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

Wainwright — Western FellsAlso a Birkett

Steeple

Steeple at 819m (2,687ft) is a pointed, dramatic summit on the ridge between Scoat Fell and Red Pike (Wasdale), its crags dropping steeply into Mirk Cove above Ennerdale.

819 m
Height
~6–7.5 h
Typical time
+5
Bonus Birketts
See routes & download GPX → Parking & buses →
819 mWainwright — Western Fells✓ summit is also a Birkett+5 bonus Birketts within 3 km Straightforward in cloud

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

Modelled guidance for the 819 m summit. Always check the Met Office mountain forecast and MWIS before you set off.

On the summit today (Fri 11 Sep): 10° to 8°C, gusts to 29 mph, 2.6 mm of rain forecast.

Fri 11 Sep
🌦️
10° / 8°
💨 29 mph
🌧 2.6 mm (100%)
Sat 12 Sep
🌧️
12° / 8°
💨 48 mph
🌧 47.0 mm (100%)
Sun 13 Sep
🌦️
11° / 6°
💨 16 mph
🌧 0.1 mm (74%)
Mon 14 Sep
🌧️
13° / 6°
💨 33 mph
🌧 18.7 mm (96%)
Tue 15 Sep
🌧️
12° / 6°
💨 32 mph
🌧 13.2 mm (100%)
Wed 16 Sep
🌦️
9° / 7°
💨 34 mph
🌧 6.0 mm (96%)
Thu 17 Sep
🌦️
9° / 7°
💨 38 mph
🌧 11.6 mm (98%)

Forecast snapshot from 11 Sep 2026, 08:30 UTC — refreshed nightly and updated live in your browser. Temperatures and gusts adjusted to the 819 m summit altitude via Open-Meteo. Summit conditions are always harsher than the valley — check the professional mountain forecasts before you go.

Steeple at a glance

Steeple

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

Steeple at 819m (2,687ft) is a pointed, dramatic summit on the ridge between Scoat Fell and Red Pike (Wasdale), its crags dropping steeply into Mirk Cove above Ennerdale. Wainwright was clearly excited by Steeple's dramatic character — the craggy summit and the deep Ennerdale views below make it one of the most striking summits in the Western Fells. The short detour from Scoat Fell is highly recommended. The views down into Ennerdale and south to the Scafells are outstanding from this pointed, exposed top.

Routes up Steeple

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

Classifications & hill data

Wainwright
Western
Birkett
Fellranger
Synge
Nuttall
819 m
Height
2,687 ft
In feet
NY 1575 1167
Grid ref

The short answers

Is Steeple a Wainwright?

Steeple is a Wainwright. It is also on the Birkett list, the Synge list, the Nuttall list and the Fellranger list.

Where do you park for Steeple?

We hold no car park within 2.5 km of the summit, so there is no short walk-in to recommend here. We only look within 2.5 km, measured straight-line: over longer distances a road may cross a pass and the drive bears no relation to the line.

How hard is Steeple?

The shortest way up we hold is Extended Mosedale Horseshoe — 16.6 km, 1303 m of ascent, about 5.5 hours. On our scale its hardest axis is steepness — Severe.

All axes: steepness: Severe · exposure: Hard · terrain: Hard · length: Hard · navigation: Moderate.

Parking & buses for Steeple

Best parking to hike Steeple

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

Car park for Yewbarrow (free) — 4.3 km from summit (straight line)
1.3 km from Yewbarrow. Added from the 5 Aug 2026 OSM candidate review.
Directions (opens in new tab)Something changed here?
Lake Head, Wasdale (NT, paid) — 4.9 km from summit (straight line)
Walking base for Great Gable, Kirk Fell and Scafell Pike — the 'Great Gable & Kirk Fell' route starts 10 m away. Also serves 'Scafell Pike from Wasdale, by Lingmell Col'. National Trust's access statement records a pay-and-display machine here (National Trust, January 2024) but does not say which payment methods it takes; the same document notes mobile reception is poor across Wasdale, so carry coins as well as a card. Compacted surface (OSM-tagged). Toilets on site.
Directions (opens in new tab)Something changed here?

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.

