Hopegill Head

Written and walked by Lee McCoy · Summited August 2026

Home › Fells › Hopegill Head

770 mWainwright — North Western Fells+11 bonus Birketts within 3 km Care needed in cloud

Hopegill Head at 770m (2,525ft) is a pointed, airy summit above the head of the Hobcarton valley, its steep sides giving it a dramatic profile from the Whinlatter direction.

Summit conditions on Hopegill Head

On the summit on Tuesday 27 October: 10° to 5°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

72 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 1.25. 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 (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

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 (opens in new tab)

Routes up Hopegill Head

Choose the way up before the car park: these four 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	Coledale Round	The Grasmoor round: Whiteside, Hopegill Head and Whiteless Pike	The Grasmoor Round	Birketts around Grisedale Pike
Starts from	Whinlatter Pass road car park (above Braithwaite)	Lanthwaite Green (paid)	Lanthwaite Green (paid)	Whinlatter - Forestry Commission Car Park
Distance and climb	16.13 km, 1,277 m of climb	16.17 km, 1,161 m of climb	16.17 km, 1,304 m of climb	11.7 km, 750 m of climb
Time, fast to steady	~5¼–7¼ h	~5–7 h	~5¼–7¼ h	~3½–5 h
Scrambling	Hands 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 last 100 m up Hopegill Head from Whiteside (km 3.5–3.6). Gasgale Crags is a narrow, airy ridge, and the last 100 m up Hopegill Head is an easy scramble — no place to slip.	Easy scramble: the last 100 m up Hopegill Head from Whiteside (km 3.6–3.7). In the final 100 metres before the peak, where the hands-on scramble begins, take the left-hand line straight up onto the rocky peak.	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.
Exposure	Hard	Hard	Hard	Not assessed
Navigation	Hard	Hard	Moderate	Moderate
Steepest stretch	Climb of about 32% at 3.3 km (Hard)	Climb of about 41% at 1.5 km (Severe)	Climb of about 39% at 1.6 km (Severe)	Climb of about 27% at 1.7 km (Hard)
After the summit	Over Sand Hill, Crag Hill (Eel Crag), Sail, Outerside, Stile End and Barrow	Over Sand Hill, Grasmoor, Wandope, Thirdgill Head Man, Whiteless Pike and Rannerdale Knotts	Over Sand Hill, Grasmoor, Thirdgill Head Man, Whiteless Pike and Rannerdale Knotts	Over Ladyside Pike and Swinside
Walked or planned	Walked by Lee, May 2026	Walked by Lee, August 2026	Walked by Lee, August 2026	Planned: drawn, not yet walked
Car park at the start	Kinn car park	Lanthwaite Green (paid)	Lanthwaite Green (paid)	Whinlatter Visitor Centre (paid)
Bus to the start	77, 720 m walk from Braithwaite, at Croft Terrace	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.	77 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 Hopegill Head hard to climb?

It's a moderate fell — a steady climb on good paths with no obligatory scrambling, but a proper mountain day rather than a stroll. Hopegill Head (770 m / 2,525 ft) sits at the junction of three ridges above Whinlatter, and its summit perches right at the top of the steep cliffs of Hobcarton Crag.

The walking is straightforward; the things to respect are the sheer northern edge, the narrow ridges that lead to the top, and picking the right ridge off it in cloud.

How we check →

Conditions and 7-day summit forecast

Modelled for the 770 m summit (Open-Meteo). Check the Met Office mountain forecast and MWIS before you set off.

Full 7-day forecast

Tue 27 Oct

10° / 5°

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 (opens in new tab)

Pro mountain forecasts: MWIS · Met Office mountain forecast

Parking & buses for Hopegill Head

Parking

Where do you park for Hopegill Head?

For the shorter Hobcarton round, park at Whinlatter (the Forestry England car parks on Whinlatter Pass, near Hobcarton plantation). For the Coledale Round, start from the village of Braithwaite near Keswick.

Both are popular, so arrive early on fine days; note Whinlatter forest car parks usually charge.

Sources: Wired for Adventure — Grisedale Pike and Hopegill Head (opens in new tab)

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)

Lanthwaite Green — 0.1 km from the start of The Grasmoor round: Whiteside, Hopegill Head and Whiteless Pike and The Grasmoor Round (straight line)

At the foot of Grasmoor and Whiteside, Crummock Water. Fees: £7 up to 2 hours; £8 up to 4 hours; £9.50 all day. Free for National Trust members (National Trust, read 28 September 2026).

