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773 m · Wainwright — North Western Fells · Birketts to bag nearby, parking, buses, my hikes and live summit weather.

Wainwright — North Western FellsAlso a Birkett

Sail

Sail at 773m (2,536ft) is an elegant, pointed summit on the Coledale Horseshoe between Eel Crag and Causey Pike, its attractive profile one of the defining features of the skyline above Braithwaite.

773 m
Height
~3.5–4.5 h
Typical time
+10
Bonus Birketts
See routes & download GPX →

Home › Fells › Sail

Written and walked by Lee McCoy · Last reviewed

773 mWainwright — North Western Fells✓ summit is also a Birkett+10 bonus Birketts within 3 km Serious in Clag

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

Modelled guidance for the 773 m summit. Always check the Met Office mountain forecast and MWIS before you set off.

On the summit today (Tue 28 Jul): 14° to 12°C, gusts to 38 mph, 4.8 mm of rain forecast.

Tue 28 Jul
🌧️
14° / 12°
💨 38 mph
🌧 4.8 mm (99%)
Wed 29 Jul
🌧️
13° / 10°
💨 28 mph
🌧 14.0 mm (100%)
Thu 30 Jul
🌦️
11° / 4°
💨 29 mph
🌧 3.0 mm (87%)
Fri 31 Jul
🌤️
13° / 1°
💨 22 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (86%)
Sat 1 Aug
🌦️
13° / 4°
💨 15 mph
🌧 2.7 mm (82%)
Sun 2 Aug
☁️
14° / 4°
💨 17 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (35%)
Mon 3 Aug
🌦️
14° / 4°
💨 16 mph
🌧 0.4 mm (23%)

Forecast snapshot from 28 Jul 2026, 04:58 UTC — refreshed nightly and updated live in your browser. Temperatures and gusts adjusted to the 773 m summit altitude via Open-Meteo. Summit conditions are always harsher than the valley — check the professional mountain forecasts before you go.

Pro mountain forecasts: MWIS · Met Office mountain forecast

About the walk

Key information

Sail

Sail, a Lake District fell
Photo: Cacolantern at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Sail at 773m (2,536ft) is an elegant, pointed summit on the Coledale Horseshoe between Eel Crag and Causey Pike, its attractive profile one of the defining features of the skyline above Braithwaite. Wainwright noted its fine position on a ridge of great interest, the Sail Pass below being one of the major Lakeland crossings connecting Coledale and the Newlands valley. The views across Coledale to Grisedale Pike are excellent from the summit. An essential part of the classic Coledale Horseshoe — one of the finest circuit walks in the North Western Fells.

Routes up Sail

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

Coledale Round
16 km · ~5.1 hr · Hard
One of the great north-western horseshoes, and a properly big mountain day from Braithwaite. From the little car park tucked behind the trees on the Whinlatter Pass road — or straight off the bus — a steady wake-up climb leads up over Kinn and Sleet How before Grisedale Pike shows its hand: a steep, craggy pull the map never quite warns you about, with hands needed on rock near the top. From its rocky summit the round opens out — the airy ridge over Hobcarton Crag to Hopegill Head's tiny, wind-blown perch, the broad sweep to Crag Hill and Sail, then a long, satisfying horseshoe back over the quieter tops of Outerside, Stile End and Barrow. Six Wainwrights, a handful of Birkett tops, and some of the best ridge-walking in the Lakes for the effort.
Classifications & hill data
Wainwright
North Western
Birkett
Fellranger
Synge
Nuttall
773 m
Height
2,536 ft
In feet
NY 1981 2027
Grid ref

Map & nearby Birketts

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

Nearest parking: Little Town, Newlands (paid, small), about 3.6 km from the summit (straight line). Full parking, toilets and bus details are below.

