Mickleden via Stake Pass up Ullscarf: route map, distance and time
723 m · Cumbria
Ullscarf is a broad, wet 723m fell between Thirlmere and Borrowdale, climbed by Wainwright baggers and by walkers crossing from Thirlmere to Stonethwaite.
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park.
Mickleden via Stake Pass starts at about 97 m and gains 796 m over 10.3 km to 718 m on the track. The first 3 km are the easy part, averaging 2%. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 4 km, which climbs 211 m at an average of 21%, with a 500 m stretch from 3.4 km at about 26%. The final 0.3 km eases to the top. About 15% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Mickleden via Stake Pass at a glance
| Distance | 10.3 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Climb on the track | 796 m up, 180 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 97 m to 752 m (summit 723 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 26%, from 3.4 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 15% of the way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park |
| Start grid reference | NY 286 061 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 291 121 |
| Parking | Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park |
Mickleden via Stake Pass 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
- Old Dungeon Ghyll Climbers Bar0.1 km
- Sticklebarn0.9 km
- Walker's Bar1.0 km
- Public toilets0.9 km
- Great Langdale Campsite0.3 km
From OpenStreetMap, within 2 km. Check opening times before you rely on them.
Download the Mickleden via Stake Pass 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.
Mickleden via Stake Pass 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 | 119 m | +22 m | 2% | NY 276 061 |
| 2 km | 129 m | +10 m | 1% | NY 268 066 |
| 3 km | 169 m | +40 m | 4% | NY 261 073 |
| 4 km | 380 m | +211 m | 21% steep | NY 259 079 |
| 5 km | 477 m | +96 m | 10% | NY 265 086 |
| 6 km | 526 m | +50 m | 5% | NY 271 090 |
| 7 km | 733 m | +206 m | 21% steep | NY 279 094 |
| 8 km | 662 m | -71 m | -7% | NY 283 102 |
| 9 km | 624 m | -38 m | -4% | NY 287 111 |
| 10 km | 702 m | +78 m | 8% | NY 291 119 |
| 10.3 km | 718 m | +16 m | 6% | NY 291 121 |
How long Mickleden via Stake Pass takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 2h 45m | 4h 30m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 3h 25m | 5h 25m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 4h 10m | 6h 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.
Ullscarf summit weather for this route
-
Marginal Today Monday 19 October
Light drizzle, up to 8°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -3°C, summit wind 30 mph gusting 38 mph, 47% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:48, sunset 18:05.
-
Marginal Tomorrow Tuesday 20 October
Slight rain, up to 8°C at the summit, feeling as cold as 1°C, summit wind 25 mph gusting 31 mph, 69% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:50, sunset 18:03.
Best day of the next seven for Mickleden via Stake Pass: Monday 19 October, with summit gusts around 38 mph and a 47% chance of rain.
Hour-by-hour Ullscarf forecast
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 -3°C on top.
- Waterproof jacket and overtrousers: 47% chance of rain.
- A windproof layer, and poles for balance in gusts to 38 mph.
- 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 Ullscarf
Ullscarf is a broad, wet 723m fell between Thirlmere and Borrowdale, climbed by Wainwright baggers and by walkers crossing from Thirlmere to Stonethwaite. More about Ullscarf, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Hewitt, Nuttall, HuMP, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- Low Saddle (656 m), 1.2 km north
- Eagle Crag (523 m), 1.6 km west
- Sergeant's Crag (571 m), 1.9 km south-west
- Sergeants Crag (571 m), 1.9 km south-west
- Calf Crag (537 m), 2 km south-east
- High Raise (763 m), 2.9 km south
Challenges that include Ullscarf
More walks from Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park
Routes in Peakify's guides that start within 500 m of this one, for another day from the same car park.
- Great Langdale via Rossett Gill up Allen Crags
- Old Dungeon Ghyll via The Band up Bowfell
- Climbers' Traverse up Bowfell
- Great Langdale via Red Tarn up Cold Pike
- Old Dungeon Ghyll via Oxendale and Red Tarn up Crinkle Crags - Long Top
- Langdale via The Band and Three Tarns up Crinkle Crags - Long Top
- Great Langdale via Rossett Gill and Esk Hause up Esk Pike
- Langdale via Rossett Ghyll and Angle Tarn up Glaramara
- Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes up Harrison Stickle
- Mickleden via Stake Pass up High Raise
- Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes up Loft Crag
- Great Langdale via Red Tarn up Pike of Blisco
Other routes up Ullscarf
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stonethwaite via Greenup Edge | 7.3 km one way | 666 m | 2h 35m | Moderate |
In an emergency
Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at NY 286 061, the summit at NY 291 121), 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.
Mickleden via Stake Pass: questions and answers
How far is Mickleden via Stake Pass?
Mickleden via Stake Pass is 10.3 km one way to the summit of Ullscarf. There and back by the same way is about 20.6 km.
How steep is Mickleden via Stake Pass?
The steepest 500 m averages about 26%, starting 3.4 km from the start, and 15% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Mickleden via Stake Pass climbs 796 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Mickleden via Stake Pass?
Mickleden via Stake Pass starts from Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park. The grid reference is NY 286 061. Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park
Is Mickleden via Stake Pass suitable for beginners?
Not as a first mountain. Peakify grades it Hard: steep, rough ground where a slip matters. Build up on an easier route first, such as Stonethwaite via Greenup Edge.
Is there a GPX for Mickleden via Stake Pass?
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.