Routes up
Barf routes: 1 way to the top
Thornthwaite via Beckstones GillHiking · 2.2 km one way · 366 m ascent · ~1h 5m · from Thornthwaite (Powter How car park)Moderate
Climb through Whinlatter Forest beside Beckstones Gill to the open col below Lord's Seat, then head east over heather to the top.
Near the start
From OpenStreetMap, within 2 km. Check opening times before you rely on them.
Full Thornthwaite via Beckstones Gill route guide
Summit today
Is it safe to climb Barf today?
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Cloud inversion · 7 days
The chance of standing above a sea of cloud on Barf each morning this week, from overnight temperature, humidity and low cloud below the 469m summit.
Dark sky · 7 days
How dark the sky gets over Barf each night this week, from cloud cover, moonlight and local light pollution.
Snow · 7 days
No snow is forecast at the summit in the next 7 days.
Sun today
Sunrise 07:07, sunset 16:45
9h 38m of daylight. Golden hour ends 08:00 and starts 15:52. From the summit you see the sun 07:02 to 16:50.
Nearby summits
Close to Barf
About Barf
Barf rises above the main road and the western shore of Bassenthwaite Lake, at the eastern end of the Lord's Seat group. Lord's Seat, the higher neighbour, lies 1.0 km to the west, with Broom Fell 1.9 km away in the same direction. Whinlatter Forest covers much of the ground to the south and west.
From the lake you see a bare front of scree and crag. Partway up stands the Bishop, a pinnacle of rock that local people keep painted white. A direct route climbs past the Bishop and up the scree. It is steep and loose, and most walkers prefer to come down another way.
The easier ascent starts at Thornthwaite and climbs through the forest beside Beckstones Gill to the col with Lord's Seat, then turns east to the heathery summit. Barf is a Wainwright and a Birkett, and the top gives a close view over the lake to Skiddaw.
Barf is 469 m (1,539 ft) high with 38 m of prominence. It is in Lake District N, England. OS grid reference NY214267. It is the 19th highest of the 25 summits Peakify lists in Lake District N. The nearest summits are Ullister Hill (0.9 km), Lord's Seat (1.0 km) and Broom Fell (1.9 km).
What is the Bishop of Barf?
The Bishop is a pinnacle of rock on the lower slope of Barf, painted white so you can see it from the road and the lake below.
What is the easiest way up Barf?
Start at Thornthwaite, follow the forest path up beside Beckstones Gill to the col below Lord's Seat, then walk east to the summit.
Is the direct route up Barf dangerous?
The direct line past the Bishop climbs steep, loose scree and rock. It suits confident walkers going up in dry weather, and most people avoid it as a descent.
Can you climb Barf and Lord's Seat together?
Yes. Lord's Seat is 1.0 km west of Barf, and the two make a short circuit from Thornthwaite.
How high is Barf?
Barf is 469 metres high with 38 metres of prominence.
Where is Barf?
Barf is listed in Lake District N, England.
Are there routes for Barf?
Peakify lists 1 route for Barf, including available distance, ascent, start point, and difficulty details.
Is it safe to climb Barf today?
Peakify rates each day on the summit Good, Marginal or Poor from the forecast summit wind, gusts, chance of rain and wind chill. Wind of 40 mph or gusts of 65 mph make it Poor; wind of 25 mph, gusts of 45 mph, a 60% chance of rain or a feels-like temperature of -8°C or below make it Marginal. Today's and tomorrow's ratings are at the top of this page. The rating covers the weather only: also check your route, daylight, kit and experience, and in winter whether you need an ice axe and crampons.
What weather information is shown for Barf?
The page includes cached mountain forecast context, snow outlook, dark-sky signals, cloud-inversion information, sunrise, sunset, and summit planning details where available.
Peakify is run by Sam Tyler, who has climbed Yr Wyddfa 22 times. The forecast refreshes every hour; how our forecast works.
