Honister to Keswick: over the Newlands fells
Start Honister Slate Mine
Getting here Parking: Honister Pass (paid, slate mine), 0.1 km from the start (straight line). Bus: the 77 stops at Honister Youth Hostel (near), a 150 m walk from this start. Seasonal: the 77 does not run all year. 1 November 2026 is its last day. Getting there ↓ · Route map ↓
Hardest part Severe steepness: Steepest sustained descent about 38% around the 6.1 km mark.
Before you choose
- The descent off Robinson to Newlands Hause is the crux — steep, eroded and grassy (around a 40–45% pull), and slippery when wet. Take the walkers’ line and keep away from the crags; cross the Buttermere road with care at the bottom.
- A long day — nearly 20 km and about 1,035 m of ascent over six tops, with a further long walk–out down the valley at the end. Carry map, compass, food and water, and start early.
- The high ridge from Dale Head over Hindscarth and Robinson is broad and grassy — easy to drift off line in cloud, so navigate on a bearing between the tops.
- It’s a linear route: fix your return transport (and the last bus time) before you leave, as there’s no loop back to the start.
- Dale Head: The easy southern slope ends suddenly right at the top, where the ground drops away in crags to Newlands. The cairn sits near this brink. In mist or strong wind it is dangerously easy to step toward the edge — keep well back and don't approach the rim for the view in poor visibility.
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
By bus: the Honister Rambler (77/77A) (opens in new tab) reaches Honister Slate Mine at 08:59. This walk finishes in Keswick, so there is no last bus to catch — daily, including public holidays. From the summer 2026 timetable, read on 21 Aug 2026; that timetable runs to 1 November. Check the timetable before you rely on it.
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.
See also walking in bad weather and today’s conditions.
Route map
1 Dale Head2 Hindscarth3 Robinson4 Ill Crag (Newlands) (Knott Rigg North Top)5 Ard Crags
Easy 67%Moderate 18%Hard 13%Severe 2%
Heights on this chart and its high point are read from the track itself (a terrain model sampled along the line, or a GPS recording), so a top can differ from its listed height, usually reading lower.
Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap, with SRTM elevation data (switch layers top-right).
The elevation profile is under the map; the stage notes follow.
The walk, stage by stage
- 1
Start → Dale Head (1.9 km, 402 m)
Decision pointFrom Honister Hause take the steep, cairned path climbing beside the old fence line up onto Dale Head.
Easy to get wrongDo NOT bail north off the summit of Dale Head. The ground drops sheer over Dalehead Crags into the upper Newlands Valley. It is vertical, impassable terrain.
If you need to get offRetreat: Reverse your route and follow the fence line back down the steep grassy slopes directly to Honister Pass. There is shelter, a cafe, and a bus stop at the slate mine.
- 2
Dale Head → Hindscarth (1.7 km, 78 m)
Decision pointOff Dale Head the line heads west along Hindscarth Edge, not north: north of the summit the ground drops sheer over Dalehead Crags. Where the ridge broadens, a short spur runs out to the Hindscarth summit cairn before you rejoin the ridge.
Easy to get wrongDo not attempt to bail south-west off Hindscarth Edge down into the head of the Buttermere valley (Warnscale Bottom) unless you are an expert navigator; it is heavily crag-fringed and pathless.
If you need to get offRetreat: The better option is to retrace your steps south over Dale Head and back down to Honister Pass.
- 3
Hindscarth → Robinson (2.1 km, 186 m)
Decision pointCross Littledale Edge west to the stony plateau of Robinson.
Easy to get wrongDo not bail north-east off Littledale Edge into the upper Newlands valley bowl. The terrain is a trap of deep, pathless heather, bogs, and steep ravines feeding Newlands Beck.
If you need to get offRetreat: We have not checked a line down Little Dale to the Buttermere valley, so none is offered here. The way back is the way you came, over Hindscarth and Dale Head; the road at Newlands Hause is ahead of you on the route, beyond Robinson.
- 4
Robinson → Ill Crag (Newlands) (Knott Rigg North Top) (3.8 km, 248 m)
Decision pointDescend Robinson’s steep nose to Newlands Hause, cross the road, and take the clear grassy path up onto Knott Rigg. Follow the narrow, grassy ridge north–east over the minor top.
Easy to get wrongThe descent off Robinson's nose down to the Hause is treacherous in poor visibility. Do not stray right (north-east) off the main descent path, or you will be bluffed out above the sheer drops of High Snab Bank and Robinson Crags. The Keskadale (west) and Newlands (east) flanks of this ridge are incredibly steep, sustained grass slopes. Bailing laterally off the ridge will punish your knees and ankles severely. Stick to the crest.
If you need to get offRetreat (Major Bail Point): This stage crosses Newlands Hause, a tarmac mountain pass. This is your primary escape hatch for the entire route. If the weather turns or you are fatigued, do not climb Knott Rigg. Turn right (east) and walk the road down into the Newlands Valley, or left (west) into Buttermere. Retreat: Turn around and walk south-west back along the ridge to the road at Newlands Hause.
