Dale Head

Written and walked by Lee McCoy · Summited July 2026

Home › Fells › Dale Head

754 mWainwright — North Western Fells+4 bonus Birketts within 3 km Fewer traps in Clag

Dale 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.

Summit conditions on Dale Head

On the summit on Tuesday 27 October: 11° to 4°C, gusts to 62 mph, 11.7 mm of rain forecast over the whole day, midnight to midnight.

Against our lines, Tuesday 27 October: wind, cold and cloud from the Met Office UKV 2 km model (daylight hours, as in the verdict above); rain from the summit line’s forecast (the whole day). A tile is large when this top is past its line.

Wind on the top

Past the line

66 mph, our estimate for the open top in the worst daylight hour

The Met Office 2 km model’s gust of 53 mph times our exposure factor of 1.24. The summit line above gives Open-Meteo’s highest gust for the whole day, 62 mph, before any exposure factor.

The line Our line: 25 mph, where our wind Scale begins its 25–35 band: “balance affected; buffeting on exposed ground”. MWIS (opens in new tab) describes what wind does to a walker across a range rather than at a line: from about 20–25 mph it starts to affect your balance.

Estimated: it is not calibrated against summit readings, and the two forecasts can disagree by more than a band.

Rain, and the becks

Past the line

11.7 mm of rain over the whole day, midnight to midnight

The same figure as the summit line above and the 7-day forecast.

The line Our line: 6 mm in the day, where our scorer counts a day as soaking. We read rainfall, never river levels: becks in spate.

Open-Meteo’s forecast. It says nothing about rain already in the ground.

Also checked cold: feels like 0 °C, no ice or snow forecast; cloud: a clear-top reading of 40 out of 100, over our in-cloud line of 20. Under a line is not the same as fine: it means only that these figures are under the lines we use.

Not in these tiles Lightning, river levels, snow or ice already lying, and the ground under your feet. A tile cannot see them, so an empty space here never means they are absent.

Snow figures with a second opinion: Powered by Met Office data

Full 7-day summit forecast ↓

Wainwrights are scored for walking conditions each morning from the Met Office’s UK forecast model, read for each summit through Open-Meteo; the forecast figures are Open-Meteo’s, worked out for the summit’s height. How we check →

Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (opens in new tab)

Routes up Dale Head

Choose the way up before the car park: these three routes start from three places, and the last two rows give the parking and bus at each route’s own start. Full maps further down.

Compared	Scope End, Hindscarth & Dale Head from Little Town	Dale Head Hindscarth and Robinson	Honister to Keswick: over the Newlands fells
Starts from	Chapel Bridge Car Park	Honister (NT, paid)	Honister Slate Mine
Distance and climb	12.08 km, 757 m of climb	17.46 km, 808 m of climb	19.62 km, 1,057 m of climb
Time, fast to steady	~3½–5 h	~4¾–6½ h	~5½–7¾ h
Scrambling	Hands for a few steps: short awkward scrambles on the lower Scope End ridge (km 3.6–4.7). Hindscarth: The lower ridge is craggy with short awkward scrambles, and higher up the path runs along a narrow, airy terrace close to the steep western edge above High Crags.	Hands for a few steps: short steps on the pull up Robinson and a rock step just below its top (about km 5.8).	Not mentioned in the route’s notes
Exposure	Not assessed	Not assessed	Not assessed
Navigation	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate
Steepest stretch	Descent of about 37% at 6.8 km (Severe)	Descent of about 27% at 6.8 km (Hard)	Descent of about 38% at 6.1 km (Severe)
After the summit	No further tops	Over Hindscarth and Robinson	Over Hindscarth, Robinson, Ill Crag (Newlands) (Knott Rigg North Top) and Ard Crags
Walked or planned	Planned: drawn, not yet walked	Walked by Lee, July 2026	Planned: drawn, not yet walked
Car park at the start	Little Town, Newlands (paid, small)	Honister (NT, paid)	Honister Pass (paid, slate mine)
Bus to the start	77, 2.7 km walk from Manesty, outside Cocklety How. Seasonal: the 77 does not run all year. 1 November 2026 is its last day.	77 at the start. Seasonal: the 77 does not run all year. 1 November 2026 is its last day.	77 at the start. Seasonal: the 77 does not run all year. 1 November 2026 is its last day.

