into the Haweswater catchment, cutting you off entirely from your vehicle.
If you need to get offRetreat: The way back is the way you came, over Nabs Moor. We have not checked a line down into Mosedale from this ridge, so none is offered here.
- 5
Selside Pike → Hare Shaw (2.2 km, 11 m)
You now turn your back on the high peaks and begin the massive, sweeping return leg of the horseshoe. Heading north-north-east, you drop off Selside Pike onto the broad ridge between Haweswater (down to your left, west) and the Mosedale and Swindale side (down to your right, east). OSM maps a path along this stretch, though on the ground it may be faint. You are traversing vast, desolate moorland, dropping gradually to the subtle rise of Hare Shaw.
WaypointsThe Old Corpse Road (Crossing): Intersecting the historical track linking the valleys. Hare Shaw Summit (503 m): A minor, incredibly subtle Birkett on the sprawling ridge.
Decision pointCompass & Pacing: You must pace your distance to identify the correct subtle summit bumps, as Hare Shaw is virtually indistinguishable from the surrounding moorland.
Easy to get wrongMicro-Navigation: In thick mist, this ridge is deeply confusing. It is completely devoid of distinct landmarks or rocky peaks. Bailing left (west) drops you towards Haweswater, away from your vehicle; Swindale lies down to your right (east), and we have not checked a line down into it for this guide.
If you need to get offRetreat: Decide at Selside Pike: on to Hare Shaw, or back the way you came. We have not checked a line down into Mosedale from this ridge, so none is offered here.
- 6
Hare Shaw → Powleys Hill (1.6 km, 3 m)
A flat slog east across the central watershed, on a path OSM maps (on the ground it may be faint). The terrain here is notorious—a sprawling, sodden expanse of sphagnum moss and peat connecting the two minor tops.
WaypointsThe Connecting Ridge: The wide, wet expanse linking the pikes. Powleys Hill Summit (approx. 465 m): A flat, non-distinct, grassy summit.
Decision pointValley Rims: Keep the drops into Swindale and Mosedale on your right (south-east) and the Naddle Beck side on your left (north-west), effectively threading the needle along the high ground.
Easy to get wrongThe Bogs: Expect wet boots unless you take wide, careful detours around the black peat trenches.
If you need to get offRetreat: The way back is the way you came. We have not checked a line down into Mosedale from this ridge, so none is offered here. If cloud comes in and you are not sure where you are, stop before you commit to ground you do not know. Work out where you are with the map and compass, then go back by a line you know: the way you came. If you cannot move safely, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Police, then Mountain Rescue.
- 7
Powleys Hill → Harper Hills (1.7 km, 17 m)
The ridge begins to broaden even further as you continue east. The descent is gentle, and the ground is rough and heavily populated by tussocks, though OSM maps tracks and paths along this stretch. You are gradually losing elevation towards the lower moorlands.
WaypointsHarper Hills (approx. 420 m): A sprawling, grassy Birkett.
Decision pointVisual Target: In clear weather, the landscape begins to open up eastward towards the M6 corridor and the Pennines, providing a general directional bearing.
Easy to get wrongAnkle-Rolling Terrain: Walking through deep tussocks on tired legs requires immense concentration to avoid injury.
If you need to get offRetreat: The way back is the way you came. We have not checked a line down into Mosedale from this ridge, so none is offered here.
- 8
Harper Hills → Scalebarrow Knott (1.7 km, 3 m)
Continuing north-east, you descend towards the lower fells bordering the Rosgill area. The terrain finally begins to transition from deep peat to firmer, shorter fell grass, allowing for a slightly faster pace.
WaypointsScalebarrow Knott (approx. 338 m): A minor, grassy prominence marking the easternmost point of the high route.
Decision pointLine of Sight: The rolling agricultural land of the Eden Valley is now clearly visible ahead.
Easy to get wrongSubtle Summit: Like the others on this ridge, Scalebarrow Knott is easily missed without careful map reading. Do not continue descending east from here; it drops you into the Rosgill road network, a long way from your car. You must now prepare to turn south.
If you need to get offRetreat: The map shows the walk's own way down to Swindale Lane passing close to the line at about 15 km, short of Scalebarrow Knott: from there a track and then a public bridleway lead about 0.9 km east-south-east to the lane, where the walk reaches it at about 16.7 km, missing the top. Before that, the way off is on to that point, never more than about 2 km; not walked for this guide.