Directions Something changed here?

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

4 more places to park near Hopegill Head

Hobcarton (free) — 2.4 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?

Whinlatter Top (verge) — 2.6 km from summit (straight line)

0.4 km from Whinlatter Top. Gravel verge.

Directions Something changed here?

Swinside (layby) — 2.6 km from summit (straight line)

Nearest fells: Swinside (0.8 km), Dodd (Lorton) (1.1 km). Free (OSM-tagged). Unpaved surface (OSM-tagged).

Directions Something changed here?

Revelin Moss, Whinlatter (Forestry England, paid) — 3.1 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?

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 Lanthwaite Green Farm (opposite), a 20 m walk from the start of The Grasmoor Round — a route we rate Severe overall (hardest: 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. As timetabled from 27 October to 1 November. Towards Keswick (77): Tuesday to Sunday 18:03. Checked against the operator’s timetable, 12 September 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 Hopegill Head

Hazard & Incident Information for Hopegill 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 shapely, rocky summit where three ridges meet at the head of the Coledale fells — and where the ground falls away suddenly into the huge vegetated precipice of Hobcarton Crag. The narrow approach ridges are airy, the junction is a navigation trap in cloud, and the abrupt north-east edge by the summit is genuinely dangerous if you stray onto it. Keswick Mountain Rescue Team covers this ground.

Hobcarton Crag (the north-east precipice): 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.
The narrow summit ridges: The arêtes leading to the small rocky top — including from Whiteside along Gasgale Crags — are narrow and exposed in places. Straightforward in good conditions for a steady walker, but unnerving in strong wind and treacherous when wet or iced.
The three-way junction in cloud: Ridges to Whiteside, to Grisedale Pike (past Hobcarton) and down to Coledale Hause all meet here. In mist it is easy to set off down the wrong one — or toward the crag. Take a compass bearing before you leave the summit.

Who should attempt this fell: Hopegill Head is a fine, characterful top, but its defining feature — the sudden Hobcarton Crag edge right by the summit — demands respect: keep well back, especially in wind or cloud, and take particular care on the south-east descent. Navigate the junction deliberately in mist to pick the right ridge, take the narrow crests steadily, and treat the corniced edge as serious winter ground when there is snow.

What to watch for: Walkers straying onto or over the Hobcarton Crag edge in poor visibility · Slips on the narrow, exposed approach ridges, especially when wet or windy · Navigation errors at the meeting of three ridges in cloud · Corniced edges and ice above Hobcarton 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 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 Hopegill 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 Hopegill Head

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

0.3 km SSESand Hill756 m · North Western

0.6 km NLadyside Pike704 m · North Western

0.7 km WGasgale Crags703 m · North Western

0.8 km EHobcarton Crag (Hobcarton Head)738 m · North Western

1.0 km WWhiteside East Top (Whiteside) (Gasgale Crags)719 m · North Western

1.5 km SSEEel Crag (Birkett)807 m · North Western

1.6 km NEHobcarton End634 m · North Western

1.9 km WNWDodd (Lorton)454 m · North Western

2.0 km NNWSwinside509 m · North Western

2.6 km SThirdgill Head Man734 m · North Western

3.0 km NNEWhinlatter Top525 m · North Western

Routes over Hopegill Head

Birketts around Grisedale Pike

Summits: Hobcarton End Grisedale Pike Hobcarton Crag (Hobcarton Head)Sand HillHopegill HeadLadyside Pike Swinside

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: Birketts around Grisedale Pike →

Coledale Round

Summits: Kinn Grisedale Pike Hobcarton Crag (Hobcarton Head)Hopegill HeadSand Hill Crag Hill (Eel Crag)Sail Outerside Stile End Barrow

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: Coledale Round →

The Grasmoor round: Whiteside, Hopegill Head and Whiteless Pike

Summits: Whiteside (Whiteside West Top)Whiteside East Top (Whiteside) (Gasgale Crags)Gasgale CragsHopegill HeadSand Hill Grasmoor Wandope Thirdgill Head Man Whiteless Pike Rannerdale Knotts

If you only do one round in the North Western Fells, this is it. Grasmoor is a bigger, wilder mountain than its modest reputation suggests, and the ridge from Whiteside over Gasgale Crags to Hopegill Head is as good as ridge walking gets outside the Langdales. Whiteless Pike at the end is a perfect little peak — and a punishing descent.

Download GPX Walked by Lee, August 2026

Best season: Late spring to autumn, in clear conditions. Gasgale Crags is narrow and rocky, and Grasmoor’s summit plateau is a blank, stony expanse that is thoroughly disorientating in cloud.

