High Seat from Ashness Bridge

Overview

About High Seat from Ashness Bridge

Why go

Excellent Derwent Water and Borrowdale views from the climb
A real summit without the mileage of the longer ridge circuits

Heads up

Steep upper path and two boggy sections
Small car park fills quickly and the fell is very exposed

The best part is the climb itself. Views open quickly over Derwent Water, Borrowdale and the surrounding Central Fells, then widen again from the 608 m summit. Ashness Gill gives the lower section some character, while the upper fell is open, peaty and intentionally spare. This is a proper summit walk without the mileage of the longer High Seat and Bleaberry Fell circuits, but it is more rugged than the short distance suggests.

Parkwolf’s verdictThe payoff

Map & elevation

The route

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Full map

Elevation206–597 m

TrailheadHigh Seat from Ashness Bridge54.56611, -3.12858

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Plan your hike

Before you go

Parking

Use the National Trust Ashness Bridge car park, just beyond the bridge on the Watendlath road. It is small, with around 15 spaces, and the road is narrow. Start by walking back toward the bridge; the path is beside the Bark House mountain hut, not from the summit viewpoint.

Best time to go

A clear, settled day makes the summit worthwhile, and early or late light gives Derwent Water and the surrounding ridges more shape. The upper route is exposed to wind and poor visibility. After wet weather, the boggy hollows can be the slowest part of the walk, and the lower gill is a likely place to encounter cattle. The open fell has little shelter, so bring footwear and clothing suited to a mountain route rather than a lakeside stroll.

Safety

This is open fell walking, not a surfaced nature trail. The ascent is steep and rocky; boggy patches can be unavoidable after rain, and the upper ground is exposed to wind. Visibility can drop quickly on the ridge, and route-finding matters around the summit approach. Cattle may be present near Ashness Farm. Keep dogs close and on a short lead around livestock, especially from 1 March through 31 July on open-access land.

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

See all 8 alerts

A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone — Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Lake District Tour Guide

Your drive to High Seat from Ashness Bridge, 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

Ashness Bridge and High Seat

0:00 / 1:02

“Up ahead is Ashness Bridge, a little hump-backed stone bridge with Barrow Beck rushing beneath its arch.”

Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Lake District Tour Guide.

Hiking High Seat from Ashness Bridge

The routeThis is a 3.8-mile (6.

This is a 3.8-mile (6.2 km) out-and-back from Ashness Bridge to the summit of High Seat, returning by the same route. The climb is direct but not gentle: the path rises beside Ashness Gill, reaches the open fell near Dodd, then crosses rough stone and two boggy patches before the summit trig point. Allow roughly 2 to 3 hours for the round trip, with extra time for the views and wet ground.

Access and alternativesStart from the Ashness Bridge car park and walk back toward the bridge.

Start from the Ashness Bridge car park and walk back toward the bridge. The footpath begins beside the Bark House mountain hut, then follows the gill and fence line uphill. If you want a shorter viewpoint walk, stop at Ashness Bridge; if you want a longer day, the route can be extended toward Bleaberry Fell, but that is a different and much more demanding circuit.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Lake District

All Lake District wildlife maps

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 map

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Lake District. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.