Lake District
Kinniside
375M
1230FT
About Kinniside
Rising gently above Ennerdale Bridge, this grassy Birkett serves as an accessible introduction to the Lake District’s western fringe. Its moorland slopes are straightforward to navigate, rewarding walkers with a panoramic perspective of the Ennerdale valley and the dramatic, craggy silhouettes of the High Stile range to the east.
Key Statistics
Rank
639th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Western Fells
Prominence
?
16m
Nearest Town
Ennerdale and Kinniside
Geology
The ground here is built from mudstone and sandstone. These rocks belong to the Buttermere and Latterbarrow formations, forming the solid foundation of your hike.
Find It
Latitude
54.4916°N
Longitude
3.4243°W
Did You Know?
- •The name Kinniside is thought to derive from the Old English personal name Cynegils, combined with 'side' or 'slope', reflecting the early Saxon settlement of these western fringes of the Lake District.
- •While overlooked by Alfred Wainwright, the hill is championed by authors Bill Birkett and Tim Synge, who both recognised its value as a vantage point for watching the weather roll in from the Irish Sea.
- •On the lower moorland slopes to the west lies the Kinniside Stone Circle, a Bronze Age monument that was partially reconstructed in the 18th century after being disturbed by local farmers.
- •From the summit, you gain an unobstructed view of the 'back side' of the Ennerdale fells, specifically the rugged northern faces of Pillar, Steeple, and the Scoat Fell ridge.
- •The fell acts as a natural windbreak for the village of Ennerdale Bridge, though 'natural windbreak' in West Cumbria is a relative term that still involves a significant amount of horizontal rain.