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Grisedale Pike

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790 mWainwright — North Western Fells+13 bonus Birketts within 3 km Care needed in cloud

Grisedale Pike at 790m (2,593ft) is the most conspicuous of the North Western Fells, a fine, sharp pyramid above Braithwaite that Wainwright described as the dominant feature of the Coledale skyline.

Summit conditions on Grisedale Pike

On the summit on Tuesday 27 October: 10° to 4°C, gusts to 67 mph, 7.9 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

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

The Met Office 2 km model’s gust of 58 mph times our exposure factor of 1.26. The summit line above gives Open-Meteo’s highest gust for the whole day, 67 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 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

7.9 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 −1 °C, no ice or snow forecast; cloud: a clear-top reading of 31 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

Routes up Grisedale Pike

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

Coledale RoundBirketts around Grisedale Pike
Starts fromWhinlatter Pass road car park (above Braithwaite)Whinlatter - Forestry Commission Car Park
Distance and climb16.13 km, 1,277 m of climb11.7 km, 750 m of climb
Time, fast to steady~5¼–7¼ h~3½–5 h
ScramblingHands for a few steps: near the top of Grisedale Pike (km 3.1–3.6). Grisedale Pike's upper climb is steep and craggy — you'll want hands on rock near the top.Easy scramble: the scramble up Hopegill Head from Sand Hill and the down-climb off its north-west ridge (km 4.9–5.8). Dip briefly from Sand Hill into a tiny rocky depression before tackling the short, sharp, hands-on scramble up the blocky slabs to reach the sensational, airy summit peak of Hopegill Head.
ExposureHardNot assessed
NavigationHardModerate
Steepest stretchClimb of about 32% at 3.3 km (Hard)Climb of about 27% at 1.7 km (Hard)
After the summitOver Hobcarton Crag (Hobcarton Head), Hopegill Head, Sand Hill, Crag Hill (Eel Crag), Sail, Outerside, Stile End and BarrowOver Hobcarton Crag (Hobcarton Head), Sand Hill, Hopegill Head, Ladyside Pike and Swinside
Walked or plannedWalked by Lee, May 2026Planned: drawn, not yet walked
Car park at the startKinn car parkWhinlatter Visitor Centre (paid)
Bus to the start77, 720 m walk from Braithwaite, at Croft Terrace77 at the start. The 77A runs until 1 November 2026, the last day of its season. 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 Grisedale Pike hard to climb?

It's a moderate-to-hard fell — a sustained climb up a well-defined ridge, with a sting in the tail. Grisedale Pike (790 m / 2,593 ft) rises above Braithwaite in three distinct steps, and the final section narrows to a rough clamber over loose stones and rocky steps where you can feel exposed and buffeted by wind.

Most of the way is straightforward walking; it's that last steep, stony pull near the top that makes it feel like a proper mountain.

How we check →

Conditions and 7-day summit forecast

Modelled for the 790 m summit (Open-Meteo). Check the Met Office mountain forecast and MWIS before you set off.

Full 7-day forecast
Tue 27 Oct
10° / 4°
67 mph
7.9 mm (100%)
Wed 28 Oct
8° / 5°
49 mph
8.7 mm (100%)
Thu 29 Oct
8° / 6°
25 mph
1.9 mm (67%)
Fri 30 Oct
8° / 5°
19 mph
0.2 mm (12%)
Sat 31 Oct
7° / 2°
5 mph
4.6 mm (8%)
Sun 1 Nov
7° / 0°
13 mph
0.3 mm (2%)
Mon 2 Nov
5° / -2°
8 mph
0.0 mm (0%)

Taken 27 October 2026, 20:59 UTC; the live forecast replaces it when it loads. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Pro mountain forecasts: MWIS · Met Office mountain forecast

Parking & buses for Grisedale Pike

Parking

Where do you park for Grisedale Pike?

The usual start is the car park just off Whinlatter Pass, immediately west of Braithwaite village near Keswick, where the north-east ridge route begins. You can also start from Braithwaite itself.

It's a popular spot that fills on fine days, so arrive early.