Times run from fast to steady pace (Naismith’s rule). Scrambling quotes each route’s own notes; “not mentioned” means they do not say, not that the ground has none. Each route’s page has its map, stages and GPX.

Distance, climb and the steepest stretch are measured from each route’s GPX track; the other grades are set on the ground, judged from the map or estimated from OpenStreetMap, and each route page says which. How we check →

Is Dale Head hard to climb?

It is a fell of two faces. The southern side is gentle grass, with a fence beside the path for much of the way up from Honister, which makes it one of the easier 750 m fells to get up. The northern front ends abruptly in the steep cliffs of Dalehead Crags above Newlands, and there is no gradual warning as you approach that edge.

Our round from Little Town over Scope End and Hindscarth is 12.1 km with 757 m of ascent, rated Severe overall for its steepness. Our linear route from Honister over Dale Head, Hindscarth and Robinson is 17.5 km and 808 m and finishes in Keswick, so you need a way back to the start. The summit cairn sits close to the drop — enjoy the view from it, and in cloud slow down on the final approach and keep a bearing so you stop short of the northern edge.

How we check →

Conditions and 7-day summit forecast

Modelled for the 754 m summit (Open-Meteo). Check the Met Office mountain forecast and MWIS before you set off.

Full 7-day forecast

Tue 27 Oct

11° / 4°

62 mph

11.7 mm (100%)

Wed 28 Oct

8° / 5°

47 mph

10.2 mm (100%)

Thu 29 Oct

8° / 6°

25 mph

0.5 mm (26%)

Fri 30 Oct

8° / 5°

25 mph

0.0 mm (31%)

Sat 31 Oct

9° / 0°

8 mph

0.0 mm (25%)

Sun 1 Nov

7° / 0°

5 mph

0.0 mm (12%)

Mon 2 Nov

6° / 1°

17 mph

0.0 mm (0%)

Taken 27 October 2026, 08:13 UTC; the live forecast replaces it when it loads. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (opens in new tab)

Pro mountain forecasts: MWIS · Met Office mountain forecast

Parking & buses for Dale Head

Parking

Route starts first, then the car parks nearest the summit, which are not always a way up.

Little Town, Newlands (paid, small) — 0.1 km from the start of Scope End, Hindscarth & Dale Head from Little Town (straight line)

Newlands valley — Catbells, Maiden Moor, Hindscarth, Robinson.

Directions Something changed here?

Honister (NT, paid) — at the start of Dale Head Hindscarth and Robinson

Walking base for Great Gable, Green Gable, Brandreth and Grey Knotts — the 'Great Gable from Honister Slate Mine' route starts 61 m away. Also serves 'Haystacks'. Paid National Trust car park - the prices we used to show here came from an aggregator rather than the Trust, so we no longer publish a figure; check the machine on arrival, and members should bring their card (National Trust car-park list, checked August 2026). The machine takes cards, and National Trust members park free on production of their membership card (Lee McCoy, local observation, recorded 12 August 2026).

Directions Something changed here?

Honister Pass (paid, slate mine) — 0.1 km from the start of Honister to Keswick: over the Newlands fells (straight line)

Paid parking at the top of the pass — Dale Head, Fleetwith Pike, Grey Knotts with minimal ascent. This is the slate mine's own car park, the WESTERN one; the National Trust car park 170 m east is a separate one. Fees: Day parking GBP 5 per day for visitors; free for all Honister activity guests (honister.com/your-visit/). Overnight parking GBP 15 a night in the large bottom car park, open to campervans, motorhomes and vans, no tent camping, no facilities, no electric hook-ups; book online or pay by QR code on arrival and display confirmation on the dashboard (honister.com/your-visit/overnight-parking) (operator, checked August 2026). You pay by card, inside the building, not at a machine in the car park. The posted opening is 9am but it is often later; the mine is content for you to arrive before it and pay on the way out, and the car park is covered by cameras (Lee McCoy, local observation, recorded 12 August 2026). Pay and display (LDNPA, checked August 2026).

Typically full before 10:00 on fine weekends, Apr-Oct — Lee McCoy, local observation, 9 August 2026.

Directions Something changed here?

