Broad End

Situated on the high, stony plateau north of Skiddaw’s main summit, this Birkett offers a sense of space often lost on the more crowded peak nearby. It serves as a stark, exposed junction between the popular paths from Carl Side and the lonely, desolate slopes leading down toward Bakestall and Dash Falls.

• •The name is straightforwardly descriptive, marking the point where Skiddaw’s narrow southern ridge fans out into a vast, wind-scoured northern plateau before dropping away toward the Solway Plain.
• •While Alfred Wainwright omitted it from his main seven volumes, Bill Birkett identified it as a distinct peak, valuing its position as the primary transition point between Skiddaw’s summit and the wilder northern fells.
• •The summit offers a commanding view over the 'Back o' Skiddaw,' specifically looking down the length of Dead Crags toward the remote valley of Dash Beck and the pyramid-like profile of Great Calva.
• •Geologically, the area is composed of Skiddaw Slate, which has weathered into a characteristic 'shingle' of flat, grey stones that create a desolate, high-altitude desert feel across the wide summit area.
• •It is a rare spot in the Northern Fells where the terrain is so level and featureless that navigation in thick mist becomes a genuine test of compass work rather than physical climbing ability.