Parking
Start at the small roadside spaces by St Martin's Church in Martindale, near CA10 2NF. Parking is limited: use only clear legal spaces, and never block gates, passing places, the lane or farm access.
Overview
About Beda Fell from Martindale
A 3.8-mile loop from St Martin's Church in Martindale climbs past Winter Crag to Beda Head, follows the open ridge, then descends through Bedafell Knott to Dalehead before returning along the valley lane. The stored distance is the complete loop from the church, including the road and bridleway return. Expect heather, rough grass, rocky steps and broad Ullswater views; allow about three hours for the climb, summit pause and descent. It is a quieter, lower-key fell walk, but the approach is through narrow lanes and Martindale has no shops or public toilets. Dogs are allowed on the public route, but keep them close around livestock and red deer.
Why go
- Quiet Martindale setting with wide Ullswater views
- Compact summit loop with a satisfying ridge section
- Lower-key alternative to busier Lake District fells
Heads up
- Rough, boggy ground can slow the ridge and descent
- Narrow access lanes and very limited parking and facilities
- Short steep sections make it tougher than the mileage suggests
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Lake District map
Full mapElevation196–494 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active Lake District alerts
- ClosureChapel Stile footpath closed for retaining-wall riskPart of Footpath 543030 between Chapel Stile and Baysbrown campsite is closed because a retaining wall beside the path could collapse and material it supports could fall across the footpath.Official details
- ClosureStanley Ghyll Lower Falls footpath closed for rockfallThe section of Footpath 408037 leading towards Stanley Ghyll Lower Falls is closed because severe rockfall damage has made the path unstable and further rockfall remains a danger.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Lake District Tour Guide
Your drive to Beda Fell from Martindale, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Lake District National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Martindale: Beda Fell Ridge Walk0:00 / 0:46
“You're coming up on St Martin's Church in Martindale, the starting point for a quieter ridge walk over Beda Fell.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Lake District Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Hallin Fell from Martindale Hause
- Daffodils: Dorothy Was There Too
- Aira Force and Gowbarrow
- Patterdale: Place Fell and Arnison Crag
- 298 audio storiesacross Lake District’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Red Deer, Eurasian Otter, Osprey, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 265 trails, 89 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Wildlife
Wildlife in Lake District
81 sightingsRed DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
13 sightingsEurasian OtterMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
76 sightingsOspreyMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
51 sightingsEuropean BadgerMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
233 sightingsMute SwanMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
176 sightingsGrey HeronMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Lake District. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