Birketts near Sail (within 3 km)

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

0.9 km WNWEel Crag (Birkett)807 m · North Western
1.1 km SIll Crag (Newlands) (Knott Rigg North Top)546 m · North Western
1.6 km WSWThirdgill Head Man734 m · North Western
1.8 km NNWHobcarton Crag (Hobcarton Head)738 m · North Western
1.9 km NWSand Hill756 m · North Western
2.8 km NWGasgale Crags703 m · North Western
2.8 km NEStile End447 m · North Western
2.8 km WSWLad Hows426 m · North Western
2.8 km NNWLadyside Pike704 m · North Western
2.9 km NWWhiteside East Top (Whiteside) (Gasgale Crags)719 m · North Western

Routes over Sail

Coledale RoundRevised
16.02 km · ~1108 m ascent · loop · ~5–7 h · Loop · Hard
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, adding only a couple of hundred metres of road to reach the start.

⬇️ Download GPX

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.

Full route guide ↗

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

The View from Sail

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 Sail36 labelled tops shown (16 distant behind the far-horizon toggle). Theoretical visibility in perfect clarity; computed from terrain, not photographed.eye levelNNEESESSWWNWScafell Pike · 13 kmHelvellyn · 15 kmSkiddaw · 11 kmGreat End · 12 kmPillar · 9 kmRaise · 15 kmFairfield · 18 kmBlencathra · 15 kmSkiddaw Little Man · 10 kmGreat Dodd · 14 kmStybarrow Dodd · 15 kmScoat Fell · 10 kmHigh Stile · 6 kmSwirl How · 21 kmKirk Fell · 10 kmGlaramara · 11 kmHigh Raise · 14 kmSand Hill · 2 kmRed Pike · 6 kmClough Head · 14 kmUllscarf · 12 kmLonscale Fell · 11 kmUllock Pike · 10 kmCross Fell · 51 km · clear daysBlack Combe · 35 km · clear daysCrag Hill · 0 kmEel Crag · 1 kmGrisedale Pike · 2 kmWandope · 1 kmHobcarton Crag · 2 kmWhiteside East Top · 3 kmLadyside Pike · 3 kmGasgale Crags · 3 kmWhiteless Pike · 2 kmWhernside · 66 km · clear daysLittle Dodd · 7 kmScafell · 14 kmNethermost Pike · 16 kmCatstye Cam · 16 kmEsk Pike · 13 kmGreat Rigg · 19 kmJenkin Hill · 10 kmHarrison Stickle · 15 kmCombe Head · 11 kmLittle Gowder Crag · 11 kmIron Crag · 11 kmLong Side · 10 kmScar Crags · 1 kmPlough Fell · 29 kmCalfhow Pike · 13 kmHigh Spy · 5 kmStarling Dodd · 7 kmUllister Hill · 6 kmGavel Fell · 8 kmSeat How · 6 kmBarrow · 3 kmRed Knott · 3 kmBengray · 69 km · clear daysOrthwaite Bank · 14 kmCalkin Rig · 68 km · clear daysGreen How · 18 kmWatch Hill · 12 kmGrange Fell · 62 km · clear daysBainloch Hill · 48 km · clear daysSlieve Donard · 179 km · a handful of days a yearMerrick · 101 km · a rare clear dayBroad Law · 103 km · a rare clear daySnaefell · 86 km · a rare clear dayCairnsmore of Carsphairn · 98 km · a rare clear dayCairnsmore of Fleet · 84 km · a rare clear dayWindlestraw Law · 124 km · a handful of days a yearTinto · 117 km · a rare clear dayIngleborough · 71 km · a rare clear dayGreen Lowther · 96 km · a rare clear dayCairn Table · 114 km · a rare clear dayWisp Hill · 81 km · a rare clear dayRoan Fell · 77 km · a rare clear dayColt Hill · 93 km · a rare clear dayDun Rig · 111 km · a rare clear dayPeel Fell · 90 km · a rare clear day
What you can see from Sail, by direction
  • North-east: Skiddaw Little Man (10 km), Skiddaw Lesser Man (10 km), Skiddaw South Top (10 km), Skiddaw Middle Top (11 km), Skiddaw (11 km), Skiddaw North Top (11 km), Broad End (11 km), Gategill Fell Top (14 km), Blencathra (15 km), Atkinson Pike (15 km)
  • East: Watson's Dodd (14 km), White Side (14 km), Great Dodd (14 km), Stybarrow Dodd (15 km), Helvellyn Lower Man (15 km), Raise (15 km), Helvellyn (15 km), Catstye Cam (16 km)
  • South-east: Nethermost Pike (16 km), High Crag (16 km), Dollywaggon Pike (16 km), Cofa Pike (18 km), Fairfield (18 km)
  • South: Pillar (9 km), Black Crag (9 km), Kirk Fell (10 km), Great Gable (10 km), Great End (12 km), Broad Crag (13 km), Scafell Pike (13 km), Ill Crag (13 km), Esk Pike (13 km), Scafell (14 km), Pike de Bield (14 km), Bowfell (15 km), Swirl How (21 km)
  • South-west: High Stile (6 km), High Stile (6 km), Steeple (10 km), Scoat Fell (10 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Slieve Donard (179 km, Ireland), Merrick (101 km, Scotland), Broad Law (103 km, Scotland), Snaefell (86 km, Isle of Man), Cairnsmore of Carsphairn (98 km, Scotland), Cairnsmore of Fleet (84 km, Scotland), Corserine (97 km, Scotland), Windlestraw Law (124 km, Scotland).