Warnings: The climb straight up Whiteside from Lanthwaite is brutally steep — a relentless, loose, eroded pull with little respite. It is the hardest 500 m on this route and it comes first. Gasgale Crags is a narrow, rocky ridge. It is not a graded scramble like Sharp Edge, but the last 100 m up Hopegill Head is an easy scramble, the ridge is airy, the rock is loose in places, and it wants care in wind or wet. Grasmoor’s summit is a featureless stony plateau with crags on three sides. In cloud it is a genuine navigation trap — take a bearing before you leave the cairn. The descent off Whiteless Pike is a knee-breaker — steep, sustained and relentless, right at the end of a long day. It is one of the steepest sustained descents in the Lakes. A long day with 1,161 m of ascent and ten tops. Navigation is graded hard: the high ground is broad and the drops are real. The path runs right around the edge of Addacomb Hole, a steep half-crater with a high headwall. Keep back from the rim, especially in wind or cloud — a slip here drops into serious ground. Don't approach the lip for the view in poor visibility. Rannerdale Knotts: The ridge ends suddenly in a wall of crag and scree falling steeply to the valley by Crummock Water. Keep back from the abrupt end and the edges among the summit knolls, especially in wind or cloud — it's a small fell with a real drop. Whiteside (Whiteside West Top): The ridge towers above Gasgale Gill on a wall of crag. Keep back from the southern edge, particularly in cloud or wind where the drop comes with little warning.

From the hazard notes for Whiteside (Whiteside West Top) · Rannerdale Knotts, each with its sources.

Route guide: The Grasmoor round: Whiteside, Hopegill Head and Whiteless Pike →

The Grasmoor Round

Summits: Whiteside (Whiteside West Top)Whiteside East Top (Whiteside) (Gasgale Crags)Gasgale CragsHopegill HeadSand Hill Grasmoor Thirdgill Head Man Whiteless Pike Rannerdale Knotts

Download GPX Walked by Lee, August 2026

Warnings: Rannerdale Knotts: The ridge ends suddenly in a wall of crag and scree falling steeply to the valley by Crummock Water. Keep back from the abrupt end and the edges among the summit knolls, especially in wind or cloud — it's a small fell with a real drop. Grasmoor: The top is broad, grassy and almost featureless, ringed by steep crags and gullies. In mist it is very easy to set off on the wrong bearing and end up above the cliffs or descending a dangerous flank. Take and trust a compass bearing before leaving the summit. Whiteside (Whiteside West Top): The ridge towers above Gasgale Gill on a wall of crag. Keep back from the southern edge, particularly in cloud or wind where the drop comes with little warning.

From the hazard notes for Whiteside (Whiteside West Top) · Grasmoor · Rannerdale Knotts, each with its sources.

Route guide: The Grasmoor Round →

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 Hopegill Head

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)

On the The Grasmoor round: Whiteside, Hopegill Head and Whiteless Pike route:

shelter (weather shelter, mapped, not checked; 5 m off the line) Lanthwaite Green Farm (58 m from the start, straight line)

On the The Grasmoor Round route:

shelter (weather shelter, mapped, not checked; 3 m off the line) Lanthwaite Green Farm (4 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 Hopegill Head

Wainwright described it as a summit of character, its sharp ridge crest giving excellent views of the Grisedale Pike-Hobcarton ridge. The traverse via Hobcarton Crag and Sand Hill connects it naturally to Eel Crag on the Coledale Horseshoe. The views north to the Solway and west to the coast are fine from this high, exposed ridge.

Field notes

There's just something about Hopegill Head that I was drawn to. It may have been the drop off to the north as I skirted around Hobcarton Crag; the tight, craggy summit, or the broad open sweep down to Coledale Hause. Perhaps it was just the fact that on a very clear day you an see 68 Wainwrights and parts of another 11. That's almost 1 in 3 of all Wainwrights from his first series of books that can be see from this one summit. My data has it that you can also get a glimpse of Merrick - the mountain in the Galloway Forest Park.

— Lee McCoy, who walked it on 3 of our routes

My Strava hikes over Hopegill Head

2 logged hikes pass over this summit:

The Grasmoor Round (opens in new tab) — 16.0 km · 1166 m ascent · 4h 23m moving · 22 August 2026
My knees didn't like that (opens in new tab) — 19.0 km · 1421 m ascent · 5h 33m moving · 16 May 2026

Data from Strava.

