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542 m · Wainwright — Central Fells · Birketts to bag nearby, parking, buses, my hikes and live summit weather.

Blea Rigg - a dark mountain tarn cradled in green fellsides, rolling summits receding to the horizon under summer cloud
Wainwright — Central FellsAlso a Birkett

Blea Rigg

Blea Rigg at 541m (1,775ft) is a craggy, complex ridge above Easedale and Langdale, giving excellent views down into Great Langdale from its rocky summit.

542 m
Height
~2.5–3 h
Typical time
+7
Bonus Birketts
See routes & download GPX →

Home › Fells › Blea Rigg

Written and walked by Lee McCoy · Last reviewed

542 mWainwright — Central Fells✓ summit is also a Birkett+7 bonus Birketts within 3 km Care needed in cloud

Is it worth going? — Today’s conditions & 7-day summit forecast

Modelled guidance for the 542 m summit. Always check the Met Office mountain forecast and MWIS before you set off.

On the summit today (Tue 28 Jul): 15° to 14°C, gusts to 38 mph, 11.8 mm of rain forecast.

Tue 28 Jul
🌧️
15° / 14°
💨 38 mph
🌧 11.8 mm (100%)
Wed 29 Jul
🌧️
15° / 12°
💨 27 mph
🌧 5.0 mm (100%)
Thu 30 Jul
🌦️
13° / 6°
💨 28 mph
🌧 1.3 mm (78%)
Fri 31 Jul
🌤️
15° / 2°
💨 24 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (78%)
Sat 1 Aug
🌦️
15° / 4°
💨 15 mph
🌧 3.6 mm (54%)
Sun 2 Aug
🌫️
16° / 6°
💨 19 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (24%)
Mon 3 Aug
🌦️
16° / 6°
💨 12 mph
🌧 0.2 mm (23%)

Forecast snapshot from 28 Jul 2026, 04:58 UTC — refreshed nightly and updated live in your browser. Temperatures and gusts adjusted to the 542 m summit altitude via Open-Meteo. Summit conditions are always harsher than the valley — check the professional mountain forecasts before you go.

Pro mountain forecasts: MWIS · Met Office mountain forecast

About the walk

Key information

Blea Rigg

Blea Rigg - a dark mountain tarn cradled in green fellsides, rolling summits receding to the horizon under summer cloud
© Lee McCoy

Blea Rigg at 541m (1,775ft) is a craggy, complex ridge above Easedale and Langdale, giving excellent views down into Great Langdale from its rocky summit. Wainwright described it as a fell of interesting character — the rocky, undulating ridge offering varied walking with fine views at every turn. The classic traverse from Grasmere via Easedale Tarn to Langdale and back by bus is one of the recommended Wainwright routes. The views of the Langdale Pikes from the descent are particularly striking.

Routes up Blea Rigg

Hand-mapped, with GPX to download — full maps further down.

West of Grasmere
15.4 km · ~4.4 hr
Classifications & hill data
Wainwright
Central
Birkett
Fellranger
Synge
542 m
Height
1,778 ft
In feet
NY 3016 0783
Grid ref

Map & nearby Birketts

Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap (switch layers top-right). Parking positions are approximate.

Nearest parking: Stickle Ghyll / New Dungeon Ghyll (NT, paid), about 2.0 km from the summit (straight line). Full parking, toilets and bus details are below.

Birketts near Blea Rigg (within 3 km)

These Birkett tops are not Wainwright summits — detour to them on this walk and they are pure profit. Distances are straight-line; allow extra for terrain.

0.7 km ESECastle How (Raw Pike)498 m · Central
1.6 km ESESwinescar Pike411 m · Central
1.8 km NWCodale Head732 m · Central
1.8 km ESELang How414 m · Central
2.3 km WSWThorn Crag644 m · Central
2.6 km SSWSide Pike362 m · Central
2.9 km NWLow White Stones731 m · Central

Routes over Blea Rigg

West of GrasmereRevised
15.44 km · ~806 m ascent · loop · ~4–6 h
Summits: Tarn Crag (Easedale)Codale HeadSergeant ManBlea RiggSwinescar PikeSilver How

⬇️ Download GPX

Full route guide ↗

A planned line is a suggestion, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate independently and carry a map & compass.

