A difficult route in North Western Fells. Check the GPS track on Outdooractive for full details of the route, waypoints, and terrain.
Starting Point: Whinlatter Forest Commission car park (NY 208 244)
Terrain: Seat How Summit Trail through forest, end of forest track, waterfall, fell path, Barf summit, Lord's Seat, Broom Fell, Widow Hause, Graystones, descent, Darling How Plantation, Darling How, pathless section to ridge, Brown How (Whinlatter) summit, Whinlatter Top, wall descent, Whinlatter Forest tracks back to visitor centre Notable features: Whinlatter Forest, Seat How Summit Trail, Beckstones Gill waterfalls, Bishop of Barf, the Clerk, Barf (468m — Wainwright 1), Lord's Seat (552m — Wainwright 2), Broom Fell (511m — Wainwright 3), Widow Hause, Graystones (452m — Wainwright 4), Darling How Plantation, Darling How, Brown How/Whinlatter (525m — Wainwright 5), Whinlatter Top, Bassenthwaite Lake, Skiddaw
A fine and varied circuit above Bassenthwaite Lake taking in five Wainwrights across a day of contrasting ground — forest tracks, open ridge, wild fell and plantation — with one of the best legends in the Lake District thrown in along the way. The approach through Whinlatter Forest on the Summit Trail is a pleasant opener, and the Beckstones Gill waterfalls mark a satisfying transition from woodland to open fell. Barf is a summit of genuine character — its extraordinary position above Bassenthwaite Lake and the irresistible story of the Bishop give it a personality out of all proportion to its modest height. Lord's Seat and Broom Fell deliver the ridge walking at its best, wide and unhurried with views that extend well beyond the immediate fells on a clear day. Graystones requires care to summit correctly but rewards patience with fine views west across Lorton Vale. The descent to Darling How and the pathless climb to the Whinlatter ridge are the walk's most demanding sections in terms of navigation, and the attempted shortcut through the felled plantation is noted here firmly as an experience not to be repeated. Brown How closes the day with a proper open summit above the forest before the tracks of Whinlatter lead quietly back to the car.