High Snockrigg, Eel Crag & Lad Hows

The walk, stage by stage

1. 1

   Start → High Snockrigg (1.8 km, 399 m)

   Climb of about 399 m over 1.8 km (around 22% average).

   Leave the valley and immediately tackle the punishingly steep, relentless pull up the fellside, weaving through dense lower vegetation before breaching the open, grassy slopes. The faint, zigzagging trod fights directly against the contours, requiring a massive cardiovascular effort to finally crest the minor, unheralded grassy summit of High Snockrigg.

   Waypoints

   Valley floor, steep lower grassy spurs, High Snockrigg summit (526m).

   Decision point

   There is no distinct, heavily engineered path here. You must pick the line of least resistance straight up the nose of the fell, using the rapidly expanding view of the Buttermere valley behind you to confirm your aggressive upward trajectory.

   Easy to get wrong

   This is a brutal, lung-busting initiation to the route with a punishing 22% average gradient. In the summer months, the lower slopes are often choked with deep bracken, hiding uneven ground and ticks, while the steep grass above becomes incredibly slick and hazardous after heavy rain.

   If you need to get off

   Due to the severe gradient, a slip on the descent can be dangerous if the grass is wet. If you are struggling within the first kilometre, the better option is to carefully zigzag back down your ascent route to the valley floor before you gain too much exposed elevation.

2. 2

   High Snockrigg → Whiteless Pike (3.0 km, 456 m)

   Descent of about 315 m, then a climb of about 456 m, over 3.0 km.

   Drop slightly from High Snockrigg into a wide, marshy depression before picking up the main arterial path that climbs the spectacular, sharp ridge of Whiteless Pike. Ascend the increasingly steep, heavily eroded spine, navigating loose rock and scree steps to arrive at the prominent, pointed summit cone.

   Waypoints

   High Snockrigg, Buttermere Moss depression, Whiteless Pike southern ridge, Whiteless Pike summit (660m).

   Decision point

   The ridge up Whiteless Pike is a classic, clear arête. Once you cross the boggy saddle, the deeply worn, pale path acts as a continuous handrail leading directly up the spine to the summit.

   Easy to get wrong

   The depression known as Buttermere Moss is notoriously boggy and can swallow a boot entirely if you lose the main trod. The subsequent climb up Whiteless Pike is steep and heavily eroded; the loose shale and scree make foot placements precarious, especially in high winds that whip across the exposed ridge.

   If you need to get off

   If the winds on the exposed ridge of Whiteless Pike become too severe, retreat to the saddle of Buttermere Moss and carefully pick a route westwards down the gentler, grassy slopes toward the Newlands Hause road, completely bypassing the high ridge.

3. 3

   Whiteless Pike → Thirdgill Head Man (0.8 km, 105 m)

   Climb of about 105 m over 0.8 km (around 13% average).

   Leave the pointed summit of Whiteless Pike and head north-east along the magnificent, airy crest of Whiteless Edge. The path rises steadily along this dramatic escarpment, offering a spectacular but highly exposed high-level traverse to the minor prominence of Thirdgill Head Man.

   Waypoints

   Whiteless Pike summit, Whiteless Edge, Thirdgill Head Man (734m).

   Decision point

   The route is visually spectacular and easy to follow in clear weather. In thick clag, ensure you keep the sheer, plunging drops strictly to your right (east), maintaining a safe buffer zone from the edge.

   Easy to get wrong

   The walking here is sublime, but the eastern edge of the ridge drops away violently into the depths of Sail Beck. In winter, massive, unstable cornices build over this sheer drop, presenting a fatal hazard to anyone walking too close to the rim.

   If you need to get off

   Do not attempt to bail east into the Sail Beck ravine under any circumstances. If the weather breaks, you must retrace your steps south-west down Whiteless Pike, or push forward to the wider plateau of Wandope to find a descent route.

4. 4

   Thirdgill Head Man → Crag Hill (Eel Crag) (1.3 km, 121 m)

   Climb of about 121 m over 1.3 km (around 9% average).

   Continue north from Thirdgill Head Man, crossing the broad, high-altitude grassy saddle that links the ridges. Begin the final, rocky pull up the south-western flank of Crag Hill, leaving the grass behind for a stony, fractured summit plateau crowned by an OS trig pillar.

   Waypoints

   Thirdgill Head Man, Wandope saddle, Crag Hill (Eel Crag) summit trig point (839m).

   Decision point

   The path across the saddle is well-defined, leading directly to the rocky ascent. In poor visibility, the concrete trig pillar on Crag Hill is your definitive geographical anchor on the plateau.

   Easy to get wrong

   The transition from grass to rock on the final pull up Crag Hill can be slippery in the wet. The sprawling summit plateau is notoriously confusing in a whiteout; it is flat, featureless, and littered with stones, making it incredibly easy to walk off in the wrong direction once you leave the trig point.