If it is full: Seatoller (NT, paid) (2.4 km, 259 m up)

Public toilets (~136 m straight line) — Free Sky Hi Cafe

3 more places to park near Dale Head

Honister Crag (layby) — 1.4 km from summit (straight line)

Nearest fells: Honister Crag (Black Star) (0.7 km), Fleetwith Pike (0.8 km), Dale Head (1.4 km). Free (OSM-tagged). Unpaved surface (OSM-tagged).

Directions Something changed here?

Grey Knotts car park — 1.9 km from summit (straight line)

On the Borrowdale side of Honister Pass: the 'Dale Head Hindscarth and Robinson' route starts 529 m away and 'Great Gable from Honister Slate Mine' 571 m, both at the top. Fee not verified — check signage on arrival.

Directions Something changed here?

Fleetwith Pike (layby) — 2.3 km from summit (straight line)

On the Honister Pass road (B5289), about 610 m east of the Gatesgarth Farm car park. The nearest route start is 'Fleetwith Edge and Haystacks', at the Gatesgarth Farm car park, about 0.6 km west in a straight line. Free (OSM-tagged). Unpaved surface (OSM-tagged).

Directions Something changed here?

Positions are approximate.

Vehicles are left at their owner’s risk: we list places people park and cannot vouch for any of them. Take valuables with you and leave nothing on show.

Buses

The 77 stops at Honister Youth Hostel (near), a 90 m walk from the start of Dale Head Hindscarth and Robinson — a route we rate Hard overall (hardest: distance and steepness). Seasonal: the 77 does not run all year. 1 November 2026 is its last day. It returns on 22 March 2027. Confirmed with the operator: its last day on 29 August 2026, its return on 16 October 2026. The last bus is 18:33 towards Keswick (77), every day. Checked against the operator’s timetable, 12 September 2026; that timetable runs to 1 November 2026. Times here are a guide, not a promise — leave yourself more than the minute.

Stagecoach 77 / 77A “Honister Rambler”

Keswick – Portinscale – Hawes End (Catbells) – Grange – Seatoller – Honister Pass – Buttermere – Lorton – Whinlatter – Keswick (circular)

Catch it from: Keswick (connect via 555 from Windermere/Ambleside or X4/X5 from Penrith)

Seasonal (Summer 2026 timetable: 23 March to 1 November 2026). Brilliant for the North Western fells: Catbells, Dale Head from Honister, the Buttermere fells and Whinlatter.

Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com (opens in new tab) or Traveline before relying on a last bus.

Getting there across the Lake District: Buses · Parking map · By train · By boat

Hazards on Dale Head

Hazard & Incident Information for Dale Head

Checked by Lee McCoy, 14 June 2026. Draws on published material from Keswick Mountain Rescue Team. Editorial background, not a live callout feed.

Hazard: Moderate

A fell of two faces above Honister: gentle, fence-guided grass on its southern side, but a northern front that ends abruptly in the steep cliffs of Dalehead Crags, plunging into the head of the Newlands valley. The famous summit cairn stands close to that sudden edge — superb in clear weather, dangerous to wander toward in cloud or wind. Keswick Mountain Rescue Team covers this ground.

The northern edge / Dalehead Crags (by the summit): The easy southern slope ends suddenly right at the top, where the ground drops away in crags to Newlands. The cairn sits near this brink. In mist or strong wind it is dangerously easy to step toward the edge — keep well back and don't approach the rim for the view in poor visibility.
The steep eastern path past Dalehead Crags: The well-built path from Dalehead Tarn climbs steeply and skirts beneath/around Dalehead Crags. Steep and rough in places; take care, especially on descent and when wet.
Navigation toward the edge in cloud: Coming up the gentle southern fence line you arrive near the top of the crags almost without warning. In cloud, slow down on the final approach and keep a bearing so you stop short of the northern edge.

Who should attempt this fell: Dale Head is one of the easiest big-fell ascents from Honister in good weather, but its danger is the suddenness of the northern edge: the gentle grass gives way to the Dalehead Crags right at the cairn. Keep well back from the rim, and in cloud slow down and navigate by compass on the final approach so you don't overshoot. Treat the corniced edge as serious in winter.

