Skiddaw Route Information

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Skiddaw

Quick Facts

This is the summed total of all the climbing within a route and is a good indicator of the strenuousness of a route.

Total Ascent

740 m

An estimate of the time taken based on a derivation of Naismiths rules. Our calculation is based on the horizontal and ascent components of a climb, we do not make a reduction for descent.

Registered users can customise these walking times by specifying their own walking and ascending speeds. They can also add a fixed time period for stoppages.

Route Time

3.5 hrs

The horizontal distance of the route.

Route Distance

9.66 km

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.

You can click on the map name to purchase the map for £6.29 including postage which is one of the cheapest prices we have found.

OS Landranger Maps Required

89	West Cumbria, Cockermouth & Wast Water
90	Penrith & Keswick, Ambleside

Only £6.29 (£13.49 Laminated) from

A brief summary of this route.

Our summary will always contain one of easy, moderate or hard to indicate the severity of the route.

Notes

The easy but very well-trodden tourist route up Skiddaw via Jenkin Hill, with a detour to visit Little Man.

Here we provide the nearest town to the start of the route where you will find basic services.

We then give directions from that location to the route start. Your approach route may differ.

Travel Information

Head to: Keswick

From Keswick drive NW on the A591. Immediately after crossing the A66 intersection roundabout turn right on minor road, and after 1.3km turn sharp right at the Underscar Hotel onto the ‘Gate Road’. Park at the top after another 1.4km.

Route Waypoint Map

The total ascent is 740 metres. Allow 3.5 hours to complete this 9.66 km route.

Usually the shortest way to climb the mountain, making best use of tracks and paths to gain altitude. Route navigation requires map reading skills and an ability to navigate with a compass.

The information given here will enable you to annotate your map and plan your route. We do not give anecdotal descriptions on where to find the paths, worn by the feet of previous mountaineers.

Where the access routes are few or the ridge is narrow, paths are generally obvious. On open ground, following paths without using your compass may get you lost in poor visibility.

Route Information

Waypoint Detail

	Park in car park at top of the ‘Gate Road’ which climbs E from Underscar.
		NY28092532	Distance	Altitude 296 m

1	Ascend track NE to junction of paths below Howell Monument
		NY28292557	Distance 0.34 km	Altitude 309 m

2	Take left branch and ascend NNW on path
		NY27882669	Distance 1.24 km	Altitude 527 m

3	Ascend track NW over Jenkin Hill towards Little Man.
		NY27082762	Distance 1.25 km	Altitude 748 m

4	Remain on path NNW passing to the right of Little Man
		NY26802814	Distance 0.60 km	Altitude 763 m

5	Bear WNW on path
		NY26362832	Distance 0.48 km	Altitude 850 m

6	Ascend NW to gain southern end of Skiddaw’s summit ridge.
		NY26072854	Distance 0.38 km	Altitude 889 m

7	Follow gently undulating stony ridge N to highest top and trig point of Skiddaw (3000ft+)
		NY26042909	Distance 0.55 km	Altitude 931 m

8	Reverse the route to return. (You may wish to ascend Little Man to add interest to the return.)
		NY28092532	Distance 4.83 km	Altitude 296 m

A selection of weather forecasts local to this route.

Weather

Cumbrian Fells
by MWIS (PDF format)

Lake District
by Met Office

Skiddaw
by Metcheck

Images of Skiddaw

Skiddaw from the SW: seen from the Kinn ridge (during an ascent of Grisedale Pike), and showing Little Man to the right.

Image by David S Brown

Skiddaw summit.

Image by Neil MacLeod

Skiddaw seen from Atkinson Pike, Blencathra

Image by David S Brown

Approaching Skiddaw via Longside Edge, with cloud in Southerndale.

Image by David S Brown

Route Area Map

Legend

Munro

Corbett

Graham

English/Welsh Top

Accommodation

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

Where to Stay

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sponsored accommodation listings for this area.

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Disclaimer. The details provided above are an aid to planning an expedition, but all distances, altitudes and bearings must be considered approximate. You must navigate with the appropriate map, a compass, your navigation skills and common sense, MunroMagic.com accept no responsibility for your interpretation of our route information.

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