Sources: GPS Routes — Grisedale Pike walking route

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

Kinn car park — at the start of Coledale Round
On the Whinlatter Pass road (B5292) above Braithwaite. The 'Coledale Round' starts here. Room for about 10 cars (Lee McCoy, walked through it, 12 August 2026).
Directions Something changed here?
If it is full: Braithwaite village (roadside/small areas) (0.7 km, 70 m up) a few spaces only; Kinn (verge, east) (1.2 km, 72 m up)
Whinlatter Visitor Centre (paid) — at the start of Birketts around Grisedale Pike
Forest centre — Lord's Seat, Barf, Whinlatter fells, Grisedale Pike's back route. Fees: First 20 min free; first hour £2.90; then £0.70 per 15 min; all-day max £14. ANPR pay-on-exit; blue badge holders not exempt; card at machine, cash at visitor centre, or Park with Ease online within 48h (Forestry England, checked August 2026). Open 08:30-20:30 (Forestry England, checked August 2026). Free for Forestry England members (checked August 2026).
Directions Something changed here?
Whinlatter Forest Park Centre (~52 m straight line) — Free The Cottage in the Wood Cafe Ambio
Whinlatter Top (verge) — 2.0 km from summit (straight line)
0.4 km from Whinlatter Top. Gravel verge.
Directions Something changed here?
3 more places to park near Grisedale Pike
Revelin Moss, Whinlatter (Forestry England, paid) — 2.0 km from summit (straight line)
The second Whinlatter car park, 300 m along the pass from the visitor centre - ANPR controlled, open 08:30-20:30. Fees: FE page: charges apply to Whinlatter and Revelin Moss car parks; tariff as Whinlatter main (first 20 min free; first hour £2.90; £0.70 per 15 min; max £14). ANPR pay-on-exit (Forestry England, checked August 2026). Free for Forestry England members (checked August 2026).
Directions Something changed here?
Whinlatter - Forestry England (paid) — 2.1 km from summit (straight line)
Walking base for Hobcarton End, Grisedale Pike, Hobcarton Crag (Hobcarton Head) and Sand Hill — the 'Birketts around Grisedale Pike' route starts 59 m away. Also serves 'Whinlatter Forest: Tarbarrel Moss, Ullister Hill & Seat How'. Paid parking (OSM-tagged).
Directions Something changed here?
Hobcarton (free) — 2.1 km from summit (straight line)
Nearest fells: Whinlatter (Brown How - Whinlatter) (0.6 km), Whinlatter Top (0.7 km), Hobcarton End (1.1 km). Free (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 and 77A stop at Whinlatter, in Visitors Centre, a 90 m walk from the start of Birketts around Grisedale Pike — a route we rate Hard overall (hardest: steepness). The 77A runs until 1 November 2026, the last day of its season. 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 17:56 towards Keswick (77A) and 16:45 towards Cockermouth (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 or Traveline before relying on a last bus.

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

Hazards on Grisedale Pike

Hazard & Incident Information for Grisedale Pike

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

Hazard: Moderate

A shapely, popular peak at the eastern end of the Coledale round above Braithwaite, with a steep, conical summit and abrupt drops on its northern side. The walking is straightforward in good conditions, but the ridges are steep and erode-polished, the north face falls away in crags toward Hobcarton, and the long, exposed crest is treacherous when wet, windy or iced. Keswick Mountain Rescue Team covers this ground and is called to falls on the steep descents.

  • Steep eroded ridge descent (Sleet How / direct lines): The descent toward Braithwaite is steep and badly eroded, with loose stones and polished rock that are slippery and dangerous when wet. Walkers have taken direct lines off the ridge and ended up cragfast or injured on steep, rocky ground (e.g. toward Force Crag). Keep to the path and don't shortcut the steep sections.
  • Hobcarton Crag / north-east face: The northern side of the summit and the ridge toward Hopegill Head drops in steep crags above Hobcarton. In cloud or wind keep back from the edge — the ground that looks like the continuation of the ridge ends in cliffs.
  • The exposed summit ridge in wind and winter: The narrow, conical summit and the long crest catch the full force of the wind, and ice forms readily in winter. A slip on the steep iced ground can run a long way. Full winter kit and competence needed when there is snow or ice.
Who should attempt this fell: Grisedale Pike is a fine, popular fell, but treat its steepness with respect: the descent is eroded and slippery, especially after rain, and is no place to hurry or cut corners. Keep back from the northern crags in mist or wind, and stay on the path rather than taking tempting direct lines. In winter the exposed ridge needs ice axe, crampons and the skill to use them.

