Middle Fell, Haycock Seatallan and Buckbarrow
Start Low Greendale Car Park
Getting here Parking: Greendale (layby), 0.0 km from the start (straight line). Getting there ↓ · Route map ↓
Hardest part Severe steepness: Steepest sustained climb about 38% around the 5.6 km mark.
Before you choose
- Middle Fell: The Wast Water-facing side falls away in tiers of crag. Don't be tempted to drop straight off the ridge — descend by the established lines at the ends. In cloud keep to the ridge crest and well back from the eastern edge.
- Seatallan: The way up is not obvious from below and the path is faint and indistinct in places; the wide, flat summit gives little to navigate by. In cloud, take a compass bearing to find the top and to choose the right line down.
- Haycock is a long, rough walk from any direction, with narrow paths. A minor injury, navigation error or late finish turns serious here because you are a long way from a road, and any rescue takes time to reach you. Carry full kit, food and water, a means of calling for help, and allow generous daylight.
- Caw Fell is a long way from any road or car park (Blengdale or Bowness Knott are the usual, distant, starts). A minor injury, navigation slip or late finish becomes serious because you are a long way from a road, and any rescue takes time to reach you. Carry full kit, food, water and a means of calling for help, and leave a generous time margin.
- Caw Fell: The wide, flat top has little to fix on and the connecting ground (e.g. toward Lank Rigg) is pathless and boggy in places. In cloud, navigate by compass — the ridge wall is a useful handrail, but don't rely on finding a trodden path.
Conditions on this route
We score every Lakeland Wainwright each morning on cloud, wind, rain and underfoot, and this route crosses 5 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 Middle Fell2 Haycock3 Little Gowder Crag4 Caw Fell5 Seatallan6 Glade How7 Buckbarrow
Easy 59%Moderate 22%Hard 18%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
Low Greendale Car Park → Middle Fell (2.1 km, 506 m)
From the parking area at Low Greendale, the route climbs straight up the steep, blunt nose of Middle Fell: no warm-up, a relentless pull up the grassy hillside on a distinct path, heavily eroded in places. As you climb, Greendale Gill carves a deep ravine to your left, and the views open up behind you over Wast Water and the Scafell massif.
WaypointsLow Greendale (approx. 70m): The start, by the road at the foot of the fell. Middle Fell Summit (582m): A cairn overlooking the deep trench of Greendale Tarn.
Decision pointVisual Handrails: Greendale Gill's ravine is on your left (west) as you climb; low down, don't stray left towards it. Higher up, the Wast Water-facing side on your right falls away in tiers of crag: keep to the ridge crest and, in cloud, well back from the eastern edge.
Easy to get wrongSteep Gradient: Averaging 24% over the first two kilometres, a lung-bursting start that needs pacing. Summer Bracken: The lower slopes are choked with dense bracken from June to September, which can hide uneven ground and make the air feel very humid.
If you need to get offTurn around and carefully retrace your steps down the steep grass back to the car park.
- 2
Middle Fell → Haycock (4.0 km, 342 m)
From Middle Fell, the route drops into the saddle near Greendale Tarn, then makes a long traverse across the boggy expanse of Winscale Hows. Rather than climbing Seatallan now, the route skirts its eastern flank, crossing the notoriously wet, featureless depression at Pots of Ashness. The last section is a long, tiring grassy slog up the southern slopes of Haycock to its rocky summit plateau.
WaypointsGreendale Tarn Outflow: A useful marker as you drop off Middle Fell. Pots of Ashness: A wide, boggy saddle between Seatallan and Haycock. Haycock Summit (797m): A boulder-strewn summit plateau with a prominent cairn, on the Ennerdale boundary wall.
Decision pointTerrain Features: Keep Seatallan’s bulk on your left (west) to hold your contouring line across Winscale Hows. Boundary Wall: Near the top of Haycock, the old stone boundary wall between the Wasdale and Ennerdale catchments appears: your main navigational anchor for the next two stages.
Easy to get wrongDeep Bogs: Pots of Ashness is notoriously wet year-round. Expect to sink over your boots if you don't pick your line carefully. Rough Terrain: The traverse skirting Seatallan is rough, tussocky grass that saps energy.
If you need to get offIf the bogs or weather become too much, intercept Greendale Tarn and follow the clear path beside Greendale Gill directly back down to the car park.
- 3
Haycock → Little Gowder Crag (0.6 km, 17 m)
A short, sharp descent along the high ridge from Haycock towards the Caw Fell plateau. The ground changes here from the grassy bogs of the last stage to shattered rock and boulders.
WaypointsHaycock Summit: The starting point of the descent. Little Gowder Crag: A rocky prominence on the ridge line.
Decision pointThe Ennerdale Wall: The dilapidated drystone boundary wall traces the crest of the ridge. Follow it closely; it is a handrail.
Easy to get wrongBoulder Hopping: The ridge is rocky and uneven. The stones become very slick in the rain and need careful footwork, and trekking poles are a liability if they get trapped in the gaps. Exposure: This ridge takes the full brunt of north-westerly winds off the Irish Sea.
If you need to get offDo not bail north into remote Ennerdale. If you need to retreat, re-ascend Haycock and drop south toward the bogs to pick up the Greendale Tarn descent path.
- 4
Little Gowder Crag → Caw Fell (0.8 km, 18 m)
A straightforward, undulating walk along the ridge crest. After the rocky descent from Haycock, the ground flattens into a stony, wind-blasted plateau leading to the summit of Caw Fell.
WaypointsCaw Fell Summit (697m): A cairn tight against the boundary wall.
Decision pointThe Wall: Keep the boundary wall on your right (facing west).