- 9
Scalebarrow Knott → Glede Howe (4.4 km, 254 m)
A long stage that drops into Swindale and climbs back out. From Scalebarrow Knott, turn south and follow a track and then a bridleway down to the valley road, Swindale Lane, at about 230 m. Walk south-west along the lane for about 1.3 km with Swindale Beck on your left, then cross the beck by a footbridge at about 250 m. From there a public footpath climbs south-east beside Gouthercrag Gill and crosses it; a track and then a short pathless stretch lead to Glede Howe, a climb of about 200 m from the beck. It is a massive test of endurance late in the day.
WaypointsSwindale Lane: The valley road, walked for about 1.3 km beside Swindale Beck. Swindale Beck Footbridge: Where the route crosses the beck, about 18.0 km in. Glede Howe (476 m): The final minor Birkett, sitting above the Wet Sleddale valley.
Decision pointHandrails: A bridleway down to Swindale Lane, the lane up the valley beside the beck, then the public footpath up beside Gouthercrag Gill.
Easy to get wrongDistance Fatigue: Over 4 km with a drop to the valley floor and a climb of about 200 m back out of it, on exhausted legs, is the physical crux of this route. Gill Crossings: The route crosses Mere Sike on the way down to the lane, Swindale Beck by the footbridge, and Gouthercrag Gill on the climb; OpenStreetMap marks a ford near the Gouthercrag Gill crossing.
If you need to get offRetreat: If you are tired, decide at Scalebarrow Knott: on to Glede Howe and the walk-out, or back the way you came.
Glede Howe → Finish (4.0 km, 35 m)
The final, sweeping descent. Dropping east off Glede Howe, you aim directly for the Wet Sleddale valley floor. The pathless fell grass gives way to lower pastures and farm tracks, then the track back past Sleddale Hall (famous as the filming location for Withnail & I) to the reservoir.
WaypointsThe Descent Spur: The grassy line dropping to the valley. Sleddale Hall (vicinity): The remote farm building on the valley side. Wet Sleddale Dam: The massive concrete structure holding back the reservoir. Finish Point: Starting parking area.
Decision pointThe Reservoir: Wet Sleddale Reservoir is an unmissable, massive catch feature directly ahead of you.
Easy to get wrongDeep Mud: The farm tracks on the lower slopes are heavily churned by tractors and livestock. Expect deep, unavoidable mud pits. Summer Bracken: The lower slopes above the reservoir are choked with deep bracken in late summer, concealing rocks and holes.
If you need to get offRetreat: This stage is the walk-out: follow the route down to the reservoir and the access road.
GPX track for your GPS or phone. Planned route · not yet walked
Summits bagged (9)
- 1Seat Robert515 m
- 2High Wether Howe531 m
- 3Nabs Moor493 m
- 4Selside Pike655 m
- 5Hare Shaw503 m
- 6Powleys Hill465 m
- 7Harper Hills420 m
- 8Scalebarrow Knott338 m
- 9Glede Howe476 m
In the order you walk them — the same numbers the elevation profile, the stage notes and the pacing table use.
Conditions and timing
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.
Getting there and back
Parking
1 more place to park near the start
Positions are approximate.
Vehicles are left at their owner’s risk: we list places people park and cannot vouch for any of them. Take valuables with you and leave nothing on show.
If the parking is full
If the first one is full, these overlap least in our model. The 2 below sit in different places or are different kinds of parking, so a busy morning at one does not mean a busy morning at all of them.
- Langhowe Pike North Top (layby) — joins the loop at about km 16.7 of 23.8: a 80 m walk to the line, and you walk the round from there
- Wet Sleddale Reservoir Car Park — at the start
We never say whether anywhere has spaces today. Walks to the line are measured along mapped paths (OpenStreetMap), not in a straight line. How we choose these places.
No signal when you get there? RoutePark keeps this list on your phone: choose this walk’s GPX at home, keep it, and it opens offline.
Buses
No bus we hold serves this start. The nearest stop we hold is the UB2 at Askham, outside Stores, 14.9 km away on foot: a walk of its own, not a way to the start. It is a seasonal service too: 1 November 2026 is its last day of the year (confirmed with the operator, 9 October 2026); it returns on 22 March 2027.