Classifications & hill data

Is Hopegill Head a Wainwright?

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

Selected lists

770 m

Height

2,525 ft

In feet

NY 1856 2216

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 Hopegill Head

The 360° skyline from Hopegill 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-east: Skiddaw South Top (10 km), Skiddaw Little Man (10 km), Skiddaw Lesser Man (10 km), Skiddaw Middle Top (10 km), Skiddaw (10 km), Skiddaw North Top (10 km), Jenkin Hill (10 km), Broad End (11 km), Atkinson Pike (15 km)
East: Knowe Crags (14 km), Gategill Fell Top (14 km), Blencathra (15 km), Watson's Dodd (15 km), Great Dodd (16 km), Stybarrow Dodd (16 km), White Side (16 km), Raise (16 km), Catstye Cam (17 km)
South-east: Sail (2 km), Dale Head (8 km), Glaramara (13 km), Looking Steads (13 km), High Raise (16 km), Helvellyn Lower Man (17 km), Helvellyn (17 km), Nethermost Pike (18 km), High Crag (18 km), Dollywaggon Pike (18 km), Seat Sandal (19 km), Cofa Pike (20 km), Fairfield (20 km), Great Rigg (21 km)
South: Crag Hill (2 km), Wandope (2 km), High Crag (8 km), Kirk Fell (12 km), Great Gable (12 km), Scafell Pike (15 km), Scafell (16 km)
South-west: Grasmoor (2 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Slieve Donard (179 km, Ireland), Merrick (99 km, Scotland), Broad Law (101 km, Scotland), Snaefell (86 km, Isle of Man), Cairnsmore of Carsphairn (96 km, Scotland), The Cheviot (122 km, England), Cairnsmore of Fleet (82 km, Scotland), Corserine (95 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 Hopegill Head

Hopegill Head sits close to the flat-horizon case. Even on its longest wait of the modelled year (at midsummer) first light is only 9 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	04:46 BST ±5.0 min	04:37	+9 min
Equinox	06:14 GMT ±5.0 min	06:16	-2 min
Midwinter	08:30 GMT ±5.0 min	08:34	-4 min

A low, open northern horizon — the ground falls away northwards (mean -0.48°).

Last light — when the sun leaves Hopegill Head

Hopegill Head holds the light. On not one of the sixteen dates modelled does the sun leave this summit before almanac sunset — the ground falls away westward rather than standing over you, and at midsummer it is still in the sun 4 minutes after the valley has lost it.

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	21:58 BST ±5.0 min	21:54	+4 min
Equinox	18:33 GMT ±5.0 min	18:27	+6 min
Midwinter	15:57 GMT ±5.0 min	15:49	+8 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 Hopegill Head

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

68Wainwrights in view+11 marginal

184 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 · 184 km clear
Slieve Donard Northern IrelandWSW · 179 km clear
Merrick ScotlandNW · 100 km clear
Snaefell Isle of ManWSW · 86 km clear
Ingleborough Yorkshire DalesSE · 74 km clear
Whernside Yorkshire DalesSE · 68 km clear
Great Dun Fell North PenninesE · 53 km clear
Cross Fell North PenninesENE · 51 km clear
Criffel ScotlandNNW · 47 km clear
Solway Firth bay/estuaryNNW · 36 km in view
Irish Sea open waterW · 26 km in view

All 68 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

Grisedale Pike, Whiteside (Whiteside West Top), Crag Hill (Eel Crag), Grasmoor, Sail, Wandope, Scar Crags, Whinlatter (Brown How - Whinlatter), Causey Pike, Graystones (Graystones North Top), Lord's Seat, Low Fell, Broom Fell, Fellbarrow - Mosser Fell, Hindscarth, Ling Fell, Maiden Moor, Hen Comb, Sale Fell, Burnbank Fell, Dale Head, Gavel Fell, Dodd (Skiddaw), Blake Fell, High Crag (Buttermere), Great Borne, Ullock Pike, Long Side, Carl Side, Walla Crag, Skiddaw Little Man, Skiddaw, Bleaberry Fell, High Seat, Lonscale Fell, Kirk Fell, Crag Fell, High Rigg (Naddle Fell), Armboth Fell (Armboth Fell South Top), Grike, Glaramara, Binsey, Great Cockup, Clough Head, Blencathra - Hallsfell Top, Scafell Pike, Watson's Dodd, Great Dodd, Scafell, High Raise (High White Stones), Longlands Fell, Stybarrow Dodd, White Side, Raise, Brae Fell, Bowscale Fell, Helvellyn, Pike of Stickle, Catstye Cam, Loft Crag, Nethermost Pike, Dollywaggon Pike, Seat Sandal, Fairfield, Great Rigg, Great Mell Fell, Heron Pike (Rydal), Little Mell Fell