- 5
Ill Crag (Newlands) (Knott Rigg North Top) → Ard Crags (1.0 km, 65 m)
Decision pointContinue along the ridge to the neat summit of Ard Crags.
Easy to get wrongAgain, do not drop off the sides of this narrow ridge.
If you need to get offRetreat: Due to the short distance, your best option is to push forward to Ard Crags to set up the descent, or reverse the ridge to Newlands Hause.
Ard Crags → Finish (9.1 km, 77 m)
Decision pointDrop off Ard Crags’ north–east ridge to the valley road at Rigg Beck, then follow footpaths and lanes down the Newlands valley through Stair and Portinscale into Keswick.
Easy to get wrongDo not underestimate the descent off the north-east nose of Ard Crags. It is notoriously steep, greasy, and choked with heather. Take your time, as tired legs are prone to slipping here before you hit the valley floor.
If you need to get offRetreat: Once you have navigated the steep drop off Ard Crags to the road at Rigg Beck, you are off the fell. If the long walk-out to Keswick is too much, you can walk the road north to the village of Braithwaite (about 3.5 km away) where there are pubs and regular bus services back to Keswick.
GPX track for your GPS or phone. Planned route · not yet walked
Make it easier or harder
Why this direction: Walked north–bound (Honister to Keswick) so the day ends in town for the bus, and the steep Robinson ground is taken as a descent early on rather than a climb late.
Summits bagged (5)
- 1Dale Head754 m
- 2Hindscarth727 m
- 3Robinson738 m
- 4Ill Crag (Newlands) (Knott Rigg North Top)546 m
- 5Ard Crags581 m
In the order you walk them — the same numbers the elevation profile, the stage notes and the pacing table use.
More about this walk
Because it finishes in a different valley from where it starts, this one suits a car–free day: the seasonal Honister Rambler (the 77 / 77A) sets you down at Honister Hause and you walk back into Keswick for the bus home. From Penrith it’s the X4 / X5 to Keswick, then the Rambler up to Honister. Check the last bus before you set off — the walk’s long tail down the Newlands valley eats time when legs are tired.
Conditions and timing
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.
Getting there and back
Nearest fuel to the parking at Seathwaite Farm, Borrowdale: High Hill, Keswick, 14.2 km by road (07:00-20:00 daily when checked on 8 August 2026; hours change, so check on the day). Nearest shop: Open All Hours, 13.3 km. Both measured along the road from that parking, which is not where this route starts, checked 8 August 2026. Coming in from a particular direction you may pass a closer one — the last petrol before each valley →
Parking
2 more places to park near the start
Positions are approximate.
Vehicles are left at their owner’s risk: we list places people park and cannot vouch for any of them. Take valuables with you and leave nothing on show.
If the parking is full
There is no real plan B by car here. Every place we know beside this route serves the same walks and sits close together, so expect them to fill on the same mornings. Worth starting early, or having a different walk in mind before you set off. The bus below is the exception: it is not limited by car-park space, though it runs to a timetable and can be full.
- Honister Pass (paid, slate mine) — at the start
- Honister (NT, paid) — at the start
- By bus: buses stop at Honister Youth Hostel (near), a 150 m walk from the start. A bus is not affected by a full car park. Its return times are under Buses.
We never say whether anywhere has spaces today. Walks to the line are measured along mapped paths (OpenStreetMap), not in a straight line. How we choose these places.
No signal when you get there? RoutePark keeps this list on your phone: choose this walk’s GPX at home, keep it, and it opens offline.
Buses
The 77 stops at Honister Youth Hostel (near), a 150 m walk from this start. Seasonal: the 77 does not run all year. 1 November 2026 is its last day. It returns on 22 March 2027. Confirmed with the operator: its last day on 29 August 2026, its return on 16 October 2026. Return buses leave from Keswick Bus Station (K) (Stand 1), where this walk ends (if you left a car at the start, check the bus back to it). As timetabled from 27 October to 1 November. Towards Wigton (554): Tuesday to Friday 18:00; Saturday 20:30; Sunday 16:10. Towards Penrith (X5): Tuesday to Saturday 21:55; Sunday 18:20. Towards Windermere (X8): Saturday 16:30 only. Checked against the operator’s timetable, 7 September 2026. Times here are a guide, not a promise — leave yourself more than the minute.
The 77 passes this route at 0.1 km (Honister Youth Hostel (near), 80 m off the line) and again at 17.2 km (Nichol End, 10 m off the line) — one bus, two stops, 9.6 km apart on the ground. We haven’t walked a shortened version, so the distance, grading and escape routes on this page describe the walk end to end.
Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com (opens in new tab) or Traveline before travelling.
