Northern Fells · Book 5

Skiddaw

Skiddaw is a Wainwright, one of the 214 Lake District fells in Alfred Wainwright’s Pictorial Guides. At 931 m (3,054 ft) it is the 4th highest of the 214 and the highest in the Northern Fells.

Height: 931 m; 3,054 ft
Rank: 4; of 214
In area: 1; of 24
Difficulty: Moderate

Skiddaw in the Northern Fells of the Lake District — Photo: Diliff via Wikimedia Commons

About Skiddaw

A grand, sweeping dome above Keswick with a wide summit ridge and constant views. The tourist path via Jenkin Hill is steep but straightforward on good trails, making this a popular big day for many walkers. In clag the open plateau can be disorientating, so bearings matter, yet in clear weather the Solway Firth and the Pennines feel within reach. A true Northern Fell classic with scale and simplicity.

The easy way up starts at the car park behind Latrigg, at the end of Gale Road above Applethwaite. Driving up there saves you about 200 m of climbing compared with walking from Keswick, which the X4, X5 and 555 buses serve. From the car park a wide track climbs past the Hawell monument and zigzags steeply up Jenkin Hill. It then contours round the side of Skiddaw Little Man before the last pull to the summit ridge. The path is wide and clear, and easy to follow even in thick mist.

The finer route is Longside Edge, from Dodd Wood on the Bassenthwaite side. You go over Ullock Pike, Long Side and Carl Side, a narrow grassy ridge above Bassenthwaite Lake, and then climb a steep slope of loose slate from Carlside Col to the top. The third option starts from Skiddaw House, the old shooting lodge in Skiddaw Forest that is now a hostel, and climbs over Sale How.

None of these routes needs scrambling. The rock is Skiddaw Slate, which breaks into small flat stones, so the upper slopes are loose and noisy underfoot.

The summit is a long ridge with several cairned tops. High Man, the highest, carries the trig point and a toposcope. On a clear day the view reaches the Mourne Mountains, the Isle of Man and Goat Fell on Arran.

The Hawell monument

About 500 m from the car park, a carved stone cross beside the path remembers the Hawells of Lonscale, a family of Skiddaw shepherds known for prize Herdwicks: Edward, who died in 1889, his son Joseph, who died in 1891, and later Robert. Joseph picked the local stone, and Canon Rawnsley, a founder of the National Trust, wrote the verse.

In winter

The summit ridge is a long, bare stony crest with only low stone windshelters, and a north or west wind there can knock you off your feet even when Keswick is calm. The steep section up Jenkin Hill on the tourist path ices over, and in snow the flat ridge has few landmarks.

Ridge Walk
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Dog Friendly

Sources: Wikipedia: Skiddaw, Walk Lakes: Misty Skiddaw, Walk Lakes: Skiddaw Shepherd's Memorial. Updated 22 September 2026.

Summit

OS grid ref: NY 260 290
Latitude: 54.65138° N
Longitude: 3.14774° W
Area: Northern Fells

Walking up Skiddaw

The nearest car park on foot is Dodd Wood car park, 4.5 km (2.8 miles) from the summit along mapped paths. Directions to the car park

Route from Dodd Wood car park

Distance: 4.5 km; 2.8 miles, one way
Ascent: 824 m; Total climb to the summit
Time up: 2 h 11 min; Allow 1 to 3 hours

Height in metres along the path from Dodd Wood car park to the summit.

Times use Naismith’s rule, 5 km/h on the flat plus extra time for the climb, with Langmuir’s corrections. It’s a rule of thumb for the way up only, so add stops, weather and the walk back down.

The route follows paths mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors and isn’t a guided line. Check the mountain forecast before you go and carry a map and compass.

Skiddaw questions

Is Skiddaw a Wainwright?

Yes. Skiddaw is one of the 214 fells Alfred Wainwright described in his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, in Book 5, The Northern Fells.

How high is Skiddaw?

Skiddaw is 931 metres (3,054 feet) high. That makes it the 4th highest of the 214 Wainwrights and the highest in the Northern Fells.

Where do you park for Skiddaw?

The nearest car park on foot is Dodd Wood car park, 4.5 km (2.8 miles) from the summit along mapped paths.

How long does it take to climb Skiddaw?

From Dodd Wood car park it is 4.5 km with 824 m of ascent. Naismith's rule, with Langmuir's corrections, puts the climb at about 2 h 11 min, so allow 1 to 3 hours to reach the summit at your own pace, plus the walk back down.

How hard is Skiddaw?

Upfell rates Skiddaw as moderate. Check the mountain weather forecast before you set out and carry a map and compass.

Which Wainwrights are near Skiddaw?

The closest are Carl Side (746 m, 1.1 km SW), Long Side (734 m, 1.3 km SW) and Skiddaw Little Man (865 m, 1.4 km SE).

What is the grid reference for the summit of Skiddaw?

The summit is at OS grid reference NY 260 290, or 54.65138, -3.14774 in latitude and longitude.