Toilets and refreshments
The essentials
- Arrival Wet Sleddale reservoir car park, beside the start, with room for about ten cars. No fee is recorded for it here. 1 m in a straight line, not a walking distance. (our parking map (Lee's Street View sweep, 10 August 2026), checked 10 August 2026)
- Toilets No toilets are mapped within 250 m of the start. (OpenStreetMap, as mapped on 13 September 2026, checked 13 September 2026)
- Refreshments No café or pub is mapped within 250 m of the start: bring what you need. (OpenStreetMap, as mapped on 13 September 2026, checked 13 September 2026)
- Limitation Nine tops in 23.8 km of classic Shap-fells going: faint trods, tussock and peat, with long pathless stretches. Carry map and compass and expect to weave. (our route notes (this route's own warnings), checked 2 October 2026)
Everything mapped near the start
Mapped as nearby on OpenStreetMap, as of 13 September 2026, within 250 m of where this route starts (information boards within 150 m; benches and shelter within 50 m):
Also mapped within reach: an information board.
Distances are straight lines from where this route starts, not walking routes. Opening hours are as mapped and change; none of this is checked daily.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (opens in new tab), ODbL.
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.)
Getting there across the Lake District: Buses · Parking map · By train · By boat
Planning detail
How each grade on this page is set, and the timings stage by stage.
Difficulty profile
Severe overall — hardest: Length; exposure not assessed on the ground
Five independent axes, not one score. This route has not been walked yet, so none of them was set on the ground: one of the five is our judgement from the map and the route’s record, and the rest are computed from the recorded track and the map, which measures the line rather than surveying the ground.
How we grade: each axis is Easy, Moderate, Hard or Severe, and a route between two bands takes the higher one. Length: under 8 km, 8–14 km, 14–20 km, over 20 km. Steepness, the steepest 500 m of the track: under 15%, 15–25%, 25–35%, over 35%. Terrain, navigation and exposure are judged rather than measured, and each note says why. How we grade.
Pacing
| Summit | Cumulative | Ascent | Time (fast–steady) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Seat Robert | 3.5 km | 247 m | 1:07–1:29 |
| 2High Wether Howe | 5.2 km | 293 m | 1:31–2:01 |
| 3Nabs Moor | 6.8 km | 390 m | 2:01–2:41 |
| 4Selside Pike | 8.3 km | 589 m | 2:38–3:31 |
| 5Hare Shaw | 10.5 km | 600 m | 3:06–4:07 |
| 6Powleys Hill | 12.0 km | 603 m | 3:25–4:32 |
| 7Harper Hills | 13.7 km | 620 m | 3:47–5:01 |
| 8Scalebarrow Knott | 15.4 km | 623 m | 4:07–5:29 |
| 9Glede Howe | 19.8 km | 877 m | 5:25–7:13 |
| Finish | 23.8 km | 912 m | 6:17–8:21 |
A fast–steady range from Naismith’s rule, deliberately on the slow side. Breaks, weather, rough ground and the slowest person in your party all add to it. How we time walks.
Access & barriers
Can a dog, a buggy or dodgy knees manage this route?
- Buggy: Stiles or rough going on the route.
- Knees: A sustained ~27% descent over 250 m around the 22.1 km mark — a little jarring on tired knees.
With a dog
Hardest for a dog here: stiles and gates. The steepest stretch is a sustained climb of about 31% around the 7.8 km mark.
- Stiles and gates: Stiles of unmapped type at 1.2 and 2.0 km — a dog may need lifting over. (OpenStreetMap, mapped as of 26 July 2026)
- Rock and scrambling: Ground underfoot: Hard – our judgement from the map and the route’s record; not walked yet. Faint trods, tussock and peat hags with long pathless stretches; the plotted straight lines are bearings, not paths.
- Drops and exposed ground: Not assessed on the ground; the map suggests Moderate. Graded from slope only (~33% max); treat exposure as unverified.
- Ways off early: None recorded for this route.
- Livestock, shade and water: Not recorded for this route yet. We never call a stream safe for a dog to drink, so carry enough for both of you. The lead rules, and what to do around cattle, are on dogs on the fells.
On the line: 10 gates · 2 step-over stiles · 2 stiles (type unmapped)
Barriers as mapped on OpenStreetMap, which can miss some. Spotted one? Tell us (opens in new tab). Barrier data as of 26 July 2026. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).
Places to stay near this start
- New Ing Lodge (opens in new tab)about 4.2 km
- Shap Fell Bothy (opens in new tab)about 4.7 km
We have not stayed at any of them. We take no bookings or affiliate fees. Distances are straight lines from the route start, never walking times. Properties found via OpenStreetMap (opens in new tab).
