Mardale Horseshoe
Photo: © Lee McCoy
Start Mardale Head (Haweswater)
Getting here Parking: Mardale Head, Haweswater (free), 0.0 km from the start (straight line). Getting there ↓ · Route map ↓
Hardest part Hard distance: 15.33 km — a long day out. Hard steepness: Steepest sustained climb about 34% around the 2.6 km mark. Hard navigation: Care needed in cloud — ~30% featureless high ground, 48 path junctions near the line. Hard – estimated from the map, not checked on the ground Hard exposure: Flat tops, but very exposed to wind, with only a stone wall for shelter on the main summit. Hard – graded by Lee on the ground, on the stretches he walked Hands for a few steps: the climb up Kidsty Howes (km 0.0–4.4).
Before you choose
- High Street: In winter the plateau holds snow and offers no shelter or reference points, and cornices and ice form along the crag edges above Blea Water. Whiteout navigation here is genuinely serious — full winter skills, ice axe and crampons needed, and extra margin kept from the corniced edge.
- Harter Fell (Mardale): Crags ring the fell and overlook Small Water and Mardale; they block any direct ascent for good reason. Keep back from the edges near the summit, especially in cloud or wind where the broad top hides the drop.
- High Street: Broad, flat and almost featureless, with few landmarks to fix on. In cloud it is very easy to walk off on the wrong bearing and end up above crags or descending into the wrong valley. Take a compass bearing before you leave the summit and trust it — don't navigate by the vague feel of the slope.
- Mardale Ill Bell: The eastern side falls to the Mardale Waters — Blea Water and Small Water sit in crater coves ringed by crags. Keep back from the edges above them, especially in cloud or wind where the broad ground gives little warning before the drop.
- Harter Fell (Mardale): The ridge from Nan Bield Pass to the top is narrow, with steep drops on both sides, particularly along the lip of Black John Hole. Take it steadily, keep to the path, and it is best avoided in strong wind or when iced.
- Rampsgill Head: Ridges to The Knott/Rest Dodd, High Raise, High Street and the Straits of Riggindale all meet here over pathless, boggy ground. In mist it is easy to take the wrong arm. Take and trust a compass bearing before leaving the summit.
- High Street: The eastern rim drops in steep crags to Blea Water, the deepest tarn in the Lakes. The Long Stile ridge is the narrow, craggy crest along this edge. Keep well back from the lip in wind or mist; the ground that looks like a continuation of the plateau ends abruptly in cliffs.
Conditions on this route
We score every Lakeland Wainwright each morning on cloud, wind, rain and underfoot, and this route crosses 6 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.
See also walking in bad weather and today’s conditions.
Route map
1 Kidsty Pike2 Rampsgill Head3 The Knott (High Street)4 High Street5 Mardale Ill Bell6 Harter Fell (Mardale)7 Little Harter Fell
Easy 62%Moderate 33%Hard 5%Severe
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 → Kidsty Pike (4.4 km, 580 m)
From the Mardale Head car park at the end of Haweswater, cross the bridge over Mardale Beck and follow the path north-east along the shore, round The Rigg and over Riggindale Beck by Bowderthwaite Bridge. Then climb the steep, rocky spur of Kidsty Howes to the summit of Kidsty Pike.
WaypointsMardale Head car park, Mardale Beck crossing, The Rigg, Bowderthwaite Bridge (Riggindale Beck), Kidsty Howes rocky steps, Kidsty Pike summit (781 m).
Decision pointThe ridge of Kidsty Howes gives a clear line of ascent toward the summit, and Haweswater stays in view behind you.
Easy to get wrongMost of the climbing comes on the rugged scramble up Kidsty Howes, which needs hands-on balance over minor rocky steps and can be very slippery when wet. Bracken lower down can obscure foot placement in high summer.
If you need to get offRetrace your steps carefully down Kidsty Howes to the car park. Do not drop south into Riggindale from the ridge: the slopes are steep, craggy and trackless.