What to watch for: Falls over the abrupt northern edge / Dalehead Crags near the summit · Slips on the steep eastern path by Dalehead Crags · Walking toward the crag edge in mist or wind · Cornices and ice on the northern edge in winter

Local Mountain Rescue: Keswick Mountain Rescue Team (opens in new tab)

Safety: 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 (opens in new tab)

A note on Newlands Beck

Newlands Beck runs below the old Goldscope mine and carries mine-derived zinc — enough to matter for river life. In Environment Agency samples taken near our route Scope End, Hindscarth & Dale Head from Little Town between 2010 and 2011, the typical lead level was below the drinking limit, but individual samples were above it. That is a record of past sampling, not a test of the water today. Treat any hill water before drinking (an ordinary hiking filter won’t remove dissolved metals); don’t single this beck out as a clean fill-up.

What’s actually in this beck — we mapped every mine-fed one →

Metal-mine water data © Environment Agency (Open Government Licence v3.0).

Navigating in cloud

Fewer traps in cloud

Of the three things our terrain model measures, the highest reading here is the amount of walkable ground near the summit that lies close to steep ground or crag. This top is in the lowest of the index’s four bands, and a low band never means “safe”: 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 Dale Head compares with all 214: the Clag Index (experimental).

If you need Mountain Rescue

Dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Police, then Mountain Rescue.

Before you call, have ready: where you are (a grid reference if you can – the OS Locate app shows yours on your phone), what has happened, how many of you there are, and your mobile number.

Then stay where you are until the rescue team contacts you.

If you cannot make a voice call because of a hearing or speech impairment, emergency SMS works only if you have registered first: text “register” to 999.

From Mountain Rescue England and Wales’s guidance on calling them out (opens in new tab) (read 26 October 2026).

Map, GPX and nearby Birketts

Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap, with SRTM elevation data (switch layers top-right).

Parking, toilets and buses: Parking & buses ↑.

Birketts within 3 km of Dale Head

These Birkett tops are not Wainwright summits. Distances are straight lines: check the ground and access on a map before adding one.

1.6 km SWHonister Crag (Black Star)634 m · Western

2.2 km NNWHigh Crags (Newlands)529 m · North Western

2.6 km NRed Knott452 m · North Western

3.0 km NScope End412 m · North Western

Routes over Dale Head

Dale Head Hindscarth and Robinson

Summits: Dale HeadHindscarth Robinson

Download GPX Walked by Lee, July 2026

Warnings: Dale Head: The easy southern slope ends suddenly right at the top, where the ground drops away in crags to Newlands. The cairn sits near this brink. In mist or strong wind it is dangerously easy to step toward the edge — keep well back and don't approach the rim for the view in poor visibility.

From the hazard notes for Dale Head, each with its sources.

Route guide: Dale Head Hindscarth and Robinson →

Honister to Keswick: over the Newlands fells

Summits: Dale HeadHindscarth Robinson Ill Crag (Newlands) (Knott Rigg North Top)Ard Crags

Because it finishes in a different valley from where it starts, this one suits a car–free day: the seasonal Honister Rambler (the 77 / 77A) sets you down at Honister Hause and you walk back into Keswick for the bus home. From Penrith it’s the X4 / X5 to Keswick, then the Rambler up to Honister. Check the last bus before you set off — the walk’s long tail down the Newlands valley eats time when legs are tired.

Download GPX Planned route · not yet walked

Best season: Late spring to autumn, in clear conditions. The steep descent off Robinson to Newlands Hause is rough and slippery when wet, and the broad grassy tops need a compass in mist; in full winter it’s a serious outing.

Warnings: The descent off Robinson to Newlands Hause is the crux — steep, eroded and grassy (around a 40–45% pull), and slippery when wet. Take the walkers’ line and keep away from the crags; cross the Buttermere road with care at the bottom. A long day — nearly 20 km and about 1,035 m of ascent over six tops, with a further long walk–out down the valley at the end. Carry map, compass, food and water, and start early. The high ridge from Dale Head over Hindscarth and Robinson is broad and grassy — easy to drift off line in cloud, so navigate on a bearing between the tops. It’s a linear route: fix your return transport (and the last bus time) before you leave, as there’s no loop back to the start. Dale Head: The easy southern slope ends suddenly right at the top, where the ground drops away in crags to Newlands. The cairn sits near this brink. In mist or strong wind it is dangerously easy to step toward the edge — keep well back and don't approach the rim for the view in poor visibility.

From the hazard notes for Dale Head, each with its sources.

