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Walks from Grange-in-Borrowdale

19 routes and 14 fells within about 5 km of Grange-in-Borrowdale, nearest first. One walk starts within 1 km of the village: the Bowder Stone, 1.16 km there and back. Each fell carries today’s conditions and the bus where there is one. Planning the trip? See the full Grange-in-Borrowdale guide for parking, buses and where to stay.

Starting in Grange-in-Borrowdale

One route starts within 1 km of the centre of Grange-in-Borrowdale in a straight line, nearer Grange-in-Borrowdale than any other village.

Effort is the size of the day, from the distance and the climb; each route’s own page grades the steepness, navigation, exposure and ground underfoot, and names the hardest.

• The Bowder Stone →Start 0.6 km away1.16 km there and back~16 m~¼–½ hModerate: navigation🏞️ Easy & familyPlannedOut and back · Park: Quay Foot Quarry, Borrowdale (NT, paid) · Bus: 78 at the startA very short stroll to Borrowdale's famous balanced boulder — the house-sized Bowder Stone, with steel steps to climb to the top. About 0.6 km each way, so roughly 1.2 km there and back, plus your time at the stone.Terrain: estimated from the map, not checked on the ground.

More walking routes within about 5 km

• Watendlath & the packhorse bridge →Start 1.8 km away10.33 km~298 m~2½–3½ hModerate effort Hard: steepnessWalked in partPark: Surprise View (NT) (paid) · Bus: 78 at the startA roughly 6.4-mile Borrowdale loop up to the hidden hamlet of Watendlath, its tarn and the much-photographed packhorse bridge, returning down the valley. A satisfying low-level half-day with one steep descent of about 33% over 250 m near the end.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest descent, about 33% over 250 m.
• Maiden Moor and High Spy →Start 1.9 km away10.16 km~653 m~3–4¼ hModerate effort Hard: steepnessPlannedPark: unnamed layby south-east of Cat Bells · Bus: 77, 910 m walk from Brandelhow Park (outside)A loop of about 10.2 km from a layby on the lane below Cat Bells, with about 650 m of climbing: up the public bridleway from Manesty to Hause Gate, south along the ridge over Maiden Moor to High Spy, then steeply down a public footpath past Nitting Haws and back along the lanes past Manesty.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained descent, about 32%.
• Castle Crag, Brund Fell & Great Crag →Start 2.6 km away14.11 km~838 m~4–5¾ hHard effort Hard: distance and steepnessWalked August 2025Park: Rosthwaite (NT, paid) · Bus: 78 at the startBorrowdale's small rough summits in one round: Castle Crag, King's How, Brund Fell and Great Crag, 14.1 km and 838 m. None is higher than 449 m, and that is not the same as easy. One pull reaches about 36% over 250 m early on, the ground between the tops is rough, and with 58 path junctions near the line it is easy to wander off in cloud.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained climb, about 31%. Terrain and navigation: graded by Lee on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 24 September 2026.
• Castle Crag from Rosthwaite →Start 2.6 km away6.02 km~254 m~1½–2¼ hEasy effort Moderate: steepness and navigationWalked in partPark: Rosthwaite (NT, paid) · Bus: 78 at the startA loop of about 6 km from Rosthwaite over Castle Crag, with about 250 m of climbing: across the River Derwent on stepping stones, north along the river, up the bridleway beside Broadslack Gill and steeply on to the top, then down to the river and back to Rosthwaite over the same stones.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained descent, about 21%.
• The Borrowdale Fells (Rosthwaite Fell round) →Start 2.7 km away13.23 km~850 m~4–5½ hHard effort Severe: steepnessPlannedPark: Rosthwaite (NT, paid) · Bus: 78 at the startA wild, little-trodden round of the rough Borrowdale fells above Rosthwaite and Stonethwaite — Bessyboot, Dovenest Top and Thornythwaite Fell — a maze of rocky knolls, hidden tarns and peat hags with huge views to the Scafells. Full of character, but pathless and boggy: a fair-weather fell day, not a wet-day plod.Terrain and navigation: our judgement from the map and the route’s record; not walked yet.
