High Snockrigg, Eel Crag & Lad Hows
Key facts
Difficulty profile
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 3 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 High Snockrigg2 Whiteless Pike3 Thirdgill Head Man4 Crag Hill (Eel Crag)5 Eel Crag (Birkett)6 Grasmoor7 Lad Hows
Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap (switch layers top-right).
This walk covers about 15.69 km with around 1399 m of ascent, taking in 7 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: Stiles or rough going on the route.
- Knees: A long, steep ~47% drop around the 10.4 km mark — hard on the knees.
On the line: 2 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 (opens in new tab) and we’ll fix it. Barrier data as of 2026-07-26. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).
Pacing
| Summit | Cumulative | Ascent | Time (fast–steady) |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Snockrigg | 1.8 km | 395 m | 1:01–1:22 |
| Whiteless Pike | 4.8 km | 824 m | 2:21–3:07 |
| Thirdgill Head Man | 5.7 km | 918 m | 2:40–3:32 |
| Crag Hill (Eel Crag) | 6.9 km | 1037 m | 3:07–4:09 |
| Eel Crag (Birkett) | 7.4 km | 1040 m | 3:12–4:16 |
| Grasmoor | 9.9 km | 1235 m | 4:02–5:22 |
| Lad Hows | 11.6 km | 1235 m | 4:22–5:49 |
| Finish | 15.7 km | 1399 m | 5:28–7:16 |
Naismith-based estimate — a fast/steady range. Your pace will vary.
The walk, stage by stage
Start → High Snockrigg (1.8 km, 395 m)
Climb of about 395 m over 1.8 km (around 22% average).
High Snockrigg → Whiteless Pike (3.0 km, 429 m)
Climb of about 429 m over 3.0 km (around 14% average).
Whiteless Pike → Thirdgill Head Man (0.8 km, 94 m)
Climb of about 94 m over 0.8 km (around 12% average).
Thirdgill Head Man → Crag Hill (Eel Crag) (1.3 km, 118 m)
Climb of about 118 m over 1.3 km (around 9% average).
Crag Hill (Eel Crag) → Eel Crag (Birkett) (0.4 km, 3 m)
Undulating section of about 0.4 km.
Eel Crag (Birkett) → Grasmoor (2.6 km, 195 m)
Climb of about 195 m over 2.6 km (around 8% average).
Grasmoor → Lad Hows (1.6 km, 0 m)
Descent of about 442 m over 1.6 km.
Lad Hows → Finish (4.1 km, 164 m)
Climb of about 164 m over 4.1 km (around 4% average).
Stage-by-stage field notes coming soon.
Summits bagged (7)
- High Snockrigg 526 m · North Western · Birkett, Synge
- Whiteless Pike 660 m · North Western · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge, Nuttall
- Thirdgill Head Man 734 m · North Western · Birkett
- Crag Hill (Eel Crag) 839 m · North Western · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge, Nuttall, HuMP
- Eel Crag (Birkett) 807 m · North Western · Birkett
- Grasmoor 852 m · North Western · Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge, Nuttall, Marilyn
- Lad Hows 426 m · North Western · Birkett, Synge
🅿️ 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
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
Short version: turn back at about 8.3 km (drop to Start) — roughly half the distance.
📚 Maps & guidebooks for High Snockrigg, Eel Crag & Lad Hows
- Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
- Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
- Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
- Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
- Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
- Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases — at no extra cost to you. How affiliate links work →
