Lake District
Bakestall
674M
2210FT
About Bakestall
Bakestall serves as the northern shoulder of the Skiddaw massif, offering a quieter, more rugged approach than the main tourist paths. It is best known for its steep northern face, which provides a dramatic backdrop to the spectacular Whitewater Dash waterfalls.
Key Statistics
Rank
183rd Highest in Region
Parent Range
Northern Fells
Prominence
?
10.6m
Nearest Town
Bassenthwaite
Geology
Bakestall sits on the Kirk Stile Formation, composed mainly of soft mudstone and fine‑grained siltstone that were laid down as ancient river sediments.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NY266307
Latitude
54.6664°N
Longitude
3.1391°W
Did You Know?
- •The fell is composed primarily of Skiddaw Slates, which are among the oldest rocks in the Lake District, dating back roughly 500 million years to the Ordovician period.
- •Its northern slopes overlook the Whitewater Dash, a series of impressive cataracts where Dash Beck falls away from the high fells toward the Bassenthwaite wilderness.
- •The summit is marked by a small cairn situated on a smooth, grassy plateau that offers some of the best unobstructed views over the Solway Firth to the Scottish hills.
- •Bakestall sits directly above Skiddaw House; built in 1829 as a keeper's lodge, it is famously the most remote and highest youth hostel in England.
- •While the main Skiddaw summits can feel like a motorway, Bakestall offers a peaceful alternative, provided you enjoy the character-building experience of a relentless, calf-stretching slog directly up the fence line.