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15.93 km · ~850 m ascent · ~4.5–6 h · loop · 4 summits

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Helm Crag above Grasmere
HardLoop

Helm Crag & Far Easedale

15.93 km
Distance
~4.5–6 h
Typical time
~850 m
Ascent
4
Summits

Photo: © Lee McCoy

Download GPX →Maps & guidebooks

Key facts

Distance 15.93 km
Ascent ~850 m
Descent ~850 m
Time ~4.5–6 h
Type Loop
A planned line is a suggestion, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate independently and carry a map & compass.

🧭 The automated detail on this page — distance, climb, pacing and a first-pass difficulty read — is live. Hand-written field notes are being added.

Difficulty profile

LengthHard15.93 km — a long day out.
SteepnessHardSteepest sustained pull about 29% around the 9.9 km mark.
TerrainModerateMostly good mountain path. desk assessment — not field-verified
NavigationModerateMostly clear, but the Far Easedale head can be vague in cloud — carry a map.
ExposureNot assessedExposure (drops, scrambling, how bad a slip would be) can’t be judged from gradient data alone, so we don’t guess. A rating appears once the route is editorially assessed or walked.

Five independent axes, not one score. “Desk” ratings come from maps and guidebooks, not yet walked — treat them as a guide, not a survey.

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.

OpenTopoMap
Elevation profile
Elevation profile Rises from about 68 m to 550 m over 15.9 km, with the summits marked in order. 550 m 68 m 0 km 15.9 km 1234

1 Helm Crag2 Gibson Knott3 Calf Crag4 Steel Fell (Dead Pike - Steel Fell)

~850 m
Total ascent
550 m
High point
68 m
Start height

Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap (switch layers top-right).

This walk covers about 15.93 km with around 850 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
Mostly gates
Buggy
Not buggy-able
Knees
Steep in places
  • Dog: A stile of unmapped type — a dog may need lifting over.
  • Buggy: Stiles or rough going on the route.
  • Knees: A sustained ~29% descent around the 9.8 km mark — a little jarring on tired knees.

On the line: 13 gates · 1 stile (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 and we’ll fix it. Barrier data as of 2026-07-09. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).

Pacing

SummitCumulativeAscentTime (fast–steady)
Helm Crag3.5 km322 m1:15–1:39
Gibson Knott4.8 km391 m1:37–2:09
Calf Crag6.6 km518 m2:11–2:54
Steel Fell (Dead Pike - Steel Fell)9.0 km604 m2:49–3:44
Finish15.9 km850 m4:36–6:07

Naismith-based estimate — a fast/steady range. Your pace will vary.

The walk, stage by stage

Start → Helm Crag (3.5 km, 322 m)

Climb of about 322 m over 3.5 km (around 9% average).

Helm Crag → Gibson Knott (1.3 km, 69 m)

Climb of about 69 m over 1.3 km (around 5% average).

Gibson Knott → Calf Crag (1.8 km, 127 m)

Climb of about 127 m over 1.8 km (around 7% average).

Calf Crag → Steel Fell (Dead Pike - Steel Fell) (2.4 km, 87 m)

Climb of about 87 m over 2.4 km (around 4% average).

Steel Fell (Dead Pike - Steel Fell) → Finish (6.9 km, 246 m)

Climb of about 246 m over 6.9 km (around 4% average).

Stage-by-stage field notes coming soon.

Summits bagged (4)

🅿️ Getting there & parking

Grasmere village (paid) — 0.2 km from the start (straight line)
For Helm Crag, Silver How, the Easedale fells and the Far Easedale round.
Directions
White Moss (paid) — 1.3 km from the start (straight line)
Between Rydal and Grasmere — Loughrigg, Silver How, Heron Pike.
Directions

Positions are approximate. Lakeland car parks fill before 9am on fine weekends.

💧 Water, shelter & getting away

🛖 map (43 m)🚌 Stock Lane at School (43 m)🚌 School (94 m)🚌 map (270 m)🚌 Daffodil House for Dove Cottage (327 m)

On-route facilities © OpenStreetMap contributors — an absent marker does not mean the facility isn’t there.

🚌 Buses

Stagecoach 555
Kendal – Staveley – Windermere – Ambleside – Rydal – Grasmere – Thirlmere (Wythburn & Swirls) – Keswick
Catch it from: Windermere · Ambleside
Year-round, roughly hourly. The backbone bus of the A591 — ideal for Helvellyn (Wythburn/Swirls), Fairfield, the Central fells and anything around Grasmere/Rydal. From Penrith, take the X4/X5 to Keswick and change.

Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com or Traveline before travelling.

⚠️ Safety & conditions

Check live conditions in the “From the fells” panel, on MWIS and the Met Office mountain forecast before you set off.

Make it easier or harder

Short version: turn back at about 7.8 km (drop to Start) — roughly half the distance.

⬇️ Download

Download GPX

GPX track for your GPS or phone.

📚 Maps & guidebooks for Helm Crag & Far Easedale

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Helm Crag, Gibson Knott, Calf Crag, Steel Fell and Tarn Crag
20.82 km · ~910 m