Mountains & hills · North West England
Barf
In or near Braithwaite.
Barf — Named summit at 469 m.

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 3 h–8 h
- Best time of year
- Late spring – early autumn (May–Oct)
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
About
Barf is a named summit in the United Kingdom. Wikidata describes it as: "Named summit at 469 m.". Coordinates: 54.6296°, -3.2181°.
Photo gallery
See it from the streetimagery from 2022
Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Bassenthwaite Lake SSSI
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: River Derwent and Tributaries SSSI
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Barf and Thornthwaite SSSI
- National Nature Reserve: BASSENTHWAITE LAKE
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Barf is a fell in the north-western Lake District in Cumbria, UK. It stands on the south-western shore of Bassenthwaite Lake. Barf is well known for a whitewashed pillar of rock on the lower slopes, the so-called "Bishop's Rock" or "Bishop of Barf". The name is thought to be a derivative of "burgh".
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
Description
On a rocky site at 700 ft and clearly visible from the Cockermouth to Keswick road, is the "Bishop of Barf", a white painted stone marking the spot where, according to local legend, the Bishop of Derry was killed falling from his horse in 1783, after drunkenly betting he could ride up the hill. Both the Bishop and his horse are said to be buried near a smaller stone, the Clerk, at the base of the hill. Sadly, the story, although imaginative, forgets that the Bishop of Derry of the time died 20 years later in Italy. However, this Bishop's colourful life no doubt inspired a tale capable of capturing the imagination. The stone was whitewashed each year by staff at the nearby Swan Hotel, until…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 54.6296, -3.2181
- District
- Cumberland
- Parish
- Above Derwent
- Postcode
- CA12 5SJ
- Parliamentary constituency
- Penrith and Solway
Sources
- osm: n8411090525 (ODbL)
- wikipedia: Barf (Lake District) (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Barf LD.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby

Barf
Natural landmarks · 0.0 km

The Bishop of Barf
Memorials & monuments · 0.5 km

The Clerk
Memorials & monuments · 0.6 km

Powter How
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Ullister Hill
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Lord's Seat
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Seat How
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Lord's Seat
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Altura North Trail
Mountain bike trails · 1.4 km

Thornthwaite Galleries
Galleries · 1.6 km

Tarbarrel Moss
Mountains & hills · 1.6 km

Broom Fell
Natural landmarks · 1.9 km
Nearby
📷 3
📷 3Memorials & monuments · North West England
The Bishop of Barf
The Bishop of Barf is a memorial in the United Kingdom.
📷 3Memorials & monuments · North West England
The Clerk
The Clerk is a memorial in the United Kingdom.
Mountains & hills · North West England
Powter How
Powter How — mountain in scotland lowlands. Elevation: 135 m.
Mountains & hills · North West England
Ullister Hill
Ullister Hill — mountain in scotland lowlands. Elevation: 525 m.
📷 3Where to eat & stay near Barf
Places to stay
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Lanefoot Farm
Lanefoot Farm — a caravan park in scotland lowlands.
Campsites · North West England
Hope Memorial Camp
Hope Memorial Camp — a campsite in scotland lowlands.
Caravan parks · North West England
Bassenthwaite Lakeside Lodges
Bassenthwaite Lakeside Lodges — a caravan park in scotland lowlands.
Caravan parks · North West England
Braithwaite Caravan and Camping Club Site
Braithwaite Caravan and Camping Club Site — a caravan park in scotland lowlands.
Caravan parks · North West England
Trafford Caravan Park
Trafford Caravan Park — a caravan park in scotland lowlands.
Places to eat & drink
Historic pubs · North West England
The Pheasant Inn
The Pheasant Inn in Scotland Lowlands, United Kingdom.
Cafés · North West England
Grange Bridge Cottage
Grange Bridge Cottage — a café in england north east.
📷 4Historic pubs · North West England
Oddfellows Arms
Oddfellows Arms — Historic pub — listed building or notable heritage status.
Historic pubs · North West England
The Travellers Rest
The Travellers Rest in England North West, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · North West England
Kings Arms Walter Willsons
Kings Arms Walter Willsons in Scotland Lowlands, United Kingdom.
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📷 3Frequently asked questions
- Where is Barf?
- Barf is in the Scottish Lowlands, United Kingdom (postcode CA12 5SJ), in the parish of Above Derwent.
- What is Barf?
- Barf — Named summit at 469 m.
- How do I get to Barf?
- Drivers can use postcode CA12 5SJ.
- Is Barf a protected site?
- Yes — Barf is part of the Bassenthwaite Lake SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the River Derwent and Tributaries SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- Is Barf free to visit?
- Yes, Barf is free to enter.
- How do I get to Barf?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode CA12 5SJ. It sits within the Penrith and Solway parliamentary constituency.