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

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

What you can see from Sail

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.
85Wainwrights in view+8 marginal
102 kmFurthest sightlineMerrick · possible under favourable refraction
2Sea in viewIrish Sea, Solway Firth

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

Far horizons
  • Merrick ScotlandNW · 102 km clear
  • Snaefell Isle of ManWSW · 87 km clear
  • Whernside Yorkshire DalesSE · 66 km clear
  • Great Dun Fell North PenninesENE · 53 km clear
  • Cross Fell North PenninesENE · 51 km clear
  • Criffel ScotlandNNW · 49 km clear
  • Irish Sea open waterWSW · 42 km in view
  • Solway Firth bay/estuaryNNW · 38 km in view
All 85 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

Crag Hill (Eel Crag), Ard Crags, Wandope, Scar Crags, Knott Rigg, Causey Pike, Whiteless Pike, Grisedale Pike, Hopegill Head, Barrow, Robinson, Hindscarth, Maiden Moor, Cat Bells (Catbells), High Spy, Dale Head, Red Pike (Buttermere), High Stile, High Crag (Buttermere), Haystacks (Buttermere), Starling Dodd, Grey Knotts, Walla Crag, Brandreth, Dodd (Skiddaw), Pillar, Bleaberry Fell, Great Crag (Stonethwaite), Base Brown, High Seat, Latrigg, Steeple, Long Side, Scoat Fell (Little Scoat Fell), Green Gable, Carl Side, Ullock Pike, Kirk Fell, Rosthwaite Fell - Bessyboot, Great Gable, Skiddaw Little Man, Skiddaw, Armboth Fell (Armboth Fell South Top), Glaramara, Lonscale Fell, Eagle Crag, High Rigg (Naddle Fell), Caw Fell, Sergeant's Crag, Crag Fell, Great End, Lingmell, Allen Crags, Scafell Pike, Esk Pike, Lank Rigg, High Raise (High White Stones), Scafell, Watson's Dodd, Clough Head, White Side, Great Dodd, Bowfell, Blencathra - Hallsfell Top, Stybarrow Dodd, Raise, Thunacar Knott, Pike of Stickle, Pavey Ark, Helvellyn, Harrison Stickle, Loft Crag, Binsey, Catstye Cam, Nethermost Pike, Dollywaggon Pike, Seat Sandal, Bowscale Fell, Cold Pike, Fairfield, Great Rigg, Heron Pike (Rydal), Great Mell Fell, Great Carrs, Swirl How

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

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

The path beneath your boots

The elegant zig-zags dropping from Sail to Scar Crags are Fix the Fells at its most photographed. Built in 2010, they tamed an erosion scar already over 15 metres wide and widening fast, on ground so rare it’s protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest — aggregate zig-zags engineered to ease the gradient, because a gentler line holds together where a straight, steep one simply washes away.