© Lee McCoy - 2
Kidsty Pike → Rampsgill Head (1.6 km, 36 m)
Head north from Kidsty Pike across the broad, grassy plateau towards High Raise, turn back about 100 m short of its top, then head south-west to the subtle summit of Rampsgill Head, with the deep bowl of Riggindale to the south.
WaypointsKidsty Pike summit, Riggindale edge (skirted), Rampsgill Head summit (792 m).
Decision pointKeep the precipitous edge of Riggindale to your left (south) as a handrail, but maintain a safe distance from the cornices in winter or the steep grassy drops in summer.
Easy to get wrongThis is easy walking, but the plateau is exposed to the prevailing winds. In thick cloud the broad plateau is hard to navigate, as distinguishing features disappear.
If you need to get offRetreat east back to Kidsty Pike and descend Kidsty Howes. Bailing north into the Martindale catchment takes you into the wrong valley, miles from your car at Mardale Head.
© Lee McCoy · 2 photographs - 3
Rampsgill Head → The Knott (High Street) (0.7 km, 6 m)
Turn south-west and descend gently over grassy terrain to the dome of The Knott, just off the main High Street ridge near a junction of paths.
WaypointsRampsgill Head, The Knott summit (739 m).
Decision pointThe Knott is the obvious rounded grassy hill straight ahead.
Easy to get wrongA quick, straightforward descent on soft ground.
If you need to get offWe have not checked a line down into Riggindale from the Straits, so none is offered here. The way back is the way you came, over Rampsgill Head and Kidsty Pike to Kidsty Howes.
- 4
The Knott (High Street) → High Street (1.8 km, 127 m)
Drop south-south-east from The Knott on the bridleway to the Straits of Riggindale, then climb south on the grassy path beside the wall, a steady haul, to the flat, broad summit of High Street.
WaypointsThe Knott, Straits of Riggindale, Twopenny Crag, High Street summit (Racecourse Hill - 829 m).
Decision pointThe drystone wall beside the path is the handrail: it runs from The Knott past the summit trig point. The broad bridleway on the line of the old Roman road runs parallel, up to about 140 m to the west.
Easy to get wrongAt the Straits of Riggindale, a crossroads of paths, it is easy to take the wrong path in poor visibility. The climb beyond can feel like a slog on tired legs. The summit plateau is very broad and featureless, making navigation in mist a serious challenge, as there are few distinct landmarks besides the trig pillar and the wall.
If you need to get offTurn back north to the Straits of Riggindale and retrace the route over Kidsty Pike; we have not checked a way down into Riggindale from the Straits.
- 5
High Street → Mardale Ill Bell (1.5 km, 11 m)
Continue south beside the wall, then bear south-east away from it, descending gently over grass to the rocky top of Mardale Ill Bell.
WaypointsHigh Street summit, Blea Water (below, to your left), Mardale Ill Bell summit (761 m).
Decision pointThe drystone wall is a handrail only for the first 400 m south of the summit; then the path leaves it running away to your right. Keep the drop to Blea Water to your left (east).
Easy to get wrongStraightforward walking underfoot, but the eastern edge drops vertically into the deep corrie containing Blea Water. Keep a respectful distance from the crags, particularly in icy or windy conditions.
If you need to get offThe nearer way off is ahead: over Mardale Ill Bell to Nan Bield Pass, then left (north) down the pitched path past Small Water to the Mardale Head car park, about 3.5 to 5 km from anywhere on this stage and nearly all downhill. Going back over High Street and Kidsty Pike is 8 to 10 km. Do not attempt to drop east down the sheer crags directly to Blea Water.
© Lee McCoy - 6
Mardale Ill Bell → Harter Fell (Mardale) (1.8 km, 164 m)
Descend steeply south-east to the stone shelter at Nan Bield Pass, then tackle the zig-zagging, rocky climb up the north-western flank of Harter Fell to its summit cairn.
WaypointsNan Bield Pass (shelter), Small Water (below, to your left), Harter Fell summit (779 m).
Decision pointThe stone wind shelter at Nan Bield Pass is a distinctive waypoint. From the pass, the zig-zag path up Harter Fell is clearly visible, worn into the rock and scree.
