logo Walking Britain
Home About Holidays FAQ Email MENU ☰

Ullock Pike & Carlside from near Keswick

Lake District Walk

Nat Park - Lake District - Lake District Northern Fells

Wainwrights - Carl Side, Dodd, Ullock Pike

County/Area - Cumbria

Author - John Paterson

Length - 5.5 miles / 8.9 km    Ascent - 2500 feet / 758 metres

Time - 5 hours 20 minutes    Grade - moderate

Maps Ordnance Survey Logo Anquet Maps Logo

Ordnance Survey Explorer OL4Sheet Map1:25kBUY
Anquet OS Explorer OL4Digital Map1:25kBUY
Ordnance Survey Landranger 90Sheet Map1:50kBUY
Anquet OS Landranger 90Digital Map1:50kBUY

Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Ullock Pike  & Carlside from near Keswick
Click image to see photo description.

Skiddaw presents a problem to those who intend to climb all 214 "Wainwrights" - the fells listed by the famous guidebook writer. The massif and its outliers comprise 8 Wainwrights and no route of sensible length can be devised which climbs all of them without much doubling back. Most walkers will opt to climb the 8 peaks in at least two walks. This exhilarating and varied route is quite short but climbs the 4 Wainwrights on the western flank of the massif - with an optional ascent of the main summit of Skiddaw. There is also the bonus of a chance of spotting the Ospreys of Bassenthwaite Lake. The birds arrive from Africa in April and depart in mid September and with binoculars you may spot them fishing.

The start of this excellent Lake District walk is from a small carpark (Grid ref. NY234293)on the east side of the A591, 4 miles north of Keswick and 400 yards south of the Ravenstone Hotel. The carpark has a bus stop signed "Scarness Road End".

Take the woodland track north alongside the road for a few hundred yards until you are forced to turn east and climb steeply uphill. Pass though a gate in the intake wall onto the open fell. Head north east up the fellside to pick up a path which reaches the ridge at Ling How, a slight saddle (GR240302) It is worth detouring north for 200 yards to the "Watches" or "Watchstones" - a natural outcropping of rocks which makes a good foreground for pictures. From the Watches, head south up the ridge which gives easy walking over an airy traverse to Ullock Pike and Longside Edge. The views are exceptional - north to Scotland, west over Bassenthwaite Lake and east to the main summit of Skiddaw. The views to the south do not really open up until the tiny tarn at Carl Side Col (GR256283) is reached half a mile after Longside Edge. [ From the col there is the option of taking the very steep shaley path to Skiddaw summit which is just under a mile to the north east. This will add about an hour to the route.]

From Carl Side Col take the path heading south west to reach the summit of Carl Side after 200 yards. The path continues over the summit and descends steeply south. After half a mile "White Stones" is reached (GR254272 ). These are quartz boulders and mark the point where our route turns right (west) and leads down through heather to a col (GR250273) separating the outlying fell of Dodd from the main massif. A forest road and then a purpose built path lead to the summit after a climb of 400 feet. The Forestry Commission have felled the trees which used to clothe the summit of Dodd so it is once more a great viewpoint. From the summit, retrace your route to the col then turn left and head north west for 100 yards until the deep valley of Skill Beck is seen ahead. Bear right at the fork to follow the right bank of the beck and left at the next fork to stay close to the beck which is followed down through Dodd wood to meet the road at the carpark for the official Osprey viewpoint (May to September). A woodland footpath leads north for just over half a mile to the start of the walk.

Note - This walk takes place in the area where Ospreys are being regularly bred - after a break of 150 years. They breed on the opposite side of the lake but the viewpoint is on the lower slopes of Dodd. More information is available locally.

Other walks nearby

Walk 1676 Ullock Pike, Long Side and Carl Sidemoderate5.5 miles
Walk 2041 Barf (via the Bishop) and Lords Seatmod/hard4.0 miles
Walk 2244 Whitewater Dash and Great Calvamoderate7.0 miles
Walk 2581 Lord's Seat & Barf from Whinlattermoderate8.5 miles
Walk 1120 Grisedale Pike & Crag Hill fro Braithwaitemod/hard8.5 miles
Walk 2038 Tower Ridge on Eel Crag returning via Sail & Barrowhard6.3 miles
Walk 1073 Skiddaw & Glenderaterra Beckmoderate9.0 miles
Walk 1244 Lonscale Fell & Latriggmoderate7.5 miles
Walk 3029 Derwentwater & Walla Crag from Keswickeasy/mod6.5 miles
Walk 3037 High Seat & Bleaberry Fell from Keswickmoderate9.0 miles

Recommended Books & eBooks

Walking the Lake District Fells - Buttermere

Walking the Lake District Fells - ButtermerePart of the Walking the Lake District Fells series, this guidebook covers a wide range of routes to 32 Lakeland summits that can be climbed from the Buttermere, Lorton and Newlands valleys, with highlights including Haystacks, High Stile, Grasmoor and the fells of the Coledale Round. Suggestions for longer ridge routes are also included.
More information

Lake District: High Level and Fell Walks

Lake District: High Level and Fell WalksThis guidebook describes 30 graded fell walks on the ridges and high peaks of the English Lake District, the UK's most popular national park. Reaching some of England's finest and highest mountain scenery, this guide leads readers to classic horseshoes and traditional ascents as well as lesser-known routes to quieter summits.
More information

Messaging & Social Media

Message Walking Britain and follow the latest news.

Facebook  Twitter

Mountain Weather

Stay safe on the mountains with detailed weather forecasts - for iOS devices or for Android devices.