Round How

About Round How

Tucked onto the eastern shoulder of Sheffield Pike, this modest, rocky outcrop serves as a fine vantage point over the reaches of Ullswater. Though often bypassed for loftier neighbours, its craggy character and position above the Glencoyne valley make it a rewarding detour for those ticking off their Birkett summits.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is a straightforward combination of the English 'round' and the Old Norse 'haugr', meaning a hill or mound. This suffix is common across the Lake District, typically denoting a smaller, detached hill or a prominent outcrop on a larger fellside.
• •While Alfred Wainwright omitted it from his main seven volumes, Bill Birkett identified it as a worthy summit in its own right. It sits on the ridge between the Glencoyne and Glenridding valleys, acting as a lower, craggier sentinel to the higher massif of Sheffield Pike.
• •From the summit, the view eastward is dominated by the silver expanse of Ullswater and the steep northern face of Place Fell. Turning west, the high skyline is defined by the great 'edges' of the Helvellyn range, particularly the sprawling slopes of Raise and Stybarrow Dodd.
• •The hill's name promises a certain geometric simplicity that the terrain rarely delivers, as the ground between the summit and Nick Head is frequently a confusing mix of hidden peat hags and waist-high summer bracken.