Lake District
Lothwaite
345M
1132FT
About Lothwaite
Rising gently above the western shores of Bassenthwaite Lake, this modest Birkett offers some of the finest low-level views in the North Western Fells. Its grassy, rounded profile forms the eastern end of Sale Fell, providing a direct and rewarding outlook over the water toward the massive bulk of Skiddaw and Longside Edge.
Key Statistics
Rank
683rd Highest in Region
Parent Range
North Western Fells
Prominence
?
27m
Nearest Town
Wythop
Geology
You’re walking over layers of hardened mud and silt, cut through by tough volcanic rock that once rose from deep within the earth.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NY203296
Latitude
54.6558°N
Longitude
3.2369°W
Did You Know?
- •The name likely derives from the Old Norse 'hlath' (meaning a barn or loading place) and 'thveit' (a clearing), pointing to the fell's long history as a site for Norse-era upland farming.
- •While frequently treated as a mere shoulder of its neighbour, Sale Fell, Bill Birkett classified it as a distinct summit, arguing that its superior position overlooking the lake gave it a character entirely its own.
- •The summit offers an unhindered perspective of the Wythop Valley and the full length of Bassenthwaite Lake, specifically highlighting the steep scree-slopes of Ullock Pike and the Dodd Wood plantations opposite.
- •Below the northern slopes lies the site of the 'Old Church' of St Margaret’s; although mostly ruined now, this medieval site served the local community for centuries before a new church was built closer to the village in 1844.
- •It is one of the few summits in the Lake District where you can enjoy a genuine sense of mountain isolation while still being able to identify specific makes of cars on the A66 below.