• Scope End, Hindscarth & Dale Head from Little Town →Start 2.9 km away12.08 km~757 m~3½–5 hModerate effort Severe: steepnessPlannedPark: Little Town, Newlands (paid, small) · Bus: 77, 2.7 km walk from Manesty, outside Cocklety HowA proper Newlands mountain day that most walkers drive straight past. The shapely Scope End ridge lifts you out of Little Town onto Hindscarth, then an airy walk along Hindscarth Edge carries you over to Dale Head above the head of the valley before a long descent back to the start. It's about 12 km with 760 m of ascent; the pulls are steep and the tops are big and open.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest descent, about 43% over 250 m. Hazard notes checked by Lee McCoy: Hindscarth (14 June 2026) and Dale Head (14 June 2026); they draw on Keswick Mountain Rescue Team.
• Little Dale Horseshoe →Start 2.9 km away10.77 km~793 m~3¼–4¾ hModerate effort Hard: steepness and navigationPlannedPark: Little Town, Newlands (paid, small) · Bus: 77, 2.7 km walk from Manesty, outside Cocklety HowA loop of about 10.8 km from Chapel Bridge in Newlands, round Little Dale, with about 790 m of climbing: along the lane and up High Snab Bank to Robinson, over to Hindscarth, and down the ridge over High Crags, Red Knott and Scope End.
• Walla Crag, Bleaberry Fell, High Seat, High Tove and Armboth Fell →Start 3.3 km away17.02 km~812 m~4¾–6½ hHard effort Hard: distance and steepnessWalked August 2025Park: Walla Crag car park (free) · Bus: 78 at the startThe long boggy ridge south from Keswick: five tops in 17 km with 812 m of climbing, hard for length and steepness. Beyond Bleaberry Fell the ground is wet and knolly with a faint path, and in mist it is easy to drift off line, so bring a map and compass and be ready to use them. The easy exposure grade is for the walking line. Walla Crag's summit edge is a steep, unfenced drop, so keep back from the lip. About 4¾–6½ hours.Measured from the GPX track: the distance; the steepest sustained descent, about 26%. Exposure, terrain and navigation: graded by Lee on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 24 September 2026.
• Ullscarf, Eagle Crag & Sergeant's Crag →Start 3.6 km away14.83 km~756 m~4–5¾ hHard effort Severe: steepnessWalked April 2026Park: Stonethwaite lane (layby) (free) · Bus: 78, 430 m walk from Rosthwaite, opposite Longthwaite road endA rugged ~15 km round from Stonethwaite over three Wainwrights: straight up the bold rocky nose of Eagle Crag, over Sergeant's Crag to the broad whaleback of Ullscarf, and back down Greenup Gill into the head of Borrowdale.
• The Difficult Route up Eagle Crag →Start 3.8 km away10.71 km~611 m~3–4¼ hModerate effort Severe: steepnessPlannedPark: Stonethwaite village (roadside, free) · Bus: 78, 710 m walk from Rosthwaite, opposite Longthwaite road end
• Catbells: the short way up →Start 3.8 km away5.67 km~407 m~1¾–2½ hEasy effort Hard: steepnessWalked May 2026Park: Skelgill Bank, north car park · Bus: 77 at the startThe friendliest big view in the Lakes. Under 6 km from Hawes End to the shapely little summit above Derwentwater and back — short enough for an afternoon, steep enough to feel like a proper fell, and reachable without a car by launch across the lake or, in season, the bus from Keswick.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained descent, about 31%.
• Catbells, Maiden Moor & High Spy →Start 3.8 km away12.59 km~726 m~3½–5 hModerate effort Hard: steepnessWalked May 2026Park: Skelgill Bank, north car park · Bus: 77 at the startA ridge walk above the western shore of Derwentwater: from Hawes End over Catbells and Maiden Moor to High Spy, 12.6 km and 726 m. The pull onto Catbells is short and steep, about 36% over its steepest 250 m, with rocky steps where you may want your hands, and they are slippery when wet. High Spy has steep crags on both sides, so keep to the crest in wind or cloud. The ridge path is clear in good weather, but carry a map and compass for the cloud. The reward is Derwentwater and the Newlands valley below you the whole way.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained descent, about 29%. Navigation: graded by Lee on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 24 September 2026. Hazard notes checked by Lee McCoy: Cat Bells (Catbells) (13 June 2026), Maiden Moor (14 June 2026) and High Spy (14 June 2026); they draw on Keswick Mountain Rescue Team.