Route guide: Honister to Keswick: over the Newlands fells →

Scope End, Hindscarth & Dale Head from Little Town

Summits: Scope End Red Knott High Crags (Newlands)HindscarthDale Head

Little Town sits right under Cat Bells, so Newlands catches the overspill from the honeypot next door — but almost everyone stops at Cat Bells. Start up Scope End instead and the crowds thin out within ten minutes. Roadside parking in Newlands is very limited, so arrive early or you'll end up driving back out.

Download GPX Planned route · not yet walked

Best season: All year for confident hillwalkers. The steep grass of Scope End and the descent off Dale Head turn greasy after rain and are genuinely treacherous under frost or snow — in winter conditions treat this as a route needing an ice axe, crampons and the skill to use them.

Warnings: The descent off Dale Head is sustained and steep (around 43% at its worst) — take it slowly, and expect hard, slow going in the wet. Scope End's nose and the long descent off Dale Head are steep grass and scree: slippery after rain and hazardous in frost or snow. Hindscarth and Dale Head are broad, grassy, near-featureless tops — in cloud, take a compass bearing off each summit before setting off. Dale Head drops away in crags on its Newlands (north) face; in poor visibility be sure you've picked up the correct descent line and don't drift onto the steep ground. Hindscarth: The lower ridge is craggy with short awkward scrambles, and higher up the path runs along a narrow, airy terrace close to the steep western edge above High Crags. It gets greasy and slippery when wet. Keep to the crest where the terrace feels exposed, and save it for dry conditions if you're unsure.

From the hazard notes for Hindscarth, each with its sources.

Route guide: Scope End, Hindscarth & Dale Head from Little Town →

Every line here is a guide, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate for yourself and carry a map and compass. How to use this guide.

On the hill: terrain and water on Dale Head

Water & shelter on the way up

On the Dale Head Hindscarth and Robinson route:

Keswick Bus Stn Stand 1 (19 m from the start or finish, straight line) Keswick Bus Stn Stand 2 (33 m from the start or finish, straight line) Keswick Bus Stn Stand 3 (38 m from the start or finish, straight line) Keswick Bus Stn Stand 4 (45 m from the start or finish, straight line) Honister Pass YHA (16 m from the start or finish, straight line) Keswick YHA (411 m from the start or finish, straight line)

On the Honister to Keswick: over the Newlands fells route:

Keswick Bus Stn Stand 1 (16 m from the start or finish, straight line) Keswick Bus Stn Stand 2 (25 m from the start or finish, straight line) Keswick Bus Stn Stand 3 (29 m from the start or finish, straight line) Keswick Bus Stn Stand 4 (35 m from the start or finish, straight line) Honister Pass YHA (89 m from the start or finish, straight line) Keswick YHA (422 m from the start or finish, straight line)

On the Scope End, Hindscarth & Dale Head from Little Town route:

shelter (mapped, not checked; 6 m off the line)

About Dale Head

Wainwright described the view back along the horseshoe ridge from Dale Head's summit as among the most satisfying in the North Western Fells. The ascent from Honister via the ridge is excellent, as is the longer approach from Newlands via the direct ridge. Combined with High Spy and Maiden Moor for the upper section of the horseshoe.

Field notes

I did this one from Honister on an exceptionally hot July 2026 day during the various heatwaves, and it wasn't too challenging that way. It was mostly benign, and the path up is easy to follow. There is a dominant cairn and a series of fine views - to High Spy and down the Newlands valley, or across to Hindscarth. It may be too early for a major rest if you're coming from the south, but it's a good spot. If you're doing the Newlands Round this is probably the place to rest up in good weather, seeing as it's a bit of a pull up from High Spy.

— Lee McCoy, who walked it on our Dale Head Hindscarth and Robinson route in July 2026

My Strava hikes over Dale Head

1 logged hike pass over this summit:

Dale Head Hindscarth and Robinson (opens in new tab) — 17.3 km · 743 m ascent · 4h 14m moving · 11 July 2026

Data from Strava.

Classifications & hill data

Is Dale Head a Wainwright?

Dale Head is a Wainwright. It is also on the Birkett list, the Synge list, the Nuttall list, the Fellranger list, the Marilyn list and the Hewitt list.

Selected lists

754 m

Height

2,474 ft

In feet

NY 2228 1532

Grid ref

This is the summit’s grid reference. If you call from anywhere else, give your own position, not this one.

