Route: Ling Fell
Area: North Western Lake District
Date of walk: 1st February 2026
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 2.5 miles
Ascent: 800 feet
Weather: Mostly overcast and dull
We’ve not visited Ling Fell for six years, too long an interval for such a pleasant, if unexciting, little fell. It’s a good destination for a short fell walk, and is usually unfrequented apart from a few locals. On the last occasion we started from the Old School, just outside Wythop Mill. However this time we had in mind that we might combine Ling Fell with Sale Fell today and so we parked in one of the roadside spaces in the lane by Brumston Bridge. Either fell can be climbed from this spot
We followed the lane uphill, turning right at the small settlement of Eskin. Just beyond here we left the lane and turned sharply uphill to start the stiff climb up the flanks of Ling Fell. We were glad to have ascended this way, as we met three walkers descending, two of whom had slipped on the steep grassy path. The path scored a bullseye by taking us directly to the summit of the fell, not without some huffing and puffing it must be said
The summit is marked by a prominent OS trig point, and the views were good if unspectacular in the dull light which prevailed today. We set off on the easy descent, making our way down to the historic Corpse Road, which contours around the lower part of Ling Fell. The road was once used to transport bodies from Wythop Valley to St Bees Priory. This brought us back to the lane near Eskin and from here we retraced our steps back to the start
The weather was rather uninspiring and so we abandoned our plan to include nearby Sale Fell in the itinerary. Click here for a route which combines the two
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
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After crossing Brumston Bridge we head up the lane near Eskin, part of the C2C cycle route
We continue along the lane and will turn left up the slopes of Ling Fell shortly
Looking back to Sale Fell, which can be included in the itinerary, though it's a separate climb and not linked to Ling Fell by a ridge
Looking across to Skiddaw at the start of the climb up to Ling Fell
Bassenthwaite Lake on the left, behind Sale Fell
After a short but strenuous pull up steep and slippery grassy slopes we arrive at the summit of Ling Fell, here looking towards the Solway Firth and Scotland
The Solway Firth again as we set off on the very gentle descent...
At this junction we join the Corpse Road, a historic road used to transport bodies from the Wythop valley to St Bees Priory
We head back towards Sale Fell, with glimpses of Bassenthwaite Lake on our left
Skiddaw again as we round the corner
Wythop Mill and Embleton on our left
We follow the Corpse Road to the line of trees ahead, before rejoining our original path and from there we retrace our steps back to the parking space, nestled at the foot of Sale Fell