What to watch for: Slips and falls on the steep, eroded, slippery ridge descents · Walkers becoming cragfast taking direct lines off the ridge · Falls over the steep northern crags near Hobcarton in poor visibility · Being blown off-balance or sliding on ice on the exposed summit ridge

Local Mountain Rescue: Keswick Mountain Rescue Team

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

A note on Coledale Beck

Coledale Beck runs below the old Force Crag mine and carries mine-derived zinc — enough to matter for river life. In Environment Agency samples taken near our route Coledale Round between 2007 and 2026, no sample put lead or cadmium, the metals that matter for people, above the drinking limit. 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

Care needed

Of the three things our terrain model measures, the highest reading here is the amount of steep ground within half a kilometre of the summit. 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 Grisedale Pike 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 (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 Grisedale Pike

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

0.7 km SWHobcarton Crag (Hobcarton Head)738 m · North Western
1.0 km NNWHobcarton End634 m · North Western
1.3 km WSWSand Hill756 m · North Western
1.4 km WLadyside Pike704 m · North Western
2.0 km WGasgale Crags703 m · North Western
2.0 km SSWEel Crag (Birkett)807 m · North Western
2.2 km ENEKinn374 m · North Western
2.3 km ESEStile End447 m · North Western
2.4 km WSWWhiteside East Top (Whiteside) (Gasgale Crags)719 m · North Western
2.4 km NWhinlatter Top525 m · North Western
2.6 km WNWSwinside509 m · North Western
2.9 km NNETarbarrel Moss493 m · North Western
3.0 km WDodd (Lorton)454 m · North Western

Routes over Grisedale Pike

Birketts around Grisedale Pike
Summits: Hobcarton EndGrisedale PikeHobcarton Crag (Hobcarton Head)Sand HillHopegill HeadLadyside PikeSwinside

Download GPX Planned route · not yet walked

Warnings: Hopegill Head: A large, steep, vegetated cliff drops away just beside the summit. Descending south-east you must keep clear of the big drop to your left, and in cloud or wind it is easy to drift toward an edge that gives almost no warning. Stay back from the rim and keep to the path. Grisedale Pike: The northern side of the summit and the ridge toward Hopegill Head drops in steep crags above Hobcarton. In cloud or wind keep back from the edge — the ground that looks like the continuation of the ridge ends in cliffs. Forestry England posts felling areas and path diversions at Whinlatter on its Whinlatter updates page (last read 7 Oct 2026). Check it before you go, and follow the signs on the day.

From the hazard notes for Grisedale Pike · Hopegill Head, each with its sources.

Route guide →

Coledale Round
Summits: KinnGrisedale PikeHobcarton Crag (Hobcarton Head)Hopegill HeadSand HillCrag Hill (Eel Crag)SailOutersideStile EndBarrow

The Whinlatter Pass road car park is small and tucked behind the trees — and the bus to Braithwaite makes this an easy car-free round: the start is about 720 m and 87 m of climb up the road from the Croft Terrace stop.

Download GPX Walked by Lee, May 2026

Best season: At its best in clear, settled weather — the airy sections and the broad Crag Hill plateau want good visibility, and they're exactly where care matters most. The lower path up from Braithwaite can be smothered in bracken at the height of summer; in firm winter conditions the Grisedale Pike climb and the exposed tops become a serious proposition for axe-and-crampon walkers only.

Warnings: Grisedale Pike's upper climb is steep and craggy — you'll want hands on rock near the top. It's no place to be rushed, or to be in poor conditions. Along Sand Hill and Hobcarton Crag, keep left in cloud: there's a sharp, rocky drop close on the right that's easy to drift towards. Hopegill Head's summit is tiny and exposed — in a strong wind you may have to crouch to claim it. Watch the short grassy ridge at Kinn; a careless step could slide you down the bank. Worth marking on the GPS. Off Sail, take the switchback path down to the col — the alternative Long Comb line dropping to the right looked treacherous; avoid it. High Moss is reliably boggy underfoot. Grisedale Pike: The northern side of the summit and the ridge toward Hopegill Head drops in steep crags above Hobcarton. In cloud or wind keep back from the edge — the ground that looks like the continuation of the ridge ends in cliffs.

From the hazard notes for Grisedale Pike, each with its sources.

