The mighty Skiddaw

Skiddaw

Height931m (3,054ft)

Prominence709m (2,326ft)

RegionNorthern Fells

Climbed4 Times

Skiddaw, the fourth-highest mountain in England, dominates the northern skyline of the Lake District. Despite its towering stature, it remains one of the simplest and most accessible mountains to climb, thanks in large part to the popular tourist track rising from the Gale Lane car park just north of Latrigg.

"Make no mistake about Skiddaw. Heed not the disparaging criticisms that have been written from time to time about this grand old mountain. It is an easy climb, yes; its slopes are smooth and grassy, yes; it has no frightful precipices, no rugged outcrops, agreed; it offers nothing of interest to rock-gymnasts, agreed. If these are failings, they must be conceded. But are they not quite minor failings? Are they failings at all?" — Wainwright 1962, Book Five

Derived from Old Cumbric, the name Skiddaw translates aptly to "shoulders"—a perfect description of the mountain's sprawling, multi-tiered profile. However, this smooth silhouette can be remarkably deceptive. Skiddaw is an immense mass that rises dramatically from near sea level, scaling over 800 vertical meters directly from the edge of Keswick to its high summit plateau in a remarkably short horizontal distance.

The trig pillar and summit shelter atop Skiddaw

The high, windswept ridge features four distinct summits. Three of these are recognized as separate tops by Birkett (North Top, Middle Top, and South Top), while the ultimate high point—High Man—is capped with an Ordnance Survey trig pillar, a brass toposcope, and a vital stone wind shelter. Thanks to its vast isolation and massive prominence, the views from the roof of the Northern Fells are far-reaching on a clear day, stretching 120 miles across the Irish Sea to Slieve Meelmore in Northern Ireland, and 105 miles north to the jagged peaks of Goat Fell on the Isle of Arran.