Easy to get wrongThe initial descent to Nan Bield Pass is rocky, loose, and can be slick. The climb up Harter Fell from the pass is rough and stony, and can feel long late in the day. The narrowing ridge down to Nan Bield Pass and up toward Harter Fell is steep and rocky with awkward steps; the path is rough underfoot.
If you need to get offNan Bield Pass is the usual way off. Turn left (north) at the pass shelter and descend the pitched path past Small Water to the Mardale Head car park, about 2.6 km.
© Lee McCoy · 2 photographs - 7
Harter Fell (Mardale) → Little Harter Fell (1.2 km, 5 m)
Head east from the summit of Harter Fell, following a line of old fence posts down the broad, grassy slope to the minor, indistinct bump of Little Harter Fell.
WaypointsHarter Fell summit, old fence line, Little Harter Fell.
Decision pointThe rusty iron fence posts running east down the ridge are a dependable handrail in low visibility.
Easy to get wrongA quick descent on ground that holds far more water than the rocky climb from Nan Bield. Expect peat hags and boggy patches that need wide detours after heavy rain.
If you need to get offFrom here the way down with no more climbing is on: over Little Harter Fell to Gatescarth Pass, then left (north-west) down the track to the Mardale Head car park, 2.4 to 3.6 km with no more climbing. Going back to Nan Bield Pass means climbing back over Harter Fell first, 3.5 to 4.7 km.
Little Harter Fell → Finish (2.4 km, 0 m)
Continue east to drop steeply onto Gatescarth Pass, then turn left (north-west) to descend the winding, rocky track back down the valley to the Mardale Head car park.
WaypointsGatescarth Pass junction, zigzag track, Mardale Head car park (Finish).
Decision pointThe intersection at Gatescarth Pass is clear and gated. Once you turn north-west onto the pass track, the steep valley sides funnel you down to Haweswater, which dominates the view ahead.
Easy to get wrongA long, steep final descent. The track down Gatescarth Pass is an old vehicular route surfaced with loose, rolling stones, making it very easy to slip and turn an ankle when tired.
If you need to get offYou are on the final exit route. Turn north-west toward Haweswater at Gatescarth Pass; turning south-east takes you down into Longsleddale, the wrong valley, miles from the car.
GPX track for your GPS or phone. Walked in part · km 11.0–15.1 from the map
Summits bagged (7)
- 1Kidsty Pike781 m
- 2Rampsgill Head792 m
- 3The Knott (High Street)739 m
- 4High Street829 m
- 5Mardale Ill Bell761 m
- 6Harter Fell (Mardale)779 m
- 7Little Harter Fell681 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
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.
When the sun reaches the tops
Not sunrise — the moment the sun clears the skyline from that summit, which on a fell with high ground to its east can be a good deal later.
- Kidsty Pike — in late March the sun reaches it around 06:15, with the sunrise. In late September, about 07:00.
- Rampsgill Head — in late March the sun reaches it around 06:15, with the sunrise. In late September, about 07:00.
- The Knott (High Street) — in late March the sun reaches it around 07:00, about half an hour later. In late September, about 07:45. It waits longest in late September — about half an hour after sunrise. In late December, not until about 09:00.
- High Street — in late March the sun reaches it around 06:15, with the sunrise. In late September, about 07:00.
- Mardale Ill Bell — in late March the sun reaches it around 06:15, with the sunrise. In late September, about 07:00.
- Harter Fell (Mardale) — in late March the sun reaches it around 06:15, with the sunrise. In late September, about 07:00.
How to read these times
The two equinoxes are shown because they fall in the walking season, and late December too wherever a top keeps you waiting then; the clock gap between the equinoxes is British Summer Time, not the hill. Rounded to the nearest quarter hour and meant as a general idea, not a schedule.
Modelled from a 30 m elevation model against each summit’s own skyline — the same figures the fell pages carry, never observed. Cloud is not in it.
Getting there and back
Nearest fuel to this start: Bridge End Garage, Bampton, 9.9 km by road. Nearest shop: Bampton Valley Stores, 10.0 km. Both measured along the road from the parking we publish at Mardale Head, Haweswater, checked 8 August 2026. Coming in from a particular direction you may pass a closer one — the last petrol before each valley →
Parking
1 more place 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 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.