The summit is also a Birkett.

Lists, height and summit position from the Database of British and Irish Hills; the feet are converted from its metres and the grid reference from that position. How we check →

The view from Dale Head

The 360° skyline from Dale Head

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

The skyline as a list, by direction

North: Grisedale Pike (8 km), Skiddaw Lesser Man (13 km), Skiddaw Little Man (13 km), Skiddaw South Top (14 km), Skiddaw Middle Top (14 km), Skiddaw (14 km)
North-east: Great Dodd (13 km), Knowe Crags (15 km), Gategill Fell Top (15 km), Blencathra (16 km)
East: Helvellyn Lower Man (12 km), White Side (12 km), Helvellyn (12 km), Watson's Dodd (12 km), Nethermost Pike (12 km), High Crag (12 km), Raise (12 km), Catstye Cam (12 km), Dollywaggon Pike (12 km), Stybarrow Dodd (12 km), Green Side (13 km), Fairfield (14 km), Cofa Pike (14 km), Dove Crag (16 km)
South: Great Gable (5 km), Great End (7 km), Broad Crag (8 km), Esk Pike (8 km), Ill Crag (8 km), Scafell Pike (8 km), Scafell (9 km), Bowfell (9 km), Swirl How (16 km)
South-west: Kirk Fell (6 km), Pillar (6 km), Red Pike (7 km)
West: High Stile (5 km), High Stile (6 km)
North-west: Crag Hill (6 km), Grasmoor (7 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Snowdon (172 km, Wales), Carnedd Llewelyn (160 km, Wales), Merrick (106 km, Scotland), Snaefell (87 km, Isle of Man), Moel Siabod (169 km, Wales), Cairnsmore of Fleet (89 km, Scotland), Mynydd Mawr (175 km, Wales), Lamachan Hill (100 km, Scotland).

Computed from Copernicus GLO-30 terrain; distant tops from the Database of British and Irish Hills v18.4 (opens in new tab) (CC BY 4.0). See how we compute the view · and the summit intervisibility report below.

Sunrise and sunset on Dale Head

Dale Head sits close to the flat-horizon case. Even on its longest wait of the modelled year (at the March equinox) first light is only 7 minutes after almanac sunrise, so the published sunrise time is a fair guide here.

Midsummer. The filled shape is the skyline as seen from the summit; the line is the sun’s path. Where they meet is first light — everything left of that point is the wait.

Times for 2026, in Lakeland clock time (GMT in winter, BST in summer) — and model outputs rather than observations.
	First light	Almanac sunrise	Difference
Midsummer	04:33 BST ±5.0 min	04:37	-4 min
Equinox	06:23 GMT ±5.0 min	06:16	+7 min
Midwinter	08:30 GMT ±5.0 min	08:33	-3 min

A low, open northern horizon — the ground falls away northwards (mean -0.13°).

Last light — when the sun leaves Dale Head

The evening here runs close to the flat-horizon case. Even on its earliest evening of the modelled year (on 1 February) last light is only 9 minutes before almanac sunset, so the published sunset time is a fair guide on Dale Head.

The evening of the same three days. A negative difference means a ridge takes the sun before the valley loses it.
	Last light	Almanac sunset	Difference
Midsummer	21:51 BST ±5.0 min	21:53	-2 min
Equinox	18:33 GMT ±5.0 min	18:27	+6 min
Midwinter	15:47 GMT ±5.0 min	15:49	-2 min

These are daylight figures, not a descent plan: the light goes on fading for a good while after the sun leaves, and going down in it is a decision about your own ground and party, not about this table.

What you can see from Dale Head

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.

91Wainwrights in view+5 marginal

172 kmFurthest sightlineSnowdon (Yr Wyddfa) · possible under favourable refraction

2Sea in viewIrish Sea, Solway Firth

On the clearest days the view reaches across to Wales, Scotland and the Isle of Man.

