Little Round How

About Little Round How

Sitting quietly beside the popular pass of Scarth Gap, this modest rocky knoll offers a grounded perspective of the Western Fells. It serves as a rugged sentinel over the Ennerdale valley, providing a fine, low-level vantage point to admire the sheer scale of High Crag and the Pillar massif.

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Did You Know?

• •The name derives from the Old Norse 'haugr', a term commonly used throughout the Lake District for a small hill or mound. Here, it is paired with descriptive English to denote its modest size and symmetrical, dome-like profile.
• •Positioned just off the main bridleway between Buttermere and Ennerdale, the summit is a brief, rocky detour for walkers heading toward Haystacks. It serves as an excellent spot to pause and survey the intimidating scree slopes of Gamlin End on the ascent of High Crag.
• •From the top, there is a clear, plunging view down the glacial trough of Ennerdale toward the River Liza, with the massive northern face of Pillar and the jagged crest of Steeple dominating the skyline to the southwest.
• •It is classified as a Synge, appearing in Tim Synge’s guide to the hills of the Lake District. While it lacks the fame of its immediate neighbours, its inclusion in the list highlights its distinct topographic identity as more than just a shoulder of the higher ground.
• •In a landscape where names like 'Great End' and 'Crinkle Crags' promise high drama, Little Round How is refreshingly honest; it is indeed little, notably round, and exactly what you would expect a 'how' to be.