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

Tarn Crag (Easedale), a Lake District fell
Wainwright — Central FellsAlso a Birkett

Tarn Crag (Easedale)

Tarn Crag at 583m (1,913ft) above Easedale is a craggy little summit above the head of the Sour Milk Gill path from Grasmere.

549 m
Height
~2.5–3 h
Typical time
+6
Bonus Birketts
See routes & download GPX →

Home › Fells › Tarn Crag (Easedale)

Written and walked by Lee McCoy · Last reviewed

549 mWainwright — Central Fells✓ summit is also a Birkett+6 bonus Birketts within 3 km Care needed in cloud

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

Modelled guidance for the 549 m summit. Always check the Met Office mountain forecast and MWIS before you set off.

On the summit today (Tue 28 Jul): 15° to 14°C, gusts to 38 mph, 11.8 mm of rain forecast.

Tue 28 Jul
🌧️
15° / 14°
💨 38 mph
🌧 11.8 mm (100%)
Wed 29 Jul
🌧️
15° / 12°
💨 27 mph
🌧 5.0 mm (100%)
Thu 30 Jul
🌦️
13° / 6°
💨 28 mph
🌧 1.3 mm (78%)
Fri 31 Jul
🌤️
15° / 2°
💨 24 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (78%)
Sat 1 Aug
🌦️
15° / 4°
💨 15 mph
🌧 3.6 mm (54%)
Sun 2 Aug
🌫️
16° / 6°
💨 19 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (24%)
Mon 3 Aug
🌦️
16° / 6°
💨 12 mph
🌧 0.2 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 549 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

Tarn Crag (Easedale)

Tarn Crag (Easedale), a Lake District fell
© Lee McCoy

Tarn Crag at 583m (1,913ft) above Easedale is a craggy little summit above the head of the Sour Milk Gill path from Grasmere. Wainwright described it as giving fine views south over Grasmere and Windermere, and across to the Fairfield group to the east. The ascent from Grasmere via Easedale Tarn is excellent — the tarn itself is one of the finest in the Central Fells. Combined naturally with Sergeant Man and High Raise for a full day's circuit from Grasmere via Easedale.

Routes up Tarn Crag (Easedale)

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

Helm Crag, Gibson Knott, Calf Crag, Steel Fell and Tarn Crag
20.8 km · ~5.7 hr
West of Grasmere
15.4 km · ~4.4 hr
Classifications & hill data
Wainwright
Central
Birkett
Fellranger
Synge
549 m
Height
1,801 ft
In feet
NY 3036 0930
Grid ref

Map & nearby Birketts

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

Nearest parking: Stickle Ghyll / New Dungeon Ghyll (NT, paid), about 3.4 km from the summit (straight line). Full parking, toilets and bus details are below.

Birketts near Tarn Crag (Easedale) (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.

1.5 km WCodale Head732 m · Central
1.7 km SSECastle How (Raw Pike)498 m · Central
2.3 km WNWLow White Stones731 m · Central
2.6 km SSESwinescar Pike411 m · Central
2.7 km SELang How414 m · Central
2.8 km NWLining Crag542 m · Central

Routes over Tarn Crag (Easedale)

Helm Crag, Gibson Knott, Calf Crag, Steel Fell and Tarn CragRevised
20.82 km · ~910 m ascent · loop · ~5.5–7.5 h
Summits: Helm CragGibson KnottCalf CragSteel Fell (Dead Pike - Steel Fell)Tarn Crag (Easedale)

⬇️ Download GPX

Full route guide ↗

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

West of GrasmereRevised
15.44 km · ~806 m ascent · loop · ~4–6 h
Summits: Tarn Crag (Easedale)Codale HeadSergeant ManBlea RiggSwinescar PikeSilver How

⬇️ Download GPX

Full route guide ↗

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

The View from Tarn Crag (Easedale)