Notice underfoot: why the path zig-zags instead of heading straight up — the gentle gradient is what stops it eroding, so it’s worth following rather than short-cutting the corners.

Fix the Fells built and maintains this path. How a fell path is made → · Give back

Path-repair data © Fix the Fells (National Trust / Lake District National Park). Source.

Best parking to hike Sail

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

Little Town, Newlands (paid, small) — 3.6 km from summit (straight line)
Newlands valley — Catbells, Maiden Moor, Hindscarth, Robinson.
Directions
Buttermere village (NT, paid) — 4.0 km from summit (straight line)
For Red Pike, High Stile, Robinson, Rannerdale Knotts.
Directions
🚺 Buttermere village (132m) — Accessible☕ Syke Farm Tea Room☕ Croft House Farm Café🍺 The Buttermere Court Hotel

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

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

Water & shelter on the way up

On the Coledale Round route:

🛖 map (25 m)⛺ Hope Memorial Camp (64 m)

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

Buses to Sail from Penrith / Ambleside / Windermere

Stagecoach 77 / 77A “Honister Rambler”
Keswick – Portinscale – Hawse 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 (roughly Easter–October). 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.

My hikes over Sail (Strava)

1 logged hike pass over this summit:

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

Hazard & Incident Information for Sail

Hazard: Moderate

A rounded top on the busy Coledale round, best known for the dramatic zig-zag path — seventeen hairpins — that climbs its eastern slope. The zig-zags themselves are well graded and safe; the hazards lie either side of them: a steep, loose, eroded fall-line if you cut the corners, and the narrow, exposed neck of ridge linking Sail to Crag Hill. Keswick Mountain Rescue Team covers this popular ground.

  • The narrow ridge to Crag Hill: The connecting ridge between Sail and Crag Hill narrows to an exposed neck. It is straightforward in calm, dry conditions but unnerving and slippery in strong wind, wet or ice — take it steadily and don't be rushed by the wind.
  • The steep eastern flank (off the zig-zags): The famous zig-zags exist because the direct line is a steep, deeply eroded gully. Cutting the corners puts you on loose, steep ground where a slip runs a long way and you damage the path for everyone. Stay on the hairpins, up and down.
  • Exposure and navigation on the open ridge: The whole Coledale crest is exposed to the wind and featureless in cloud. Keep a bearing between the tops, and remember this is a long, committing round once you are out on it.
Who should attempt this fell: Sail is one of the gentler Coledale tops as long as you stay on the path: take the zig-zags rather than the eroded direct line, and treat the narrow neck to Crag Hill with care in wind or wet. It is exposed, featureless ground in cloud, so keep a compass bearing, and pace the full round so you are not tired and hurried on the steeper sections. Full winter kit when there is snow or ice.

Most common causes: Slips on loose, steep ground when cutting the zig-zags · Being blown off balance on the narrow ridge to Crag Hill in high wind · Navigation errors along the open ridge in cloud · Fatigue late in the long Coledale round

Local Mountain Rescue: Keswick Mountain Rescue Team · Reviewed 14 Jun 2026

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

Report incorrect information

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, though the lead and cadmium that would harm a person stay below the drinking limit here. Treat any hill water before drinking (a 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 Sail in cloud

Serious in cloud

A rough, rocky summit ringed by crags, with no single obvious way off in poor visibility. A serious place to be caught in cloud: carry map and compass (or GPS) and know how to use them, or save it for a clear day.

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

Other fells near Sail

Maps & guidebooks for Sail

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