Keswick via Jenkin Hill up Skiddaw: route map, distance and time
930 m · Lake District
Skiddaw is the broad slate mountain above Keswick, a long-standing tourist climb with a well-worn path from Latrigg and a sharper ridge over Ullock Pike.
A broad path climbs the steep side of Jenkin Hill, then runs north past Skiddaw Little Man to the summit ridge.
Keswick via Jenkin Hill starts at about 294 m and gains 611 m over 4.9 km to 910 m on the track. The first kilometre climbs 104 m. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 2 km, which climbs 258 m at an average of 26%. The final 0.9 km eases to the top. About 31% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Keswick via Jenkin Hill at a glance
| Distance | 4.9 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 640 m |
| Climb on the track | 611 m up, 0 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 295 m to 910 m (summit 930 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 28%, from 0.9 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 31% of the way |
| Time up | 2h 5m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 3h 0m, down the same way |
| Grade | Moderate |
| Start | Gale Road / Latrigg car park, CA12 4PH |
| Start grid reference | NY 280 253 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 260 290 |
| Parking | Gale Road / Latrigg car park |
Keswick via Jenkin Hill map
The track from the start (green) to the summit (blue), with a marker at each kilometre.
Height profile and getting to the start
Near the start
From OpenStreetMap, within 2 km. Check opening times before you rely on them.
Download the Keswick via Jenkin Hill GPX
Ascent only: plan your way down. A planning track, not checked on the ground; it doesn't show safe scrambling moves. Track data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), heights from a terrain model.
Keswick via Jenkin Hill kilometre by kilometre
Height, climb and average gradient for each kilometre of the track, with a grid reference at the end of each one to check your position on the map.
| At | Height | Climb | Gradient | Grid ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 398 m | +104 m | 10% | NY 280 261 |
| 2 km | 656 m | +258 m | 26% steep | NY 276 269 |
| 3 km | 748 m | +92 m | 9% | NY 270 276 |
| 4 km | 847 m | +99 m | 10% | NY 263 283 |
| 4.9 km | 910 m | +63 m | 7% | NY 260 290 |
How long Keswick via Jenkin Hill takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 1h 40m | 2h 30m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 2h 5m | 3h 0m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 2h 30m | 3h 45m |
Times leave out stops. Coming down the same way, the table counts the ascent once; steep descents on rough ground can be as slow as the climb.
- Today: sunrise 07:47, sunset 18:07. Start by 14:07 to be down before dark, allowing 3h 0m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:05. Start by 14:05 to be down before dark, allowing 3h 0m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Skiddaw summit weather for this route
-
Good Today Sunday 18 October
Mainly clear, up to 5°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -7°C, summit wind 16 mph gusting 22 mph, 0% chance of rain. Rated Good. Sunrise 07:47, sunset 18:07.
-
Poor Tomorrow Monday 19 October
Moderate drizzle, up to 8°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -3°C, summit wind 42 mph gusting 53 mph, 28% chance of rain. Rated Poor. Sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:05.
Best day of the next seven for Keswick via Jenkin Hill: Sunday 18 October, with summit gusts around 22 mph and a 0% chance of rain.
Cloud inversion tomorrow morning: 24% (Low), best around 05:00. 7-day inversion outlook.
Hour-by-hour Skiddaw forecast · 14-day forecast · Is it safe to climb Skiddaw?
Before you go, also check: MWIS Lake District forecast · Met Office mountain forecast · Weatherline fell top conditions.
What to take today
- An insulated jacket, hat and warm gloves: it feels like -7°C on top.
- A waterproof jacket. It can rain on the tops in any forecast.
- Microspikes for icy paths. In snow, an ice axe and crampons and the skills to use them.
- Map and compass, and the skills to use them. A phone is a backup, not a plan.
- A head torch, food, water, a charged phone and a small first aid kit.
About Skiddaw
Skiddaw is the broad slate mountain above Keswick, a long-standing tourist climb with a well-worn path from Latrigg and a sharper ridge over Ullock Pike. More about Skiddaw, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Furth, Hewitt, Nuttall, Marilyn, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- Carl Side (747 m), 1.1 km south-west
- Long Side (734 m), 1.3 km south-west
- Skiddaw Little Man (865 m), 1.4 km south-east
- Ullock Pike (690 m), 1.6 km west
- Sale How (666 m), 1.6 km east
- Bakestall (674 m), 1.8 km north
Challenges that include Skiddaw
- Lake District 3000ers · 4
- Bob Graham Round · 42
- Furths · 34
- Hewitts · 523
- Nuttalls · 442
- Wainwrights · 214
- Marilyns · 1,555
More walks from Gale Road / Latrigg car park
Routes in Peakify's guides that start within 500 m of this one, for another day from the same car park.
- Gale Road via the Skiddaw summit ridge up Bakestall
- Gale Road car park up Latrigg
- Gale Road via Jenkin Hill walking paths up Lonscale Fell
- Gale Road via Jenkin Hill walking paths up Skiddaw Little Man
- Gale Road via Jenkin Hill walking paths up Sale How
Other routes up Skiddaw
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ullock Pike ridge | 6.3 km one way | 850 m | 2h 40m | Moderate |
In an emergency
Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at NY 280 253, the summit at NY 260 290), what happened and how many are in your group. If you have no signal for a call, a text to 999 works once you have registered your phone with emergencySMS: text "register" to 999 before you go.
Keswick via Jenkin Hill: questions and answers
How far is Keswick via Jenkin Hill?
Keswick via Jenkin Hill is 4.9 km one way to the summit of Skiddaw, with 640 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 9.8 km.
How long does Keswick via Jenkin Hill take?
About 2h 5m to the summit of Skiddaw and 3h 0m there and back by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops. A relaxed group takes nearer 3h 45m for the round trip.
How steep is Keswick via Jenkin Hill?
The steepest 500 m averages about 28%, starting 0.9 km from the start, and 31% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Keswick via Jenkin Hill climbs 611 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Keswick via Jenkin Hill?
Keswick via Jenkin Hill starts from Gale Road / Latrigg car park (postcode CA12 4PH). The grid reference is NY 280 253. Gale Road / Latrigg car park
Is Keswick via Jenkin Hill suitable for beginners?
Yes, for fit walkers on a clear day. Peakify grades it Moderate: a long climb on a made path, but the top is high, exposed and colder than the start. Turn back if the cloud comes down and you can't navigate.
What time should I start Keswick via Jenkin Hill today?
By 14:07 at the latest. Sunset on Skiddaw today is 18:07, Keswick via Jenkin Hill takes about 3h 0m there and back, and that leaves an hour for stops. Start earlier in winter or if the forecast turns.
Is there a GPX for Keswick via Jenkin Hill?
Yes. Download it from this page. It is an ascent-only planning track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths and not checked on the ground.