Vehicles are left entirely at their owner’s risk. We list places people park; we cannot vouch for any of them. Judge it on the day: take valuables with you, leave nothing on show, and if a spot feels wrong when you get there, park somewhere else.

Getting to Steeple by bus

We don’t know yet. Wasdale Explorer (seasonal) serves this area, but we don’t hold its stop positions, so we can’t measure the walk from it — and we won’t tell you to drive on the strength of a gap in our own data. Check the operator’s timetable.

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

Hazards on Steeple

Hazard & Incident Information for Steeple

Hazard: Moderate

A sharp, airy summit thrown out from Little Scoat Fell on a short, narrow arête high above Ennerdale — one of the most remote and shapely tops in the Western Fells. The connecting ridge is exposed, with steep ground falling away into Mirk Cove and Mirklin Cove on either side, and it has a fatal accident record. Deep in committing country, far from any road, it is covered by Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team. The hazards are the narrow ridge, the steep drops and the sheer remoteness.

  • The arête between Steeple and Little Scoat Fell: The link to the main ridge is a short, narrow crest with steep, rocky drops on both sides. A walker slipped and fell around 260ft from this ridge and was killed. It is straightforward in dry, calm conditions but genuinely exposed — take care with foot placement, and treat it with great caution in wind, wet or cloud.
  • Steep flanks into Mirk Cove / Mirklin Cove: The summit and its ridge are flanked by steep coves dropping toward Ennerdale. A trip near the edge runs into serious ground. Keep to the crest and don't stray onto the steep grass and rock above the coves.
  • Remoteness and access: Steeple is a long way in from any direction, with rough approaches and long walk-outs. Low cloud here has grounded rescue helicopters. A minor mishap becomes serious simply because of how far you are from help — carry full kit, navigation and a way to call for assistance, and allow generous time.
Who should attempt this fell: Steeple is a wonderful, exposed little summit, but respect the narrow ridge that reaches it — it has killed. Cross it carefully, and avoid it in strong wind or when the rock is wet or iced. Above all, plan for the remoteness: this is deep Western Fells country where help is hours away and bad weather can ground aircraft. Strong navigation, full kit and a sensible turnaround time are essential.

Most common causes: Slips and falls from the narrow arête, including a fatal fall · Trips onto the steep ground above Mirk Cove and Mirklin Cove · Navigation difficulty and exposure in cloud on the remote ridge · Problems compounded by the long distance from any road or help

Local Mountain Rescue: Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team (opens in new tab) · Reviewed 13 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 (opens in new tab)

Navigating Steeple in cloud

Straightforward

A broad, gently-sloping top with little to steer by — easy to lose your bearings and hard to relocate in mist. Navigation here is relatively straightforward even in cloud — but carry map and compass and know how to use them; a low score never means “safe”.

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

Map & nearby Birketts

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

Nearest parking: Car park for Yewbarrow (free), about 4.3 km from the summit (straight line). Full parking, toilets and bus details are below.

Birketts near Steeple (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.

0.8 km EBlack Crag828 m · Western
1.6 km ENEPillar Rock780 m · Western
1.9 km WSWLittle Gowder Crag734 m · Western
2.2 km NWLingmell (Ennerdale)427 m · Western
2.9 km ELooking Stead (Pillar)628 m · Western

Routes over Steeple

16.55 km · ~1303 m ascent · loop · ~5.5–7.5 h

⬇️ Download GPX

Full route guide ↗

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

26.76 km · ~1743 m ascent · loop · ~8–11 h

⬇️ Download GPX

Full route guide ↗

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

On the hill: terrain and water on Steeple

Water & shelter on the way up

💧 Treat water from the fell before you drink it. A mapped point is usually a tap or public supply, but never drink untreated from a beck, stream or tarn — even clear-looking hill water can carry giardia or cryptosporidium from livestock or a carcass upstream and leave you seriously ill. Run it through a filter or purifier (a LifeStraw, Sawyer Squeeze or HydraPak) or bring it to a rolling boil first.