• Seathwaite, Green Gable, Base Brown →Start 4 km away15.85 km~960 m~4¾–6½ hHard effort Severe: steepnessPlannedPark: Seatoller, south-east field car park (paid) · Bus: 78, 820 m walk from Seatoller, at National Trust car parkBoth Seathwaite Fell tops with Green Gable and Base Brown — four summits in 15.9 km and 960 m, rated hard for terrain, navigation and exposure and severe for steepness. About 4¾–6½ hours on properly rough ground.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained climb, about 42%. Exposure, terrain and navigation: our judgement from the map and the route’s record; not walked yet. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.
• Dale Head Hindscarth and Robinson →Start 4.8 km away17.46 km~808 m~4¾–6½ hHard effort Hard: distance and steepnessWalked July 2026One-way: finishes at Keswick · Start: Honister (NT, paid) · Bus: 77 at the startThree big Newlands tops — Dale Head, Hindscarth and Robinson — linked by a fast, airy ridge, reached by a lung-bursting pull straight off Honister Pass with no warm-up at all. A linear day rather than a round: 17.5 km and 808 m of climbing, of which the last 11.7 km is the valley walk-out to Keswick after the final summit.Hazard notes checked by Lee McCoy: Dale Head (14 June 2026), Hindscarth (14 June 2026) and Robinson (14 June 2026); they draw on Keswick Mountain Rescue Team.
• Great Gable from Honister Slate Mine →Start 4.8 km away9.61 km~721 m~3–4¼ hModerate effort Severe: steepness and navigationPlannedPark: Honister (NT, paid) · Bus: 77 at the startThe kindest way to England’s most-loved mountain. Honister starts you at 350 m. The route goes out along Moses Trod, under Gable Crag to Beck Head, climbs the steep, stony north-west ridge onto Great Gable, and comes back over Green Gable, Brandreth and Grey Knotts. Four Wainwrights, a summit war memorial and the finest view in Lakeland down into Wasdale — but the top is a broad boulder plateau, and in cloud it is one of the great navigation traps.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained climb, about 45%. Terrain and navigation: our judgement from the map and the route’s record; not walked yet.
• Honister to Keswick: over the Newlands fells →Start 4.8 km away19.62 km~1057 m~5½–7¾ hHard effort Severe: steepnessPlannedOne-way: finishes at Keswick · Start: Honister Pass (paid, slate mine) · Bus: 77 at the startA big Newlands horseshoe walked one–way from the top of Honister Pass to Keswick. You climb straight onto Dale Head, trace the broad grassy tops over Hindscarth and Robinson, drop to Newlands Hause and pick up the Knott Rigg–Ard Crags ridge, then walk out down the Newlands valley into town — five summits and a proper day out, with no car to collect.
• Haystacks →Start 4.8 km away11.21 km~792 m~3½–4¾ hModerate effort Hard: steepness and navigationWalked April 2026Park: Honister Pass (paid, slate mine) · Bus: 77 at the startFrom Honister up the old quarry tracks to Fleetwith Pike, down past Dubs Hut to the tarns and rocky knolls of Haystacks, then a late climb back over Brandreth and Grey Knotts — four Wainwrights in one round. There is a scramble to the true top of Haystacks, and a maze of paths up there that needs care in cloud.Exposure: graded by Lee on the ground. Navigation: estimated from the map, not checked on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.
• Black Star Brandreth and others →Start 4.9 km away9.29 km~629 m~2¾–4 hModerate effort Hard: steepness and navigationWalked in partPark: Honister Pass (paid, slate mine) · Bus: 77 at the startStraight up from the Honister pass — Honister Crag, Fleetwith Pike, Brandreth and Grey Knotts in 9.3 km with 629 m of climbing. Short but hard for steepness, with one stage averaging 15%. About 2¾–4 hours.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained descent, about 33%. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.

