Home   Glossary

Skiddaw

English/Welsh

Quick Facts
This is the height of the mountain above sea level. However, on the climb, it is the ascent that matters, i.e. the sum of all the uphill parts of the route.
Altitude
931 m (3054 ft)

This is the standard notation used on Ordnance Survey Landranger maps.

Each reference consists of two letters identifying a 100,000 metre square block then three digits defining the Easting and finally the three digits defining the Northing with reference to the South West corner of the block.

NN166712 is the grid reference for the summit of Ben Nevis. Where you are given the map number ( For Ben Nevis = 41) it is acceptable to omit the two initial letters e.g. 166712. (Instructions on how to read the references are given on the OS maps).

Grid Ref.
NY26042908
An indication of this mountains height rank within its class. Where two mountains share the same height they are ordered alphabetically.
Stature
n/a
The number of ascent routes currently available on Munromagic.
Routes
2
Mountain names are usually in Gaelic, the native language of the Scottish Highlands, or have been derived from the old Scots and Norse languages. We give the most commonly accepted meaning, but accept that some of these are disputed.
Meaning
Hill with projecting cliff or rounded hill
 

The UK is covered by 204 Ordnance Survey Landranger 1:50,000 scale maps. Maps numbered 1 to 86 cover Scotland but for the highest mountains (Munros) only 23 maps are required. The name given roughly describes the area covered by the map.

OS Landranger Maps Required
  89   West Cumbria, Cockermouth & Wast Water
  90   Penrith & Keswick, Ambleside
 

A description of the characteristics of the mountain including any hazards of which you should be aware.

 Description
Skiddaw (3000ft+) , in the Lake District (England), is a steep-sided yet almost crag-free mountain. Its best feature is its stony almost level summit ridge, N-S orientated and about 600 metres long which is rounded enough to feel airy yet without exposure except under severe gale force crosswind. This ridge continues N and falls gently to Dash Beck.

At the S end of the summit the main ridge turns SE, descends to a col (804m), rises over Little Man (865m) and terminates at Lonscale Fell (715m). From the flanks of the S end of the summit a SW ridge runs over Carl Side (746m) then continues NW over Long Side (734m), and finally N forming the W slopes of Southerndale.

A broad and heavily-used track ascends from the car park for Latrigg (a viewpoint overlooking Keswick) via the slopes of the SE ridge. This reveals little of mountain scenic interest, whereas an approach from the W over Long Side is much to be preferred, and is quieter.

Hazards you may encounter on Skiddaw include
 Steep slopes on or near ascent routes.
 Stony/rocky Slopes on or near ascent routes.
 Crags within 1km of summit.
 
General Considerations
 Temperature decreases by 1degree C for every 100m of ascent.
 Wind usually increases with altitude.
 Visibility can change markedly with cloud level.
 River/Stream levels can increase markedly in one day.
A special thank you to David S Brown for his work on this and all of the England/Wales information.
Picture Gallery for Skiddaw

A selection of weather forecasts local to #GetMountain.Top_Name#.

Ordnance Survey digital maps are also available to members.

 Weather & OS Maps
Cumbrian Fells
by MWIS (PDF format)
Lake District
by Met Office
Skiddaw
by Metcheck
Skiddaw Area Map
Legend  Munro  Corbett  Graham  English/Welsh Top  Accommodation

A selection of local accommodation options who advertise with Munromagic.com.

 Where to Stay
We currently have no
sponsored accommodation listings for this area.

The summary information of one or more ascent routes that include Skiddaw.

Click on the route title to load the full content for that route.

 Routes that include Skiddaw
  Ascent Distance Time Including... Description Rating
1 840 m 9.54 km 3.5 hrs Skiddaw  Rounded ridges and dale route traversing Skiddaw, much quieter than the tourist route and with good views.  
2 740 m 9.66 km 3.5 hrs Skiddaw  The easy but very well-trodden tourist route up Skiddaw via Jenkin Hill, with a detour to visit Little Man.  
 

Pictures submitted by members on the summit of Skiddaw

 Baggers Gallery for Skiddaw

Me,Tooty & 2 guys that play for Kev's football team(forget their names) 13/07/08

© John Donnelly

Image by John Donnelly

Me and Craig at Skiddaw summit on a fantastic summer evening.

© Michael Hill

Image by Michael Hill

Me beside the panorama-identifier at the summit of Skiddaw. Had I been 15 minutes earlier I would have seen it, but the cloud just beat me!

© David S Brown

Image by David S Brown
 
The logging section stores any entries for Skiddaw in your own log. From here you can
  1. Add a route log entry that includes this mountain
  2. Write a full account of your route including photos
  3. Edit an existing log entry including uploading a GPX file or add a photo
  4. Delete your log entry
 Logging
Your Route Log
You need to be a member to have a route log.
Recently Climbed By
Graham & Joanne Bullen on 16 Nov 2023

If a member has uploaded a tracklog as part of their personal route log and opted to share it then it will be presented here.

You can view a members route overlayed on an online map or download the KMZ file for use in Google Earth.

 Shared Members Track Logs
 
Skiddaw
by Michael Hill
Skiddaw
by David S Brown
Skiddaw
by David McSporran
Skiddaw
by Jonathan Tole

Post a few words about Skiddaw or read what others have had to say.

 Comments
 
Michael Hill
wrote on
September 14, 2009
Climbed Skiddaw last June with a friend. We decided to do it on the spur of the moment and drove out to the Lakes from Durham at about 4:30pm. Arrived at 6:30pm and climbed the mountain in 3 hours, getting back as the sun set at 9:30pm. A great walk with absoluetly perfect weather - clear skies and no wind, great views over the region. I've put up my GPS log as we took a different route from either listed above; ours was the most direct route to the summit, starting at Oakfield and ascending straight up the south ridge to Carl Side. Beware - there's almost no parking available for this route!
 
 

A full written account of a climb submitted by our members.

You can prepare your own write up by first making an entry in your route log and then visiting the logging section above.

 Route Write-Ups
There are no Route Write-Ups submitted for Skiddaw
 
Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Contact Us