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

The view from Steeple

The 360° skyline from Steeple

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 Steeple29 labelled tops shown (16 distant behind the far-horizon toggle). Theoretical visibility in perfect clarity; computed from terrain, not photographed.eye levelNNEESESSWWNWScafell Pike · 7 kmSkiddaw · 20 kmGreat End · 8 kmGreat Gable · 6 kmPillar · 1 kmNethermost Pike · 19 kmFairfield · 20 kmBlencathra · 23 kmGrasmoor · 9 kmCrag Hill · 9 kmHaycock · 2 kmGlaramara · 9 kmJenkin Hill · 20 kmClough Head · 21 kmScoat Fell · 0 kmRed Pike · 4 kmLittle Gowder Crag · 2 kmCriffel · 54 km · clear daysCaw Fell · 3 kmIron Crag · 3 kmGreat Borne · 6 kmLittle Dodd · 4 kmBlake Fell · 9 kmCrag Fell · 7 kmGrike · 8 kmLingmell · 2 kmBlakeley Raise · 9 kmBengairn · 58 km · clear daysWatch Hill · 20 kmBroad Crag · 7 kmDollywaggon Pike · 19 kmHigh Stile · 3 kmKirk Fell · 4 kmDove Crag · 22 kmAllen Crags · 8 kmSail · 10 kmLonscale Fell · 20 kmBowscale Fell · 26 kmHindscarth · 8 kmCausey Pike · 11 kmCarling Knott · 10 kmMellbreak · 7 kmBrown How · 6 kmClints Crags · 24 kmSlieve Donard · 174 km · a handful of days a yearMerrick · 104 km · a rare clear dayBroad Law · 112 km · a rare clear daySnaefell · 80 km · a rare clear dayCairnsmore of Carsphairn · 103 km · a rare clear dayTinto · 124 km · a handful of days a yearSlieve Croob · 174 km · a handful of days a yearDivis · 176 km · a handful of days a yearWhite Coomb · 103 km · a rare clear dayCairn Table · 121 km · a handful of days a yearBeneraird · 122 km · a handful of days a yearAgnew's Hill · 174 km · a handful of days a yearColt Hill · 99 km · a rare clear dayBuckden Pike · 87 km · a rare clear dayTurner Cleuch Law · 110 km · a rare clear dayMull Hill · 106 km · a rare clear day
What you can see from Steeple, by direction
  • North: High Stile (3 km), Grasmoor (9 km), Crag Hill (9 km), Eel Crag (10 km)
  • North-east: Sail (10 km), Skiddaw Lesser Man (19 km), Skiddaw Little Man (20 km), Skiddaw South Top (20 km), Skiddaw Middle Top (20 km), Skiddaw (20 km), Skiddaw North Top (20 km), Broad End (21 km), Knowe Crags (22 km), Gategill Fell Top (22 km), Blencathra (23 km), Atkinson Pike (24 km)
  • East: Pillar (1 km), Kirk Fell (4 km), Great Gable (6 km), Green Gable (6 km), Allen Crags (8 km), Glaramara (9 km), High Crag (19 km), Nethermost Pike (19 km), Dollywaggon Pike (19 km), Fairfield (20 km), Cofa Pike (20 km), St Sunday Crag (21 km), Dove Crag (22 km), Red Screes (24 km), Thornthwaite Crag (27 km), Rampsgill Head (29 km), Kidsty Pike (29 km), Harter Fell (30 km)
  • South-east: Scafell Pike (7 km), Broad Crag (7 km), Great End (8 km), Ill Crag (8 km), Esk Pike (9 km)
  • South-west: Haycock (2 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Slieve Donard (174 km, Ireland), Merrick (104 km, Scotland), Broad Law (112 km, Scotland), Snaefell (80 km, Isle of Man), Cairnsmore of Carsphairn (103 km, Scotland), Cairnsmore of Fleet (86 km, Scotland), Corserine (100 km, Scotland), Lamachan Hill (97 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 (opens in new tab) (CC BY 4.0). See how we compute the view · and the summit intervisibility report below.

Sunrise and sunset on Steeple

Steeple sits close to the flat-horizon case. Even on its longest wait of the modelled year (on 1 September) first light is only 14 minutes after almanac sunrise, so the published sunrise time is a fair guide here.

30°40°50°60°04:37
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
Midsummer04:37 BST ±5.0 min04:38-1 min
Equinox06:15 GMT ±5.0 min06:16-1 min
Midwinter08:34 GMT ±5.0 min08:34

A low, open northern horizon — the ground falls away northwards (mean -0.4°).