   If you need to get off

   From the Wandope saddle, you can bail westwards, dropping down the steep but manageable grassy slopes into the Sail Beck valley. Once on the summit of Crag Hill, you are at the highest point of the route and must navigate off the plateau to lower ground.

5. 5

   Crag Hill (Eel Crag) → Eel Crag (Birkett) (0.4 km, 2 m)

   Undulating section of about 0.4 km.

   From the trig point on Crag Hill, take a short, careful traverse north across the stony plateau to the minor rocky top recognised as the Eel Crag Birkett, above the northern crags. Keep well back from the edge.

   Waypoints

   Crag Hill trig point, northern plateau edge, Eel Crag (Birkett) (804m).

   Decision point

   This short out-and-back runs towards the top of the northern crags. Go only in clear weather, keeping well back from the edge; in mist, leave it out and take the path west towards Grasmoor.

   Easy to get wrong

   This section is completely exposed to northerly winds roaring up from Coledale. The edge of Eel Crag is a severe, vertical drop; the rock here is fractured and loose, so do not go to the rim to look down.

   If you need to get off

   If the wind is dangerously high, completely ignore this short out-and-back spur to the Birkett. Stay well back from the northern crags and take the path west towards the col below Grasmoor.

6. 6

   Eel Crag (Birkett) → Grasmoor (2.6 km, 195 m)

   Descent of about 148 m, then a climb of about 195 m, over 2.6 km.

   Come back from the crag edge and descend the rough, loose path west to the broad col between Crag Hill and Grasmoor, above Coledale Hause (which the route does not visit). From the col, climb west up the long grassy slope of Grasmoor, following faint cairns to the summit shelter.

   Waypoints

   Eel Crag descent, the col between Crag Hill and Grasmoor, Grasmoor eastern flank, Grasmoor summit (852m).

   Decision point

   The col between Crag Hill and Grasmoor is the low point of this stage; Coledale Hause lies below it to the east. On Grasmoor's plateau, do not rely on following sporadic cairns in the mist; take a compass bearing to locate the summit shelter and avoid wandering off the precipitous western crags.

   Easy to get wrong

   The descent to the col is steep and shifting underfoot. The ascent of Grasmoor is a physically demanding slog up a massive grassy dome; the summit plateau is broad and featureless, and serious to navigate in thick cloud.

   If you need to get off

   If the weather turns before Grasmoor, leave it out: go back east over Crag Hill and return the way you came. On Grasmoor's plateau, if you become disoriented, reverse your bearing to return to the col. We have not checked a line down from the col into Coledale or Gasgale, and both lead to other valleys a long way from the start.

7. 7

   Grasmoor → Lad Hows (1.6 km, 6 m)

   Descent of about 434 m over 1.6 km.

   Carefully navigate south off the vast summit of Grasmoor, identifying the top of the Lad Hows ridge. Commit to the brutally steep, quad-destroying descent directly down the crest of the spur, dropping rapidly on a heavily eroded path that plunges toward the valley floor.

   Waypoints

   Grasmoor southern rim, Lad Hows ridge crest, Lad Hows minor top.

   Decision point

   Finding the exact start of the Lad Hows descent off Grasmoor in thick clag requires a careful bearing from the summit shelter. Once on the ridge, the crest itself is narrow enough to act as a natural handrail guiding you down.

   Easy to get wrong

   This is a punishingly steep, relentless descent—dropping 442 meters in just 1.6 kilometers (a nearly 28% downward gradient). The path is heavily eroded, covered in loose stones, and incredibly jarring on exhausted knees. A slip here will result in a painful, sliding fall.

   If you need to get off

   Once you commit to descending Lad Hows, you must see it through. The flanks on either side of this spur drop away fiercely into deep, impassable ravines. Take it painfully slow, use walking poles to save your knees, and do not attempt to cut corners off the sides of the ridge.

8. Lad Hows → Finish (4.1 km, 164 m)

   Descent of about 303 m, with about 164 m of climbing, over 4.1 km.

   Finish the steep drop off the nose of Lad Hows, entering the thick bracken of the lower slopes before hitting the valley floor near Cinderdale Common. Turn south-east and follow the undulating, often boggy paths that contour just above the valley road, eventually leading back to the starting point.

   Waypoints

   Lad Hows lower slopes, Cinderdale Common, Crummock Water valley paths, finish point.

   Decision point

   The sprawling expanse of Crummock Water and the dark ribbon of the valley road below provide clear visual handrails. Simply keep the road and the lake to your right (west) as you contour back along the base of the fells.

   Easy to get wrong

   The final drop off Lad Hows is often choked with towering summer bracken, obscuring the path and creating a frustrating, hidden trip hazard for tired legs. The valley paths that contour back to the start cross several becks and can be a muddy, energy-sapping trudge after a long day on the high fells.

   If you need to get off

   This is the final valley stage. If the contouring fellside paths are too boggy or exhausting, drop the short distance directly down to the tarmac of the valley road and walk the flat, solid surface back to your start point.