Brock Crags, Angletarn Pikes, Beda Fell & Place Fell
Key facts
✎️ A grand tour of the quieter Far Eastern fells, with Angle Tarn and the Ullswater view from Place Fell as the highlights — a long but rewarding round.
Difficulty profile
Five independent axes, not one score — all field-checked on the ground here, with nothing left as a desk estimate.
Conditions on this route
We score every Lakeland Wainwright each morning on cloud, wind, rain and underfoot, and this route crosses 4 of them. The worst summit governs the verdict — a route is only as kind as its roughest top.
Modelled guidance — not a substitute for the mountain forecast or your own judgement. See how every fell ranks today →
☀️ Daylight & turnaround
Daylight is short from October to February — check today’s sunrise and sunset before you set off, and carry a head-torch and spare batteries. On short days, decide your turn-back time before you start.
Why this matters: 78% of Mountain Rescue call-outs come after midday — the day runs out on the way home, not on the way up. See also walking in bad weather and today’s conditions.
1 Brock Crags (Wainwright)2 Angletarn Pikes (Angletarn Pikes North Top)3 Beda Fell (Beda Head)4 Place Fell
Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap (switch layers top-right).
This walk covers about 19.71 km with around 1070 m of ascent, taking in 4 summits. The map above shows the line; the elevation profile and stage notes are below.
Access & barriers
Can a dog, a buggy or dodgy knees manage this route? A quick read from the gates and stiles mapped along the way.
- Dog: A stile of unmapped type — a dog may need lifting over.
- Buggy: Not a pushchair route.
- Knees: A long, steep ~32% drop around the 10.2 km mark — hard on the knees.
On the line: 14 gates · 2 kissing gates · 3 stiles (type unmapped)
These are mapped barriers, from OpenStreetMap — coverage in the Lakes is good but not guaranteed complete. Spotted a stile or gate we’ve missed? Tell us (opens in new tab) and we’ll fix it. Barrier data as of 2026-07-12. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).
Pacing
| Summit | Cumulative | Ascent | Time (fast–steady) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brock Crags (Wainwright) | 4.4 km | 401 m | 1:33–2:04 |
| Angletarn Pikes (Angletarn Pikes North Top) | 6.8 km | 501 m | 2:12–2:56 |
| Beda Fell (Beda Head) | 9.8 km | 564 m | 2:54–3:52 |
| Place Fell | 15.0 km | 1047 m | 4:44–6:18 |
| Finish | 19.7 km | 1070 m | 5:44–7:37 |
Naismith-based estimate — a fast/steady range. Your pace will vary.
The walk, stage by stage
Start (Hartsop) → Brock Crags (4.4 km, 401 m)
Climb from Hartsop onto Brock Crags, above the Hayeswater valley.
Brock Crags → Angletarn Pikes (2.4 km, 100 m)
Cross to the twin tops of Angletarn Pikes, passing beautiful Angle Tarn itself.
Angletarn Pikes → Beda Fell (3.0 km, 63 m)
Follow the grassy ridge out over Beda Fell, quiet and rarely trodden.
Decision point: Boggy cols and a vague line in places — keep the map handy.
Beda Fell → Place Fell (5.2 km, 482 m)
Drop toward Boredale Hause and climb the knobbly top of Place Fell for the big view down Ullswater.
Place Fell → Finish (4.8 km, 23 m)
Descend and return to the start.
Summits bagged (4)
- Brock Crags (Wainwright) 561 m · Far Eastern · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge
- Angletarn Pikes (Angletarn Pikes North Top) 566 m · Far Eastern · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge
- Beda Fell (Beda Head) 509 m · Far Eastern · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge
- Place Fell 657 m · Far Eastern · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge, Nuttall, Marilyn
🅿️ Getting there & parking
Positions are approximate. Lakeland car parks fill before 9am on fine weekends.
💧 Water, shelter & getting away
On-route facilities © OpenStreetMap contributors — an absent marker does not mean the facility isn’t there.
🚌 Buses
Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com (opens in new tab) or Traveline before travelling.
⚠️ Safety & conditions
- A long day (nearly 20 km, over 1,000 m of ascent) — start early, carry food, water and layers, and keep an eye on the time and the light.
- Boggy in places, especially along the Beda Fell ridge and the cols — slow when wet.
- The higher, quieter ground can be confusing in mist — carry map and compass.
- Livestock on the lower fells and valleys; keep dogs under close control.
Check live conditions in the “From the fells” panel, on MWIS (opens in new tab) and the Met Office mountain forecast (opens in new tab) before you set off.
Make it easier or harder
Easier and harder options coming soon.
📚 Maps & guidebooks for Brock Crags, Angletarn Pikes, Beda Fell & Place Fell
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