The View from Blea Rigg

A computed 360° skyline — every visible named top labelled by distance and bearing, from the terrain model in perfect clarity, not photographed. Drag to pan; reveal the far four-nations horizon.

drag to pan · arrow keys
Computed 360-degree skyline from Blea Rigg36 labelled tops shown (4 distant behind the far-horizon toggle). Theoretical visibility in perfect clarity; computed from terrain, not photographed.eye levelNNEESESSWWNWHelvellyn · 8 kmHigh Crag · 7 kmFairfield · 7 kmBlencathra · 20 kmCrinkle Crags · 6 kmGreat Dodd · 13 kmHart Crag · 8 kmThe Old Man of Coniston · 10 kmSwirl How · 8 kmDove Crag · 8 kmThornthwaite Crag · 13 kmGrey Friar · 9 kmIll Bell · 14 kmLittle Stand · 7 kmSeat Sandal · 6 kmClough Head · 15 kmUllscarf · 4 kmPike of Blisco · 5 kmThorn Crag · 2 kmThe Forest · 23 kmSergeant Man · 2 kmHarrison Stickle · 2 kmCodale Head · 2 kmPavey Ark · 2 kmIngleborough · 55 km · clear daysWhernside · 51 km · clear daysWard's Stone · 57 km · clear daysThe Calf · 38 km · clear daysWhite Stones · 4 kmBirk Fell Man · 6 kmTop o' Selside · 16 kmWansfell Pike · 10 kmHampsfell · 30 km · clear daysGummer's How · 21 kmHolme Fell · 7 kmClaife Heights · 13 kmHelvellyn Lower Man · 8 kmDollywaggon Pike · 7 kmGavel Pike · 9 kmRed Screes · 10 kmWetherlam · 7 kmYoke · 14 kmBannerdale Crags · 22 kmCrinkle Crags South Top · 6 kmGreat Carrs · 8 kmStone Arthur · 5 kmHawk Rigg · 6 kmLang How · 2 kmHelm Crag · 3 kmYarlside · 40 km · clear daysnameless · 17 kmNewton Fell North · 25 kmWhitbarrow · 25 kmBigland Barrow · 25 kmBrant Fell · 16 kmGreat Whernside · 78 km · a rare clear dayWinter Hill · 100 km · a rare clear dayCyrn-y-Brain · 159 km · a handful of days a yearBillinge Hill · 109 km · a rare clear day
What you can see from Blea Rigg, by direction
  • North: Ullscarf (4 km), Watson's Dodd (12 km), Little Dodd (13 km), Great Dodd (13 km), Clough Head (15 km), Gategill Fell Top (20 km), Blencathra (20 km), Doddick Fell (20 km)
  • North-east: Seat Sandal (6 km), Great Rigg (6 km), Fairfield (7 km), Dollywaggon Pike (7 km), High Crag (7 km), Hart Crag (8 km), Nethermost Pike (8 km), Helvellyn (8 km), Helvellyn Lower Man (8 km), St Sunday Crag (9 km), Gavel Pike (9 km)
  • East: Dove Crag (8 km), Red Screes (10 km), Caudale Moor (11 km), Stony Cove Pike (12 km), Thornthwaite Crag (13 km), Ill Bell (14 km), Yoke (14 km)
  • South: Wetherlam (7 km), Black Sails (7 km), Swirl How (8 km), Brim Fell (10 km), The Old Man of Coniston (10 km)
  • South-west: Pike of Blisco (5 km), Cold Pike (6 km), Crinkle Crags (6 km), Shelter Crags (6 km), Crinkle Crags (6 km), Crinkle Crags (6 km), Crinkle Crags (6 km), Little Stand (7 km), Grey Friar (9 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Great Whernside (78 km, England), Winter Hill (100 km, England), Cyrn-y-Brain (159 km, Wales), Billinge Hill (109 km, England).

Computed from terrain in perfect clarity, not photographed · distances are straight-line.

Computed from Copernicus GLO-30 terrain; distant tops from the Database of British and Irish Hills (CC BY 4.0). See how we compute the view · and the summit intervisibility report below.

What you can see from Blea Rigg

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.
49Wainwrights in view+2 marginal
56 kmFurthest sightlineIngleborough
1Sea in viewMorecambe Bay
Far horizons
  • Ingleborough Yorkshire DalesSE · 56 km clear
  • Whernside Yorkshire DalesESE · 51 km clear
  • Morecambe Bay bay/estuaryS · 36 km in view
All 49 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

Tarn Crag (Easedale), Pavey Ark, Sergeant Man, Harrison Stickle, Loft Crag, Silver How, Gibson Knott, Helm Crag, Lingmoor Fell (Brown How), Steel Fell (Dead Pike - Steel Fell), Ullscarf, Pike of Blisco, Stone Arthur, Loughrigg Fell, Nab Scar, Heron Pike (Rydal), Seat Sandal, Cold Pike, Great Rigg, Crinkle Crags - Long Top (Second Crinkle), Fairfield, Dollywaggon Pike, Wetherlam, High Pike (Scandale), Black Fell, Holme Fell, Hart Crag, Great Carrs, Nethermost Pike, Dove Crag, Swirl How, Helvellyn, Grey Friar, St Sunday Crag, Red Screes, Brim Fell, The Old Man of Coniston (Coniston Old Man), Baystones (Wansfell), Stony Cove Pike (Caudale Moor), Watson's Dodd, Thornthwaite Crag, Great Dodd, Sour Howes, Ill Bell, Yoke, Sallows, Clough Head, Blencathra - Hallsfell Top, Bannerdale Crags

How Blea Rigg’s view compares with all 214 — the View Report: every Wainwright ranked by what you can see from the top.