Far horizons

Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) WalesSSW · 172 km clear
Carnedd Llewelyn WalesSSW · 157 km clear
Merrick ScotlandNW · 107 km clear
Snaefell Isle of ManWSW · 87 km clear
Ingleborough Yorkshire DalesSE · 67 km clear
Irish Sea open waterSW · 64 km in view
Whernside Yorkshire DalesESE · 61 km clear
Solway Firth bay/estuaryN · 49 km in view

All 91 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

Hindscarth, High Spy, Fleetwith Pike, Robinson, Grey Knotts, Maiden Moor, Haystacks (Buttermere), Base Brown, Grange Fell (Brund Fell), High Crag (Buttermere), Rosthwaite Fell - Bessyboot, Green Gable, Ard Crags, Great Crag (Stonethwaite), Great Gable, Seathwaite Fell (Wainwright summit), Glaramara, Sail, Scar Crags, Causey Pike, High Stile, Kirk Fell, Wandope, Crag Hill (Eel Crag), Pillar, Red Pike (Buttermere), Eagle Crag, Sergeant's Crag, Barrow, High Tove, Allen Crags, Great End, Grasmoor, High Seat, Armboth Fell (Armboth Fell South Top), Red Pike (Wasdale), Grisedale Pike, Ullscarf, Bleaberry Fell, Hopegill Head, Esk Pike, Walla Crag, Scafell Pike, Starling Dodd, Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top), High Raise (High White Stones), Scafell, Bowfell, Thunacar Knott, Pike of Stickle, Hen Comb, Pavey Ark, Loft Crag, Harrison Stickle, Great Borne, Caw Fell, Middle Fell, Latrigg, Gavel Fell, Lord's Seat, White Side, Helvellyn, Watson's Dodd, Nethermost Pike, Blake Fell, Raise, Dodd (Skiddaw), Cold Pike, Catstye Cam, Dollywaggon Pike, Stybarrow Dodd, Seat Sandal, Great Dodd, Skiddaw Little Man, Carl Side, Clough Head, Long Side, Lonscale Fell, Ullock Pike, Fairfield, Great Rigg, Skiddaw, Great Carrs, Swirl How, Dove Crag, Blencathra - Hallsfell Top, Red Screes, Binsey, Carrock Fell, High Pike (Caldbeck), Sour Howes

How the view from Dale Head compares with all 214 — the View Report: every Wainwright ranked by what you can see from the top.

How the skyline, light and sightlines are computed

Computed, not photographed. First light is the first minute the sun’s upper limb clears this summit’s own skyline and last light the last minute it is still clear of it, both solved against the 360° horizon profile behind The View from Dale Head. Almanac sunrise and sunset are the flat-horizon convention. Every time carries a ± band from the 30 m elevation model — it smooths arêtes and cornices, so nothing here claims better than five minutes.

Sightlines from the Copernicus GLO-30 elevation model, which is a surface model: each 30 m cell holds the top of whatever stands there, trees and buildings included, rather than bare ground. 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.

Places to stay near this fell

Other places nearby

Seatoller House (opens in new tab) guest houseabout 2.0 km

From the Chapel Bridge Car Park start

Braeside (opens in new tab) self-cateringabout 4.5 km

Also nearby, but not independent

YHA Borrowdale (opens in new tab) hostelabout 3.1 km

We have not stayed at any of them. We take no bookings or affiliate fees. Distances are straight lines from each route start, never walking times. Properties found via OpenStreetMap (opens in new tab).

Frequently asked questions about Dale Head

Is Dale Head hard to climb? Answered above.

Questions from Google’s “People also ask”. · Last updated 2026-08-30 · Suggest a question or correction (opens in new tab)

Dale Head

Summit conditions on Dale Head

Wind on the top

Rain, and the becks

Routes up Dale Head

Is Dale Head hard to climb?

Conditions and 7-day summit forecast

Parking & buses for Dale Head

Parking

Buses

Hazards on Dale Head

Hazard & Incident Information for Dale Head

A note on Newlands Beck

Navigating in cloud

If you need Mountain Rescue

Map, GPX and nearby Birketts

Birketts within 3 km of Dale Head

Routes over Dale Head

On the hill: terrain and water on Dale Head

Water & shelter on the way up

About Dale Head

Field notes

My Strava hikes over Dale Head

Classifications & hill data

Is Dale Head a Wainwright?

Selected lists

The view from Dale Head

The 360° skyline from Dale Head

Sunrise and sunset on Dale Head

Last light — when the sun leaves Dale Head

What you can see from Dale Head

Places to stay near this fell

Frequently asked questions about Dale Head

Other fells near Dale Head