How the view from Hopegill 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 Hopegill 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

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

Crow Park Hotel (opens in new tab) hotelabout 3.4 km
Lincoln House Bed & Breakfast (opens in new tab) guest houseabout 3.4 km
Linnett Hill (opens in new tab) guest houseabout 3.7 km
Elm Tree Lodge (opens in new tab) guest houseabout 3.8 km
Acorn Self Catering (opens in new tab) guest houseabout 3.8 km

From the Whinlatter - Forestry Commission Car Park start

Croftlands Cottages (opens in new tab) guest houseabout 1.9 km
Dancing Gate Cottage (opens in new tab) self-cateringabout 4.2 km
High Swinside Holiday Cottages (opens in new tab) guest houseabout 3.9 km

Other places nearby

Crummockwater Cottages (opens in new tab) guest houseabout 1.8 km
Bridge Hotel (opens in new tab) hotelabout 4.2 km

Worth knowing before you book

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

From Whinlatter: 5 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 (opens in new tab).

Frequently asked questions about Hopegill Head

Is Hopegill Head hard to climb? Answered above.

What is the best route up Hopegill Head?

From Whinlatter, our Birketts around Grisedale Pike round takes in Hopegill Head in 11.7 km with 750 m of ascent. Our Coledale Round from the Whinlatter Pass road above Braithwaite is 16.1 km with 1,277 m of ascent over ten tops, six of them Wainwrights.

Either way you climb to the summit on a path that stays back from the crag edge.

Sources: TGO Magazine — The Coledale Round route guide (opens in new tab)

How long does it take to climb Hopegill Head? Answered above: Routes up Hopegill Head.

How dangerous is the edge at Hopegill Head?

The summit sits directly above Hobcarton Crag, a steep, near-vertical cliff falling away to the north. The path runs close to the edge but stays back from it, so the danger is only if you wander too near, especially in mist, wind or to take a photo.

Keep well back from the brink, take extra care in poor visibility, and keep children and dogs close at the top.

Sources: Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team (opens in new tab)

Is Hopegill Head suitable for beginners?

A fit beginner can manage it on a clear day — the paths are good and there's no scrambling required on the normal route. The key thing is the sheer crag edge at the summit and the junction of ridges, which can be confusing in cloud, tempting you down the wrong one toward steep ground.

Go in good visibility, keep back from the Hobcarton Crag edge, and carry a map and compass to pick the right ridge off the top.

Sources: Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team (opens in new tab)

Where do you park for Hopegill Head? Answered above: Parking for Hopegill Head.

What should I wear and take up Hopegill Head?

Wear proper walking boots for the rough, stony ground, and carry warm and waterproof layers — the summit and ridges are exposed and windy. Bring a map and compass for choosing the right ridge off the top in cloud, plus water, food and a charged phone, and check the mountain forecast.

Keep well clear of the Hobcarton Crag edge, and treat the ridges as serious ground in strong wind or winter conditions.

Sources: MWIS — Lake District forecast (opens in new tab)

Questions from Google’s “People also ask”. · Last updated 2026-06-15 · Suggest a question or correction (opens in new tab)

Hopegill Head

Summit conditions on Hopegill Head

Wind on the top

Rain, and the becks

Routes up Hopegill Head

Is Hopegill Head hard to climb?

Conditions and 7-day summit forecast

Parking & buses for Hopegill Head

Parking

Where do you park for Hopegill Head?

Buses

Hazards on Hopegill Head

Hazard & Incident Information for Hopegill Head

A note on Coledale Beck

Navigating in cloud

If you need Mountain Rescue

Map, GPX and nearby Birketts

Birketts within 3 km of Hopegill Head

Routes over Hopegill Head

On the hill: terrain and water on Hopegill Head

Water & shelter on the way up

About Hopegill Head

Field notes

My Strava hikes over Hopegill Head

Classifications & hill data

Is Hopegill Head a Wainwright?

Selected lists

The view from Hopegill Head

The 360° skyline from Hopegill Head

Sunrise and sunset on Hopegill Head

Last light — when the sun leaves Hopegill Head

What you can see from Hopegill Head

Places to stay near this fell

Worth knowing before you book

Frequently asked questions about Hopegill Head

Other fells near Hopegill Head