Route guide →

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 Grisedale Pike

Water & shelter on the way up

On the Birketts around Grisedale Pike route:

possible water source (42 m off the line) Visitors Centre (53 m from the start, straight line)

On the Coledale Round route:

shelter (weather shelter, mapped, not checked; 25 m off the line) Hope Memorial Camp (64 m from the start, straight line)

Treat water from the fell before you drink it. A mapped point is not proof the water is drinkable, so carry your own or use a supply you know is safe. Never drink untreated from a beck, stream or tarn — even clear-looking hill water can carry giardia or cryptosporidium from livestock upstream and leave you seriously ill. Use a treatment method suited to what might be in the water, and follow the device’s own instructions. Boiling and ordinary filters do not make water with dissolved metals or chemicals safe: where that is possible, choose another source.

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

About Grisedale Pike

Grisedale Pike, a Lake District fell
Photo: Mick Knapton at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Its steep north-east ridge above Braithwaite is one of the most popular ascents in the district — straightforward, direct and rewarded with excellent views of the Skiddaw massif across Bassenthwaite Lake and south to the Helvellyn range. The horseshoe taking in Hopegill Head, Eel Crag and Sail is one of the great Lakeland circuits.

Field notes

On a clear day the climb up from Sleet Haw is something special. It's not a stroll in the park and its not a grade 1 scramble either. There is some pulling yourself up but it's well worth it for the view alone. You can look west over the top of Ladyside Pike and Hopegill Head to the Solway Firth and Isle of Man in the distance. This isn't one I hung about on, but its one I should have.

— Lee McCoy, who walked it on our Coledale Round route in May 2026

My Strava hikes over Grisedale Pike

1 logged hike pass over this summit:

Data from Strava.

Classifications & hill data

Is Grisedale Pike a Wainwright?

Grisedale Pike 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

Wainwright
North Western
Birkett
Fellranger
Synge
Nuttall
Marilyn
Hewitt
790 m
Height
2,593 ft
In feet
NY 1983 2254
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 Grisedale Pike

The 360° skyline from Grisedale Pike

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 Grisedale Pike36 labelled tops shown (23 distant behind the far-horizon toggle). Theoretical visibility in perfect clarity; computed from terrain, not photographed.eye levelNNEESESSWWNWScafell Pike · 15 kmHelvellyn · 16 kmSkiddaw · 9 kmBowfell · 17 kmRaise · 15 kmFairfield · 19 kmBlencathra · 14 kmSkiddaw Little Man · 9 kmGreat Dodd · 14 kmGrasmoor · 3 kmStybarrow Dodd · 15 kmCrag Hill · 2 kmEel Crag · 2 kmKirk Fell · 12 kmGlaramara · 13 kmHopegill Head · 1 kmHigh Raise · 15 kmClough Head · 14 kmUllscarf · 14 kmLonscale Fell · 10 kmCaw Fell · 13 kmLoft Crag · 17 kmCross Fell · 50 km · clear daysWhitfell · 30 kmSand Hill · 1 kmCriffel · 46 km · clear daysWhiteside East Top · 2 kmLadyside Pike · 1 kmUllock Pike · 8 kmCausey Pike · 3 kmHobcarton End · 1 kmLord's Seat · 4 kmGreat Mell Fell · 20 kmUllister Hill · 4 kmWhinlatter Top · 2 kmBengairn · 53 km · clear daysScafell · 16 kmIll Crag · 15 kmCatstye Cam · 16 kmBroad End · 10 kmPike de Bield · 16 kmSwirl How · 23 kmSeat Sandal · 18 kmJenkin Hill · 9 kmLittle Gowder Crag · 13 kmHobcarton Crag · 1 kmHesk Fell · 28 kmStanding Crag · 14 kmLining Crag · 14 kmGavel Fell · 9 kmLoweswater End · 8 kmWhinlatter · 3 kmLowthwaite Fell · 15 kmSwinside · 3 kmLittle Mell Fell · 22 kmSeat How · 3 kmHigh Pen · 10 kmBarf · 4 kmGraystones · 4 kmCat Bells · 5 kmBinsey · 13 kmLow Fell · 6 kmLoweswater Fell · 6 kmFellbarrow · 7 kmHatteringill Head · 7 kmKinn · 2 kmHigh Rigg · 11 kmLothwaite · 7 kmFaulds Brow · 21 kmCaermote Hill · 15 kmBennan · 66 km · clear daysBainloch Hill · 46 km · clear daysSlieve Donard · 180 km · a handful of days a yearMerrick · 100 km · a rare clear dayBroad Law · 101 km · a rare clear daySnaefell · 87 km · a rare clear dayCairnsmore of Carsphairn · 97 km · a rare clear dayThe Cheviot · 121 km · a handful of days a yearCairnsmore of Fleet · 83 km · a rare clear dayWindlestraw Law · 122 km · a handful of days a yearTinto · 114 km · a rare clear daySlieve Croob · 179 km · a handful of days a yearIngleborough · 72 km · a rare clear dayGreen Lowther · 94 km · a rare clear dayDivis · 179 km · a handful of days a yearEttrick Pen · 85 km · a rare clear dayCairn Table · 112 km · a rare clear dayCairnharrow · 74 km · a rare clear dayAgnew's Hill · 176 km · a handful of days a yearWisp Hill · 79 km · a rare clear dayRoan Fell · 75 km · a rare clear dayColt Hill · 91 km · a rare clear dayFair Snape Fell · 85 km · a rare clear dayPeel Fell · 88 km · a rare clear dayWhite Hill · 80 km · a rare clear day
The skyline as a list, by direction
  • North-east: Skiddaw Little Man (9 km), Skiddaw Lesser Man (9 km), Skiddaw South Top (9 km), Skiddaw Middle Top (9 km), Skiddaw (9 km), Skiddaw North Top (9 km), Broad End (10 km), Atkinson Pike (14 km)
  • East: Knowe Crags (12 km), Gategill Fell Top (13 km), Blencathra (14 km), Watson's Dodd (14 km), Great Dodd (14 km), Stybarrow Dodd (15 km), Raise (15 km)
  • South-east: White Side (15 km), Helvellyn Lower Man (16 km), Helvellyn (16 km), Catstye Cam (16 km), Nethermost Pike (17 km), High Crag (17 km), Dollywaggon Pike (18 km), Fairfield (19 km)
  • South: Crag Hill (2 km), Kirk Fell East Top (12 km), Kirk Fell (12 km), Great Gable (12 km), Great End (14 km), Allen Crags (14 km), Broad Crag (15 km), Scafell Pike (15 km), Ill Crag (15 km), Esk Pike (16 km), Scafell (16 km), Pike de Bield (16 km), Bowfell (17 km), Great Carrs (23 km), Swirl How (23 km)
  • South-west: Eel Crag (2 km), Grasmoor (3 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Slieve Donard (180 km, Ireland), Merrick (100 km, Scotland), Broad Law (101 km, Scotland), Snaefell (87 km, Isle of Man), Cairnsmore of Carsphairn (97 km, Scotland), The Cheviot (121 km, England), Cairnsmore of Fleet (83 km, Scotland), Corserine (95 km, Scotland).