Sightlines from a bare-earth terrain model (forests and buildings not included), corrected for the Earth’s curvature and average atmospheric refraction. “Distant” sightlines and any over 100 km depend on exceptionally clear air. Modelled from Copernicus GLO-30 open elevation data — a guide to the view, not a guarantee of any single one.

Best parking to hike Blea Rigg

Where we have the data, each parking spot also shows the nearest public toilets and facilities (cafés, pubs, shops).

Stickle Ghyll / New Dungeon Ghyll (NT, paid) — 2.0 km from summit (straight line)
Direct start up Stickle Ghyll for the Langdale Pikes.
Directions
🚺 Public toilets (640m) — Free🚺 Public toilets (770m) — Free
Old Dungeon Ghyll (NT, paid) — 2.4 km from summit (straight line)
Head of Great Langdale — Bowfell, Crinkle Crags, Pike o' Blisco, the Langdale Pikes.
Directions
🚺 Public toilets (510m) — Free🚺 Public toilets (649m) — Free🍺 Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel🍺 Sticklebarn

Positions are approximate — zoom the map to confirm. Lakeland car parks fill before 9am on fine weekends.

Tip: pan and zoom the interactive map at the top of this page to spot other potential parking near your route.

Water & shelter on the way up

On the West of Grasmere route:

🛖 map (44 m)🚌 Heaton Cooper Studio (227 m)🚌 School (266 m)🚌 Stock Lane at School (301 m)⛺ map (486 m)

On-route facilities © OpenStreetMap contributors, per route — an absent marker doesn’t mean none.

Buses to Blea Rigg from Penrith / Ambleside / Windermere

Stagecoach 516 “Langdale Rambler”
Ambleside – Skelwith Bridge – Elterwater – New Dungeon Ghyll – Old Dungeon Ghyll
Catch it from: Ambleside · Windermere (change at Ambleside)
The Langdale bus — Pikes, Bowfell, Crinkle Crags, Pike o' Blisco all walkable from the Dungeon Ghyll stops. Seasonal frequency varies; check before relying on the last bus back.

Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com or Traveline before relying on a last bus.

My hikes over Blea Rigg (Strava)

2 logged hikes pass over this summit:

Interactive route maps and photos load here for visitors with JavaScript. Data from Strava.

Hazard & Incident Information for Blea Rigg

Hazard: Moderate

A long, knotty ridge between Grasmere and Great Langdale, a tangle of rocky tops, tarns and criss-crossing paths that makes it one of the more confusing fells to navigate. The summit isn't obvious among the outcrops, the paths are poorly marked, there's a short wet rocky down-scramble, and steep crags fall toward Stickle Tarn. Langdale Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team covers this ground.

  • Confusing rocky ridge & navigation: Ridge-upon-ridge of rocky knolls, several tarns and a web of faint, poorly-marked paths make this a genuinely confusing place — it's not always obvious which outcrop is the summit. Carry a compass and a 1:25k map, and be deliberate about your line, especially in cloud.
  • Short rocky down-scramble & crags: There's a short rocky down-scramble that is often wet and slippery from the boggy fellside, and steep crags drop toward Stickle Tarn and the Langdale side. Take the rocky steps carefully and keep back from the crag edges.
  • Bog & exposure: The ridge is boggy in places and exposed; in poor weather the combination of wet rock and confusing ground is taxing. Pick a clearer day if you can, and treat it as a navigation fell in winter.
Who should attempt this fell: Blea Rigg is a fascinating but confusing ridge — its real hazard is getting lost among the knolls, tarns and unmarked paths, so carry a detailed map and compass and navigate carefully, especially in cloud. Take the wet rocky scramble steadily, keep back from the Stickle Tarn crags, and save it for good visibility where you can.

Most common causes: Navigation errors among the maze of rocky tops, tarns and paths in cloud · Slips on the wet rocky down-scramble · Walkers straying toward the crags above Stickle Tarn · Disorientation on the complex ridge in poor visibility

Local Mountain Rescue: Langdale Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team · Reviewed 14 Jun 2026

Safety: Hazard guidance compiled from published Mountain Rescue reports and well-documented accident history - editorial background, not a live feed of callouts. Always check current conditions, carry proper navigation equipment, and seek qualified instruction before heading onto the fells. In an emergency, call 999, ask for Police, then Mountain Rescue.

Report incorrect information

Navigating Blea Rigg in cloud

Care needed

A broad, gently-sloping top with little to steer by — easy to lose your bearings and hard to relocate in mist. Take care in poor visibility — carry map and compass, and know how to use them.

In winter — snow, whiteout, cornices, buried features — every top demands full winter navigation skills whatever its band, and a broad, gentle summit can be the worst place of all. See walking in bad weather and the navigation guide.

How Blea Rigg compares with all 214 — the Clag Index: navigating in cloud. A relative, deliberately cautious guide; the site can’t navigate for you.

Other fells near Blea Rigg

Maps & guidebooks for Blea Rigg

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