Place Fell and Ullswater Shore

Overview

About Place Fell and Ullswater Shore

Why go

Summit views over Ullswater and the eastern fells
Genuine loop with a waterfall and lakeshore return
Juniper, rocky fellside, and open high-ground variety

Heads up

Steep, rough ascent with boggy and indistinct ground high up
Parking in Patterdale is very limited

Round How and the summit give wide views over Ullswater, Patterdale, Glenridding, Angletarn Pikes, High Street, and the Helvellyn range. The return adds Scalehow Force, a disused quarry, and a quieter stretch of the Ullswater Way above the lake. Bracken and juniper are noticeable on the lower slopes; the summit is open grass, heather, rock, and wet ground. A clear day makes a major difference, while the high section can become a navigation exercise in cloud. For a shorter outing, the direct Place Fell ascent from Patterdale gives the summit without the full lakeshore loop.

Parkwolf’s verdictThe payoff

Map & elevation

The route

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Full map

Elevation146–652 m

TrailheadPlace Fell and Ullswater Shore54.53634, -2.93784

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Plan your hike

Before you go

Parking

Start at the Patterdale Hotel overflow car park on the A592, near the George Starkey Hut and Side Farm access. Spaces in Patterdale are limited, so do not block the village lanes, farm entrances, or hut access. The walk starts from the parking area, not from the separate Place Fell mountain listing.

Best time to go

Late spring through autumn is the most straightforward season for the full circuit. Winter snow, ice, short daylight, and saturated ground make the high plateau substantially more serious. Morning or late-afternoon light is best for the Ullswater views from the ridge; low cloud can erase the principal payoff.

Safety

The route has a steep rocky climb, a short gully scramble, loose ground, boggy plateau, and rough descents beside Low Moss Gill and Scalehow Beck. Boredale Hause is a confusing path junction, and the high plateau is difficult to navigate in cloud. Open grazing land requires close dog control, with seasonal short-lead rules 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 Place Fell and Ullswater Shore, 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

Patterdale: Place Fell and Arnison Crag

0:00 / 1:15

“Up ahead is Patterdale, a starting point for Place Fell and a mountain walk with Ullswater spread below you.”

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

Hiking Place Fell and Ullswater Shore

The routeThis is a circular 7.5-mile walk from the Patterdale Hotel area.

This is a circular 7.5-mile walk from the Patterdale Hotel area. The stored distance is the complete loop. From the start, follow the lane to Side Farm and climb by Boredale Hause, then take the gravelled path toward Round How. A short gully scramble reaches the viewpoint before the route continues to the Place Fell trig point.

How it feelsThis is a hard fell walk with about 738 metres of ascent.

This is a hard fell walk with about 738 metres of ascent. The lower paths and farm tracks give way to rough rock, steep grass, loose scree, boggy ground, and an indistinct high plateau. The hardest work is the sustained climb to the ridge and the rough descent through Low Moss Gill and Scalehow Beck. Allow roughly 4 to 5 hours with ordinary stops.

Dogs and accessDogs may use the public paths, but this is open grazing country.

Dogs may use the public paths, but this is open grazing country. Keep them under close control around livestock, and use a short lead on open-access land when the seasonal legal requirement applies. There is no dependable shelter on the fell and no reliable water supply to plan around.

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.