Last light — when the sun leaves Steeple

Steeple 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 5 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 lightAlmanac sunsetDifference
Midsummer21:58 BST ±5.0 min21:53+5 min
Equinox18:33 GMT ±5.0 min18:27+6 min
Midwinter15:58 GMT ±5.0 min15:50+8 min

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 Steeple. 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. 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 Steeple

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.
57Wainwrights in view+16 marginal
105 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 · 105 km clear
  • Snaefell Isle of ManWSW · 80 km clear
  • Criffel ScotlandNNW · 55 km clear
  • Solway Firth bay/estuaryNNW · 44 km in view
  • Irish Sea open waterWNW · 27 km in view
All 57 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

How Steeple’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.

Places to stay near this fell

We have not verified an independent place near this fell — these are the chains and charities that serve it.

YHA Wasdale Hall (opens in new tab) hostel

about 3.3 km from the start, in a straight line

Ranked above the nearer campsite on usefulness, per rule 2. For a party coming off Scafell Pike wet at 6pm this is the only bed within 3 miles of this start that its own page proves has a drying room, parking, a cot, a highchair, a served breakfast from 07:30 and evening meals until 20:00 - the campsite 1.7 km closer has none of drying, breakfast or any food service. Reception is open 17:00-22:00 so a late arrival is expected rather than a problem. Dogs are the one hard no for an ordinary booking.

Worth knowing: “Pets - including dogs - are not permitted in our hostels when staying in a dorm or a private room.”

The lounge fire surround was salvaged from York Minster. The hall was built in 1829 for Stansfield Rawson, a Yorkshire banker, was a lakeside summer home before the National Trust took it on, and only became a hostel in 1969 - it was called YHA Wastwater until 2015.

  • Drying room “Shared drying room”
  • Family rooms “What our private rooms offer Bed linen Central heating Cot available Heating Hot water Lock on doors”
  • Evening meal “Meals are also available from 17:00”
  • Packed lunch “With tasty breakfasts, packed lunches and evening meals, groups are sure to find something tasty to eat at YHA Wasdale Hall”
  • Parking “Parking: There is parking at the hostel.”
  • Children “Under 12s are not permitted in dorm rooms. Children under 3 can stay with us for free.”

YHA Black Sail (opens in new tab) hostel

about 3.9 km from the start, in a straight line

Included because it is genuinely on this walk's ground - Black Sail sits over the pass at the head of Ennerdale and the page names the peaks the Mosedale horseshoe crosses: "superb access to nearby peaks including Great Gable, Pillar, Red Pike and Steeple". For a walker it answers the 6pm questions properly: an evening menu, breakfast from 07:30, a licensed bar, a self-catering kitchen, ground-floor rooms and a cot. But the 3.93 km on this row is straight-line over the ridge and must never be read as an approach: by their own statement the nearest road is 2.5 miles away and cars stop at Bowness Knott, six miles down the valley. No dogs unless you take the whole building, no phone signal, no WiFi, and no way for us to contact them - emails[] is empty and no contact form was found.

Worth knowing: “Pets are not permitted at YHA Black Sail, except when hiring the whole hostel through YHA Exclusive Hire.”

It is a former shepherds' bothy at the head of Ennerdale, and its two toilets and single shower are outside the building - YHA's own page tells guests to bring a torch for the walk out at night. There is no mains-fed arrival at all: the nearest road is 2.5 miles away.

  • Family rooms “One room that sleeps up to 8 people. It includes 4 sets of bunk beds. A cot is available.”
  • Evening meal “Evening menu at YHA Black Sail Take your pick from today's selection of hearty classics and delicious desserts.”
  • Packed lunch “This hostel offers group catering for pre-booked groups of 16 people or more.”
  • Parking “YHA Black Sail is only accessible by foot or bike. The nearest road is 2.5 miles away in the Buttermere valley, accessing the hostel via 'Scarth Gap pass'.”
  • Children “Guests under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 years or over to stay at YHA.”

What each place says about itself, quoted from their own site. We have not stayed at any of them, and there are no prices, no booking and no affiliate links. Distances are straight lines from each route start, never walking times. Properties found via OpenStreetMap (opens in new tab).

Other fells near Steeple