12th December 2026 — The Whinlatter Four (Barf, Broom Fell, Lord’s Seat and Whinlatter Top)

Date: Saturday 12^th December 

Leader: Miles

Meet time: 9.15am (may want to park before then because on good days of weather the car park on Whinlatter Pass can get full up quickly)

Start time: 9.30am

Estimated finish time: 1.30pm to 2pm

Distance: 7.7 miles (12.39 kilometres)

Ascent: About 1650 feet (503 meters)

Ramblers walk grading (click here to find out what this means): C Moderate

Start point: Outside of Café Ambio (Whinlatter Forest)

What3Words: entrusted.punks.wooden

Car parking: Whinlatter Forest Car Park which is at the top of Whinlatter Pass. Along the Whinlatter Pass road there are various lay-bys with free parking within half a mile of the top of Whinlatter Pass.
(Car sharing may be possible – please contact the walk leader to arrange)

It is the responsibility of each walker to make sure they understand where to park. If you are not sure where the car parking/meeting point is, you must contact the walk leader at the latest the day before the walk. You should not rely on mobile phones or postcodes. There is often no mobile reception near walk meeting points and postcodes are for the nearest place nearby but should only serve as a guideline. Please allow plenty of time to find a parking space so that walks can start promptly.

Attending? Please register your intent to join the walk using the booking form on our website 6pm the eve of the walk.

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Summary

This will be the last walk of this year’s obscure Wainwright series of walks that I have been leading. This series goes to Wainwrights that are hard-to-get-to, unloved and obscure, and for these Whinlatter Wainwrights these count as unloved.

Description

This walk leaves Whinlatter Pass and enters Thornthwaite Forest, from there we follow various forest tracks of a gentle incline until we get to a T-junction of forest tracks close to Tarbarrel Moss. We follow the track which heads to Ullister Hill.

Now Ullister Hill (525 meters) is a heathery mound that emerges from the forest, and from this vantage point Lord’s Seat can be seen- where Lord’s Seat is the highest point in the northern Whinlatter Forest area. From Ullister Hill we take various paths that come close to Lord’s Seat but skirt around its eastern side to eventually link with the path heading towards Barf and the first Wainwright of the day. The name may be comical, but Barf (468 meters) has perhaps the best view of Bassenthwaite and the Skiddaw Range.

After Barf we head towards Lord’s Seat but then skirt around it via a path running immediately north of it to go to the next Wainwright: Broom Fell. The forest retreats and gives way to rolling grassy mountains and hill tops with full views all around. Once at Broom Fell (511 meters) we then make a true approach to Lord’s Seat- the third Wainwright of the day.

Lord’s Seat is the highest point of the walk coming in at 552 meters and it is a grassy mound which rises just above the highest pines of the Whinlatter Forest. From there one can see most of the northern half of the Lake District though I think the best views are towards the south and perhaps west.

We leave Lord’s Seat and take a path that bends around the western side of Ullister Hill, and this path becomes a forest track that goes past a great line of Scot’s Pine trees. The next hill is Tarbarrel Moss and to get there we return to the T-junction of forest tracks, though this time we follow a dirt trod that avoids the gravelly bike trail.

Pretty soon we leave the forest and come out into the moorland of Whinlatter Top and Brown How. Now Tarbarrel Moss (493 meters) is not the most impressive of vantage points, but it does clearly show the fourth and final Wainwright: Whinlatter Top.

After following various paths and trods, and after dancing and jumping over the various bits of swamp, we come at last to Whinlatter Top (525 meters). Though the views are somewhat constricted towards the north and east, one’s eye is drawn to the northern side of Grisedale Pike, or towards the west looking at Lorton, or looking east towards Keswick.

Once we have feasted upon the views of Whinlatter Top the way back is east towards the perimeter of the forest. We briefly follow a steep path down until there is a merciful exit that immediately opens into a forest track. From there it’s a very quick descent back to the start point and to Café Ambio!

If you want a steady peaceful walk, or a walk through elevated forest, or if you want to bag some easy Wainwrights- this is the walk for you.

Please check the weather and bring appropriate clothing (waterproofs and spare warm clothing), footwear and enough food and water. The leader reserves the right to turn away any walker not suitably equipped. The leader may cancel the walk or modify the route dependent on conditions.

New members

Check your walk suitability, we suggest starting with an Easy to Moderate walk. Unless the event is cancelled just turn up at the meeting point on time, and introduce yourself to the walk leader! Subscribe to our Facebook page and email list, or join our WhatsApp group to stay up-to-date!

Unsure what to pack? Check out our guide here: UK Hillwalking: Seasonal Equipment & Clothing Guide https://www.summitgood.org.uk/uk-hillwalking-seasonal-equipment-clothing-guide/

Please note the walk leader may not be in contact prior to an event; however, they may ask for more information about your walking experience. This is to ensure you have the fitness required to complete the walk that is planned safely.