Walking BritainKentmere Pike & Harter Fell from Sadgill
Fell Walk
Lake District Walk
Nat Park - Lake District - Lake District Far Eastern Fells
Wainwrights - Shipman Knotts, Kentmere Pike, Harter Fell
County/Area - Cumbria
Author - Lou Johnson
Length - 7.6 miles / 12.4 km Ascent - 2100 feet / 636 metres
Time - 5 hours 50 minutes Grade - moderate
Walk Route Description
Click image to see photo description.
Starting at Sadgill in Longsleddale this walk explores the ridge from Shipman Knotts over Kentmere Pike and onto Harter Fell overlooking Mardale. The return route crosses Gatescarth Pass and continues down Longsleddale back to the start. Choose a fine day as the views are excellent.
The walk starts from the northern end of the lane up Longsleddale at Sadgill where there are spaces for a few carefully parked cars (grid ref. NY484057). After parking cross the bridge and follow the track heading left with adjacent fingerpost. Initially passing through Sadgill Wood the track soon reaches open fell gaining height steadily. After just over a kilometre, you reach a broad col (grid ref. NY476050). Leave the track and turn right to follow a path steeply uphill with a wall on your right. This path leads over Wray Crag and continues up to the summit of Shipman Knotts.
After a very brief descent continue up to a ladder stile over a wall (grid ref. NY472067) and take the main path. The path soon ruins beside a fence and later a wall which leads to the summit of Kentmere Pike. The view is extensive and includes Yoke, Ill Bell etc. across the Kentmere valley. The view also extends east to Harrop Pike and Selside. Looking southwest Windermere can also be seen.
After a short descent the path runs beside a fence which leads to the summit of Harter Fell. Once again, the view is good with a different set of fells now in view. From the summit cairn head northeast with a fence on your right. After 500 metres you reach a fine viewpoint with Haweswater Reservoir dominating the scene. Follow the fence where it bends southeast and continue the descent down to Gatescarth Pass. Turn right (south) and follow the track which leads down Longsleddale back to the start at Sadgill.
Maps 
| Ordnance Survey Explorer OL7 | Sheet Map | 1:25k | BUY |
| Anquet OS Explorer OL7 | Digital Map | 1:25k | BUY |
| Ordnance Survey Digital Map Subscription | |||
| Latest Ordnance Survey Discounts | |||
Other walks nearby
| Walk 3033 | Tarn Crag & Harrop Pike from Sadgill | moderate | 5.5 miles |
| Walk 1147 | Longsleddale and Kentmere Pike | moderate | 8.0 miles |
| Walk 2488 | Shipman Knotts & Kentmere Pike | moderate | 6.2 miles |
| Walk 1320 | Shorter Kentmere Horseshoe | mod/hard | 10.5 miles |
| Walk 2652 | Photographer's Kentmere Horseshoe | mod/hard | 13.5 miles |
| Walk 1109 | Harter Fell & Nan Bield Pass | moderate | 4.5 miles |
| Walk 1269 | High Street & Kidsty Pike | moderate | 7.5 miles |
| Walk 1462 | Mardale Head horseshoe | moderate | 8.0 miles |
| Walk 1152 | The Corpse Road and Selside Pike | moderate | 6.0 miles |
| Walk 3453 | Whinfell Beacon & Borrowdale | moderate | 8.4 miles |
Recommended Books & eBooks
Great Mountain Days in the Lake District
An inspirational guidebook to 50 challenging walks on the high fells of the Lake District. The graded circular routes, between 4 and 14 miles in length, cover classic Lakeland summits like Fairfield, Scafell Pike, Great Gable and Blencathra, to the lesser-known High Spy, King's How and Brund Fell.
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Walking the Lake District Fells - Patterdale
Part of the Walking the Lake District Fells series, this guidebook covers a wide range of routes to 35 Lakeland summits that can be climbed from Ambleside, Grasmere and Patterdale and the Thirlmere and Ullswater valleys, with highlights including Helvellyn and Fairfield. Suggestions for longer ridge routes are also included.
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