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

Sunrise and sunset on Grisedale Pike

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

0°30°40°50°60°04:44
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 lightAlmanac sunriseDifference
Midsummer04:44 BST ±5.0 min04:37+7 min
Equinox06:14 GMT ±5.0 min06:16-2 min
Midwinter08:30 GMT ±5.0 min08:34-4 min

A low, open northern horizon — the ground falls away northwards (mean -0.44°).

Last light — when the sun leaves Grisedale Pike

The evening here runs close to the flat-horizon case. Even on its earliest evening of the modelled year (at midwinter) last light is only 11 minutes before almanac sunset, so the published sunset time is a fair guide on Grisedale Pike.

The evening of the same three days. A negative difference means a ridge takes the sun before the valley loses it.
Last lightAlmanac sunsetDifference
Midsummer22:00 BST ±5.0 min21:54+6 min
Equinox18:33 GMT ±5.0 min18:27+6 min
Midwinter15:38 GMT ±5.0 min15:49-11 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 Grisedale Pike

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.
89Wainwrights in view+9 marginal
185 kmFurthest sightlineSlieve Binnian · possible under favourable refraction
2Sea in viewIrish Sea, Solway Firth

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

Far horizons
  • Slieve Binnian Northern IrelandWSW · 185 km clear
  • Slieve Donard Northern IrelandWSW · 180 km clear
  • Merrick ScotlandNW · 101 km clear
  • Snaefell Isle of ManWSW · 88 km clear
  • Ingleborough Yorkshire DalesSE · 73 km clear
  • Great Dun Fell North PenninesE · 52 km clear
  • Cross Fell North PenninesENE · 50 km clear
  • Criffel ScotlandNNW · 47 km clear
  • Solway Firth bay/estuaryNNW · 36 km in view
  • Irish Sea open waterW · 27 km in view
All 89 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