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 Tarn Crag (Easedale)35 labelled tops shown (4 distant behind the far-horizon toggle). Theoretical visibility in perfect clarity; computed from terrain, not photographed.eye levelNNEESESSWWNWHelvellyn · 7 kmHelvellyn Lower Man · 7 kmHigh Crag · 6 kmFairfield · 6 kmBlencathra · 18 kmDollywaggon Pike · 6 kmGreat Dodd · 12 kmSt Sunday Crag · 8 kmHart Crag · 7 kmThe Old Man of Coniston · 12 kmDove Crag · 7 kmRed Screes · 9 kmGrey Friar · 10 kmLittle Stand · 8 kmCodale Head · 2 kmLow White Stones · 2 kmClough Head · 14 kmThunacar Knott · 3 kmUllscarf · 3 kmYoke · 14 kmPike of Blisco · 6 kmHarrison Stickle · 3 kmKitty Crag · 10 kmIngleborough · 56 km · clear daysWhernside · 52 km · clear daysWard's Stone · 58 km · clear daysThe Calf · 38 km · clear daysCalf Crag · 1 kmCastle How · 2 kmTop o' Selside · 17 kmSour Howes · 14 kmSilver How · 3 kmLoughrigg Fell · 6 kmGummer's How · 23 kmHolme Fell · 9 kmSwirl How · 9 kmGreat Rigg · 5 kmWetherlam · 8 kmSeat Sandal · 5 kmCold Pike · 7 kmBannerdale Crags · 20 kmPavey Ark · 2 kmLittle Carrs · 8 kmHeron Pike North Top · 5 kmBrown Crag · 9 kmBlea Rigg · 2 kmSallows · 14 kmWansfell Pike · 10 kmLingmoor Fell · 5 kmLang How · 3 kmSwinescar Pike · 3 kmHelm Crag · 2 kmHampsfell · 31 km · clear daysYarlside · 40 km · clear daysMoel y Gamelin · 163 km · a handful of days a yearGreat Whernside · 78 km · a rare clear dayWinter Hill · 101 km · a rare clear dayBillinge Hill · 110 km · a rare clear day
What you can see from Tarn Crag (Easedale), by direction
  • North: Watson's Dodd (11 km), Little Dodd (12 km), Great Dodd (12 km), Clough Head (14 km), Gategill Fell Top (18 km), Blencathra (18 km), Doddick Fell (19 km), Scales Fell (19 km), Bannerdale Crags (20 km)
  • North-east: Seat Sandal (5 km), Dollywaggon Pike (6 km), High Crag (6 km), Fairfield (6 km), Cofa Pike (6 km), Helvellyn (7 km), Helvellyn Lower Man (7 km), St Sunday Crag (8 km)
  • East: Great Rigg (5 km), Heron Pike (5 km), Hart Crag (7 km), Dove Crag (7 km), Red Screes (9 km), Yoke (14 km)
  • South: Wetherlam (8 km), Black Sails (9 km), Great Carrs (9 km), Swirl How (9 km), Great How (10 km), Brim Fell (11 km), The Old Man of Coniston (12 km)
  • South-west: Thunacar Knott (3 km), Harrison Stickle (3 km), Pike of Blisco (6 km), Great Knott (7 km), Cold Pike (7 km), Little Stand (8 km), Grey Friar (10 km)
  • West: Codale Head (2 km), Low White Stones (2 km)
  • North-west: Ullscarf (3 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Moel y Gamelin (163 km, Wales), Great Whernside (78 km, England), Winter Hill (101 km, England), Cyrn-y-Brain (161 km, Wales), Billinge Hill (110 km, England).

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 Tarn Crag (Easedale)

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.
43Wainwrights in view+2 marginal
57 kmFurthest sightlineIngleborough
1Sea in viewMorecambe Bay
Far horizons
  • Ingleborough Yorkshire DalesSE · 57 km clear
  • Whernside Yorkshire DalesESE · 51 km clear
  • Morecambe Bay bay/estuaryS · 37 km in view
All 43 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

Calf Crag, Blea Rigg, Gibson Knott, Helm Crag, Pavey Ark, Steel Fell (Dead Pike - Steel Fell), Thunacar Knott, Harrison Stickle, Ullscarf, Silver How, Stone Arthur, Seat Sandal, Lingmoor Fell (Brown How), Great Rigg, Heron Pike (Rydal), Nab Scar, Dollywaggon Pike, Fairfield, Pike of Blisco, Loughrigg Fell, Nethermost Pike, Hart Crag, Helvellyn, Cold Pike, High Pike (Scandale), Dove Crag, St Sunday Crag, Wetherlam, Black Fell, Holme Fell, Great Carrs, Swirl How, Red Screes, Grey Friar, Watson's Dodd, Baystones (Wansfell), Brim Fell, Great Dodd, The Old Man of Coniston (Coniston Old Man), Clough Head, Sour Howes, Blencathra - Hallsfell Top, Bannerdale Crags

How Tarn Crag (Easedale)’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.

Best parking to hike Tarn Crag (Easedale)

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

Stickle Ghyll / New Dungeon Ghyll (NT, paid) — 3.4 km from summit (straight line)
Direct start up Stickle Ghyll for the Langdale Pikes.
Directions
🚺 Public toilets (640m) — Free🚺 Public toilets (770m) — Free
Old Dungeon Ghyll (NT, paid) — 3.8 km from summit (straight line)
Head of Great Langdale — Bowfell, Crinkle Crags, Pike o' Blisco, the Langdale Pikes.
Directions
🚺 Public toilets (510m) — Free🚺 Public toilets (649m) — Free🍺 Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel🍺 Sticklebarn

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 Helm Crag, Gibson Knott, Calf Crag, Steel Fell and Tarn Crag route:

🛖 map (120 m)🚌 Stock Lane at School (47 m)🚌 School (95 m)🚌 map (254 m)🚌 Daffodil House for Dove Cottage (316 m)

On the West of Grasmere route:

🛖 map (44 m)🚌 Heaton Cooper Studio (227 m)🚌 School (266 m)🚌 Stock Lane at School (301 m)⛺ map (486 m)

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

Buses to Tarn Crag (Easedale) from Penrith / Ambleside / Windermere

Stagecoach 516 “Langdale Rambler”
Ambleside – Skelwith Bridge – Elterwater – New Dungeon Ghyll – Old Dungeon Ghyll
Catch it from: Ambleside · Windermere (change at Ambleside)
The Langdale bus — Pikes, Bowfell, Crinkle Crags, Pike o' Blisco all walkable from the Dungeon Ghyll stops. Seasonal frequency varies; check before relying on the last bus back.

Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com or Traveline before relying on a last bus.

My hikes over Tarn Crag (Easedale) (Strava)

2 logged hikes pass over this summit:

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

Navigating Tarn Crag (Easedale) in cloud

Care needed

A rough, rocky summit ringed by crags, with no single obvious way off in poor visibility. 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 Tarn Crag (Easedale) 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 Tarn Crag (Easedale)

Maps & guidebooks for Tarn Crag (Easedale)

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