Fells within about 5 km

• Castle Crag →1.6 km away290 m~2–2½ h🚌 BusDecent · 64 · rated on 27 OctoberDry, firm underfootCastle Crag at 290m (951ft) is the lowest of all the Wainwright fells, yet one of the most dramatic — a rocky prow standing sentinel in the narrowest part of the Borrowdale gorge between Grange and Rosthwaite.
• Grange Fell (Brund Fell) →1.7 km away417 m~2–2½ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsGrange Fell's highest point, Brund Fell, is 417m (1,369ft); the rock tor Wainwright took as the summit is about 70 m to the south-west and a metre or two lower.
• Maiden Moor →1.8 km away575 m~4–5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsMaiden Moor at 575m (1,886ft) is the broad ridge south of Cat Bells on the Newlands Horseshoe, giving outstanding views of Derwent Water from its open summit plateau.
• High Spy →2.2 km away653 m~4–5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsHigh Spy at 653m (2,143ft) is the high point of the Newlands Horseshoe ridge above Maiden Moor, its summit giving excellent views of Derwent Water to the north and the Dale Head group to the south.
• Cat Bells (Catbells) →2.6 km away451 m~2½–3 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsCat Bells is one of Alfred Wainwright's great favourites, and his fondness for it shines through in The North-Western Fells — he saw it as a family fell, approachable enough for grandparents and young children to climb together, yet rewarding with shapely, sun-warmed slopes and a genuinely striking position above Derwent Water.
• Great Crag (Stonethwaite) →3.3 km away449 m~2½–3 h🚌 BusDecent · 55 · rated on 27 OctoberDryGreat Crag at 449m (1,473ft) is a small, craggy summit above Watendlath, its rocky top giving fine views of the charming hamlet and tarn below and across to Glaramara and the Borrowdale fells.
• High Seat →3.4 km away609 m~4½–5¾ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsHigh Seat at 609m (1,998ft) is the highest summit of the Bleaberry Fell–Armboth plateau above Thirlmere and Derwent Water — a broad, boggy moorland that Wainwright regarded as something of an endurance test, given the extensive wet ground.Hazard notes checked by Lee McCoy: High Seat (14 June 2026); they draw on Keswick Mountain Rescue Team.
• Dale Head →3.7 km away754 m~3½–4¼ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsDale Head at 754m (2,474ft) is the highest summit of the Newlands Horseshoe, a broad, rocky top above the head of the Newlands valley giving outstanding views of the full horseshoe circuit and south to the Borrowdale fells.
• High Tove →3.7 km away515 m~2½–3 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsHigh Tove at 515m (1,690ft) is a modest, boggy summit on the Armboth plateau between Thirlmere and Borrowdale, its open top giving views across to the Helvellyn range and north to Skiddaw.
• Hindscarth →3.8 km away727 m~3½–4½ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsHindscarth at 727m (2,385ft) is an elegant summit on the Newlands Horseshoe between Dale Head and Robinson, its pointed profile visible from the Newlands valley below.
• Bleaberry Fell →3.9 km away590 m~2½–3 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsBleaberry Fell at 590m (1,936ft) is a broad, heathery summit above the east side of Derwent Water, giving one of the finest aerial views of the lake in the whole district.
• Walla Crag →4.5 km away379 m~2–2½ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsWalla Crag at 379m (1,243ft) is the great rocky escarpment above Derwent Water, its summit giving one of the finest aerial views of the lake in the whole district.
• Armboth Fell (Armboth Fell South Top) →4.6 km away475 m~2½–3 h🚌 BusMarginal · 50 · rated on 27 OctoberDryArmboth Fell's Wainwright summit, the south top at 475m (1,558ft), is a broad, peaty top on the central plateau between Thirlmere and Watendlath, giving adequate views across to the Helvellyn range.
• Causey Pike →4.8 km away637 m~3–3¾ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsCausey Pike at 637m (2,090ft) is one of the most attractive North Western summits — a pointed, rocky knob visible from across Derwent Water that Wainwright regarded as giving one of the finest low-level views of the lake.

2 of the fells here are rated good to climb on 27 October — see live conditions →
A prediction from our daily fell score, not a guarantee — always check the mountain forecast before you go. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (opens in new tab).

Distances are straight-line from the centre of Grange-in-Borrowdale — ‘within ~5 km’ means as the crow flies, not that the walk necessarily starts there. Always plan your own route and check the bus before you travel.