Hopegill Head, Outerside, Scar Crags, Crag Hill (Eel Crag), Sail, Causey Pike, Whinlatter (Brown How - Whinlatter), Whiteside (Whiteside West Top), Barrow, Grasmoor, Lord's Seat, Broom Fell, Barf, Graystones (Graystones North Top), Cat Bells (Catbells), Robinson, Maiden Moor, Low Fell, Hindscarth, Ling Fell, Dodd (Skiddaw), Fellbarrow - Mosser Fell, Sale Fell, High Spy, Dale Head, Ullock Pike, Long Side, Carl Side, Walla Crag, Red Pike (Buttermere), Latrigg, Skiddaw Little Man, Skiddaw, Gavel Fell, Grange Fell (Brund Fell), Bleaberry Fell, Blake Fell, Lonscale Fell, High Seat, Grey Knotts, Great Crag (Stonethwaite), Brandreth, High Rigg (Naddle Fell), Base Brown, Green Gable, Kirk Fell, Great Gable, Glaramara, Eagle Crag, Great Cockup, Caw Fell, Binsey, Blencathra - Hallsfell Top, Sergeant's Crag, Clough Head, Watson's Dodd, Great End, Lingmell, Great Dodd, Allen Crags, Stybarrow Dodd, Longlands Fell, White Side, Raise, Scafell Pike, High Raise (High White Stones), Esk Pike, Brae Fell, Bowscale Fell, Scafell, Helvellyn, Catstye Cam, Nethermost Pike, Bowfell, Pike of Stickle, Pavey Ark, Harrison Stickle, Loft Crag, Dollywaggon Pike, Seat Sandal, Fairfield, Great Rigg, Great Mell Fell, Stone Arthur, Heron Pike (Rydal), Little Mell Fell, Great Carrs, Swirl How, Wetherlam

How the view from Grisedale Pike 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 Grisedale Pike. 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

From the Whinlatter Pass road car park (above Braithwaite) start

From the Whinlatter - Forestry Commission Car Park start

Worth knowing before you book

These places state on their own site that they do not take children.

From Whinlatter: 7 places in Keswick

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.

Frequently asked questions about Grisedale Pike

Is Grisedale Pike hard to climb? Answered above.

What is the best route up Grisedale Pike?

The classic ascent is the north-east ridge from Braithwaite, starting near the foot of Whinlatter Pass. It climbs over Kinn and along Sleet How — wide and grassy at first, then narrowing and steepening to the summit. It's the most direct and rewarding line.

Grisedale Pike is also the usual first summit on the big Coledale Round with Hopegill Head, Crag Hill and Sail. The descent toward Braithwaite is steep and badly eroded, with loose stones and polished rock that are slippery and dangerous when wet.

Sources: Walking Britain — Grisedale Pike & Crag Hill from Braithwaite

How long does it take to climb Grisedale Pike? Answered above: Routes up Grisedale Pike.

Why does Grisedale Pike look so pointed?

From Keswick and Braithwaite, Grisedale Pike has one of the most distinctive profiles in the northern Lakes — a sharp, conical peak with a steep north-east ridge climbing in three clear steps. That shapely outline is exactly why it's such a popular and recognisable hill.

The steepness that makes it look so striking is also what gives the final climb its rocky, narrowing character.

Sources: TheLakeDistrict.org — Grisedale Pike walking guide

Is Grisedale Pike suitable for beginners?

A fit beginner can manage it on a clear, calm day — the ridge path is mostly well defined — but the loose, rocky final section and the exposure to wind near the top mean it's best saved for good conditions. It's a step up from a gentle fell.

Wear boots with good grip, carry a map and compass, pick settled weather, and take care on the stony summit clamber, which is unpleasant when wet. The descent toward Braithwaite is steep and badly eroded, with loose stones and polished rock that are slippery and dangerous when wet.

Sources: Keswick Mountain Rescue Team

Where do you park for Grisedale Pike? Answered above: Parking for Grisedale Pike.

What should I wear and take up Grisedale Pike?

Wear proper walking boots with good grip for the loose stones and rocky steps near the top, and carry warm and waterproof layers — the summit catches the prevailing wind and is far colder than the valley. Take a map and compass, water, food and a charged phone, and check the mountain forecast.

Save the rocky final pull for a dry, settled day, and treat it as serious ground in strong wind or winter conditions.

Sources: MWIS — Lake District forecast

Questions from Google’s “People also ask”. · Last updated 2026-06-15 · Suggest a question or correction

Other fells near Grisedale Pike

Places nearby: Whinlatter Forest · Braithwaite