Toilets and refreshments
The essentials
- Arrival Honister Pass: the slate mine’s car park about 70 m from the start (£5 a day for visitors on its own page), and the National Trust car park about 100 m away (£7 up to 2 hours, £8 up to 4 hours, £9.50 all day; free for members). The walk is one-way and finishes in Keswick. 71 m in a straight line, not a walking distance. (Honister, Your visit; National Trust, car parks in the Buttermere valley, checked 28 September 2026)
- Toilets Toilets are mapped beside the start. 15 m in a straight line, not a walking distance. (OpenStreetMap, as mapped on 13 September 2026, checked 13 September 2026)
- Refreshments The Sky Hi Café at the slate mine is mapped beside the start. Opening hours are not recorded here. 15 m in a straight line, not a walking distance. (OpenStreetMap, as mapped on 13 September 2026, checked 13 September 2026)
- Limitation The descent off Robinson to Newlands Hause is steep, eroded grass, about 40 to 45%, and slippery when wet. The walk is one-way: fix your return transport before you leave. (our route notes (this route's own warnings), checked 2 October 2026)
Everything mapped near the start
At Honister Pass (paid, slate mine), the closest parking we hold to where this route starts:
Distances are straight lines from the car park, not walking routes. Opening hours change; none of this is checked daily.
Mapped as nearby on OpenStreetMap too, as of 13 September 2026, within 250 m of the start and not already listed above:
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (opens in new tab), ODbL.
Water, shelter & getting away
On-route facilities © OpenStreetMap contributors — an absent marker does not mean the facility isn’t there.
Getting there across the Lake District: Buses · Parking map · By train · By boat
Planning detail
How each grade on this page is set, and the timings stage by stage.
Difficulty profile
Severe overall — hardest: Steepness; terrain not assessed; exposure not assessed on the ground
Five independent axes, not one score. None of them was set on the ground: they are computed from the recorded track and the map, which measures the line rather than surveying the ground.
How we grade: each axis is Easy, Moderate, Hard or Severe, and a route between two bands takes the higher one. Length: under 8 km, 8–14 km, 14–20 km, over 20 km. Steepness, the steepest 500 m of the track: under 15%, 15–25%, 25–35%, over 35%. Terrain, navigation and exposure are judged rather than measured, and each note says why. How we grade.
Pacing
| Summit | Cumulative | Ascent | Time (fast–steady) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Dale Head | 1.9 km | 402 m | 1:03–1:24 |
| 2Hindscarth | 3.7 km | 480 m | 1:32–2:02 |
| 3Robinson | 5.7 km | 666 m | 2:16–3:00 |
| 4Ill Crag (Newlands) (Knott Rigg North Top) | 9.5 km | 915 m | 3:26–4:34 |
| 5Ard Crags | 10.5 km | 979 m | 3:44–4:58 |
| Finish | 19.6 km | 1057 m | 5:41–7:34 |
A fast–steady range from Naismith’s rule, deliberately on the slow side. Breaks, weather, rough ground and the slowest person in your party all add to it. How we time walks.
Access & barriers
Can a dog, a buggy or dodgy knees manage this route?
- Buggy: Not a pushchair route.
- Knees: A long, steep ~46% drop over 250 m around the 6.0 km mark — hard on the knees.
With a dog
Hardest for a dog here: drops and exposed ground (estimated from the map). The steepest stretch is a sustained descent of about 38% around the 6.1 km mark.
- Drops and exposed ground: Not assessed on the ground; the map suggests Hard. Graded from slope only (~46% max); treat exposure as unverified.
- Stiles and gates: Stiles of unmapped type at 14.1 and 14.3 km — a dog may need lifting over. (OpenStreetMap, mapped as of 12 July 2026)
- Rock and scrambling: Ground underfoot: Not assessed.
- Ways off early: No path off the line is recorded, but it passes a bus stop where you could end the walk: the 77 at Nichol End, about 17.2 km. The buses section says which bus and when.
- Livestock, shade and water: Not recorded for this route yet. We never call a stream safe for a dog to drink, so carry enough for both of you. The lead rules, and what to do around cattle, are on dogs on the fells.
On the line: 15 gates · 1 kissing gate · 2 stiles (type unmapped)
Barriers as mapped on OpenStreetMap, which can miss some. Spotted one? Tell us (opens in new tab). Barrier data as of 12 July 2026. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).
Places to stay near this start
- Seatoller House (opens in new tab) guest houseabout 2.0 km
Also nearby, but not independent
- YHA Borrowdale (opens in new tab) hostelabout 3.1 km
We have not stayed at any of them. We take no bookings or affiliate fees. Distances are straight lines from the route start, never walking times. Properties found via OpenStreetMap (opens in new tab).
Walks from places nearby
- Walks from Honister Pass — 0.1 km from this start
- Walks from Seatoller — 2.1 km from this start
Straight-line distance from this walk’s start. Those lists hold the routes we have mapped and every Wainwright and Outlying fell within about 5 km of the town, ranked nearest first.