- Mardale Head, Haweswater (free) — at the start
- Branstree, north (layby) — joins the loop at about km 1 of 15.3: a 370 m walk to the line, and you walk the round from there
- Branstree (layby) — a 200 m walk to the start
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
No bus we hold serves this start. The nearest stop we hold is the 508 and 509 stop at Hartsop, adjacent to road end, 8.6 km away on foot: a walk of its own, not a way to the start.
Toilets and refreshments
The essentials
- Arrival Mardale Head car park at the end of the Haweswater road, where the walk starts. Free, with a donation cairn (a suggested £2, cash only: there is no mobile signal). No overnight stays in a vehicle or tent: a council order since 18 March 2026. It is small and, in Lee's experience, fills very early. (wildhaweswater.co.uk and United Utilities; the overnight ban, Westmorland and Furness Council Public Spaces Protection Order 2026 No. 008; 'fills very early' is Lee's, checked 30 August 2026)
- Toilets No toilets are mapped within 250 m of the start. (OpenStreetMap, as mapped on 13 September 2026, checked 13 September 2026)
- Refreshments No café or pub is mapped within 250 m of the start: bring what you need. (OpenStreetMap, as mapped on 13 September 2026, checked 13 September 2026)
- Limitation A sustained descent of about 28% over 250 m near the 14.6 km mark, hard on tired knees. Not a pushchair route. (our steepness model, from the route's own track, checked 25 September 2026)
No mapped drinking water or shelter on this route — that doesn’t mean there is none, and never drink untreated from a beck. (Facilities data © OpenStreetMap contributors.)
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
Hard overall — hardest: Length, steepness, navigation (estimated from the map, not checked on the ground) and exposure (graded by Lee on the ground, on the stretches he walked); terrain not assessed
Five independent axes, not one score. One of the five was set on the ground; the rest are computed from the recorded track and the map, which measures the line rather than surveying the ground. This line was walked in part, so a grade set on the ground covers the stretches Lee walked; km 11.0–15.1 is from the map.
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Kidsty Pike | 4.4 km | 580 m | 1:50–2:27 |
| 2Rampsgill Head | 5.9 km | 615 m | 2:13–2:56 |
| 3The Knott (High Street) | 6.6 km | 621 m | 2:21–3:08 |
| 4High Street | 8.4 km | 748 m | 2:55–3:53 |
| 5Mardale Ill Bell | 9.9 km | 759 m | 3:15–4:19 |
| 6Harter Fell (Mardale) | 11.7 km | 924 m | 3:53–5:10 |
| 7Little Harter Fell | 12.9 km | 929 m | 4:07–5:29 |
| Finish | 15.3 km | 929 m | 4:37–6:08 |
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: No mapped stiles, but the ground underfoot has not been assessed; not a buggy line on what we know.
- Knees: A sustained ~28% descent over 250 m around the 14.6 km mark — a little jarring on tired knees.
With a dog
Hardest for a dog here: drops and exposed ground. The steepest stretch is a sustained climb of about 34% around the 2.6 km mark.
- Drops and exposed ground: Hard – graded by Lee on the ground, on the stretches he walked. Flat tops, but very exposed to wind, with only a stone wall for shelter on the main summit.
- Rock and scrambling: Hands for a few steps: the climb up Kidsty Howes (km 0.0–4.4). Ground underfoot: Not assessed.
- Stiles and gates: Only gates and kissing gates are mapped: no stile a dog can’t get through. That is the barriers alone; check the route’s steep or rocky ground before you bring a dog. (OpenStreetMap, mapped as of 9 July 2026)
- Ways off early: None recorded for this route.
- 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: 4 gates
Barriers as mapped on OpenStreetMap, which can miss some. Spotted one? Tell us (opens in new tab). Barrier data as of 9 July 2026. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).
Places to stay near this start
- Haweswater Hotel (opens in new tab) hotelabout 3.4 km
Also nearby, but not independent
- Mosedale Cottage (opens in new tab) hutabout 2.8 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).
