Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge up Whiteside East Top: route map, distance and time
719 m · Cumbria
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Lanthwaite Wood National Trust car park.
The Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge starts at about 98 m and gains 663 m over 4.0 km to 683 m on the track. The first 2 km are the easy part, averaging 3%. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 3 km, which climbs 462 m at an average of 46%, with a 500 m stretch from 2.5 km at about 61%. The final kilometre 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.
Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge at a glance
| Distance | 4.0 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 690 m |
| Climb on the track | 663 m up, 78 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 98 m to 684 m (summit 719 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 61%, from 2.5 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 31% of the way |
| Time up | 1h 55m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 2h 45m, down the same way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Lanthwaite Wood National Trust car park, CA13 0RT |
| Start grid reference | NY 148 214 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 175 221 |
| Parking | Lanthwaite Wood National Trust car park |
Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge 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 Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge 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.
Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge 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 | 118 m | +20 m | 2% | NY 155 218 |
| 2 km | 160 m | +42 m | 4% | NY 160 224 |
| 3 km | 621 m | +462 m | 46% steep | NY 166 220 |
| 4 km | 683 m | +62 m | 6% | NY 175 221 |
How long the Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 1h 35m | 2h 15m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 1h 55m | 2h 45m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 2h 25m | 3h 25m |
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 07:49, sunset 18:06. Start by 14:21 to be down before dark, allowing 2h 45m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:51, sunset 18:03. Start by 14:18 to be down before dark, allowing 2h 45m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Whiteside East Top summit weather for this route
-
Marginal Today Monday 19 October
Moderate drizzle, up to 8°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -2°C, summit wind 31 mph gusting 41 mph, 39% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:06.
-
Marginal Tomorrow Tuesday 20 October
Dense drizzle, up to 7°C at the summit, feeling as cold as 3°C, summit wind 28 mph gusting 35 mph, 99% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:51, sunset 18:03.
Best day of the next seven for the Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge: Monday 19 October, with summit gusts around 41 mph and a 39% chance of rain.
Hour-by-hour Whiteside East Top 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 -2°C on top.
- A waterproof jacket. It can rain on the tops in any forecast.
- A windproof layer, and poles for balance in gusts to 41 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 Whiteside East Top
More about Whiteside East Top, with the live forecast.
Challenges that include Whiteside East Top
More walks from Lanthwaite Wood 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.
- Lanthwaite via Gasgale Gill and Coledale Hause up Crag Hill
- Lanthwaite via Gasgale Gill and Coledale Hause up Grasmoor
- Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge up Grisedale Pike
- Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge up Hopegill Head
- Lanthwaite via Gasgale Gill and Coledale Hause up Sail
- Lanthwaite via Gasgale Gill and Coledale Hause up Wandope
- Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge up Whiteside
- Lanthwaite via Gasgale Gill and Coledale Hause up Sand Hill
- Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge up Hobcarton Crag
In an emergency
Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at NY 148 214, the summit at NY 175 221), 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.
Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge: questions and answers
How far is the Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge?
The Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge is 4.0 km one way to the summit of Whiteside East Top, with 690 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 8.0 km.
How long does the Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge take?
About 1h 55m to the summit of Whiteside East Top and 2h 45m 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 25m for the round trip.
How steep is the Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge?
The steepest 500 m averages about 61%, starting 2.5 km from the start, and 31% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. The Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge climbs 663 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for the Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge?
The Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge starts from Lanthwaite Wood National Trust car park (postcode CA13 0RT). The grid reference is NY 148 214. Lanthwaite Wood National Trust car park
Is the Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge 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.
What time should I start the Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge today?
By 14:21 at the latest. Sunset on Whiteside East Top today is 18:06, The Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge takes about 2h 45m there and back, and that leaves an hour for stops. Start earlier in winter or if the forecast turns.
Is there a GPX for the Lanthwaite via Whiteside ridge?
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.