Easy to get wrongRemoteness: You are now at the furthest point of the route, highly exposed to incoming weather fronts with no quick way down. Caw Fell is a long way from any road or car park (Blengdale or Bowness Knott are the usual, distant, starts).
If you need to get offRetrace your steps east back over or around Haycock. Bailing south from Caw Fell drops you into the very remote Bleng valley—a very long, exhausting walk out that ends far from your starting point.
- 5
Caw Fell → Seatallan (5.8 km, 387 m)
This is the longest and most demanding navigational stage of the day. From Caw Fell the line carries on west-south-west for about 1 km before it turns; then retrace it east-north-east, past Little Gowder Crag, back towards Haycock, before breaking away south across the vast, trackless wilderness of Stockdale Head and the headwaters of the River Bleng. This section is a true test of mountain navigation, crossing miles of featureless, boggy moorland before finally tackling the broad, grassy dome to reach Seatallan's trig pillar.
WaypointsStockdale Head: The sprawling, boggy plateau south of the Haycock ridge. Seatallan Summit (693m): Marked by a white OS trig pillar and a wind shelter.
Decision pointCompass Bearings: Once you leave the ridge wall, you must take precise bearings to hit the gentle rise of Seatallan. The Trig Pillar: On a clear day, Seatallan’s trig pillar is visible from a distance: a good mark to aim for.
Easy to get wrongClag Navigation: This area is a notorious black spot in low visibility. There are no paths, no walls, and no distinct terrain features to guide you across the bogs. A map and compass (or reliable GPS) are mandatory. Fatigue: The tussocky grass and hidden peat bogs make for exhausting, ankle-rolling progress.
If you need to get offIf you are lost or exhausted in the bogs, stop before you commit to steep ground you do not know. Work out where you are with the map and compass, then go back by a line you know, the way you came. If you cannot move safely, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Police, then Mountain Rescue. We have not checked a line down to Nether Beck from here, so it is not offered.
- 6
Seatallan → Glade How (2.4 km, 19 m)
From the summit of Seatallan, the route turns south down the fell's grassy southern shoulder. The walking becomes much easier, from the bogs of the plateau to a broad, gently sloping grassy ridge with views down towards the coast.
WaypointsSeatallan Trig Pillar: The starting point of the descent. Cat Bields: Minor rocky outcrops along the ridge line. Glade How (approx. 440m): A grassy bump on the approach to the Buckbarrow crags.
Decision pointRidge Line: The ridge is broad but well-defined. Keep the steep drop into the Bleng valley well to your right (west).
Easy to get wrongSlippery Grass: Technically easy, but the steep grassy descent can be slick, especially after rain, and hard on tired knees.
If you need to get offYou are now on the descent back to the start. The better option is to continue along the ridge toward Buckbarrow and the valley floor.
- 7
Glade How → Buckbarrow (0.4 km, 7 m)
A short, undulating stroll across the grassy plateau from Glade How to the summit of Buckbarrow. The ground is flat and grassy until it ends suddenly at a series of sheer crags above the Wasdale valley.
WaypointsBuckbarrow Summit (423m): A cairn close to the edge of the southern crags.
Decision pointLine of Sight: The summit cairns are obvious, but navigate strictly by sight and avoid the sheer southern edges.
Easy to get wrongCrag Edges: Buckbarrow is a series of sheer cliffs behind a grassy dome. The drops here are vertical and fatal. Take extreme care, particularly in high winds or poor visibility.
If you need to get offTurn east away from the crags to intercept the descent path heading down toward Greendale Gill.
Buckbarrow → Finish (1.7 km, 2 m)
The final descent skirts east away from the sheer crags of Buckbarrow onto a steep, winding path that drops relentlessly down the fellside alongside Greendale Gill, through rocky outcrops and heavy bracken, back to the road at Low Greendale.
WaypointsGreendale Gill: The beck you follow down into the valley. Low Greendale Farm: The valley-bottom landmark at the end of the walk.
Decision pointGreendale Gill: Use the beck as your handrail: keep the water on your left as you descend, and it leads you back to the road.
Easy to get wrongTired Legs: The steep, eroded path needs careful footwork. Loose stones and steep grass make it easy to slip on tired legs at the end of the day. Hidden Obstacles: In summer the dense bracken can hide rabbit holes or loose rocks on the path.
If you need to get offThis is the way out. Once you start down beside the beck, you are committed to returning to the Low Greendale car park.
GPX track for your GPS or phone. Planned route · not yet walked
Summits bagged (7)
- 1Middle Fell582 m
- 2Haycock797 m
- 3Little Gowder Crag735 m
- 4Caw Fell697 m
- 5Seatallan693 m
- 6Glade How440 m
- 7Buckbarrow423 m
In the order you walk them — the same numbers the elevation profile, the stage notes and the pacing table use.
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.
- Middle Fell — in late March the sun reaches it around 06:30, about a quarter of an hour later. In late September, about 07:15. It waits longest in late September — about a quarter of an hour after sunrise.
- Haycock — in late March the sun reaches it around 06:15, with the sunrise. In late September, about 07:00.
- Caw Fell — in late March the sun reaches it around 06:30, about a quarter of an hour later. In late September, about 07:15. It waits longest in late September — about a quarter of an hour after sunrise.
- Seatallan — in late March the sun reaches it around 06:30, with the sunrise. In late September, about 07:15. It waits longest in midsummer — about a quarter of an hour after sunrise.
- Buckbarrow — in late March the sun reaches it around 06:45, about a quarter of an hour later. In late September, about 07:30. It waits longest in midsummer — about an hour after sunrise. In late December, not until about 08:45.
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
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 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.
- Greendale, Nether Wasdale (roadside, free) — at the start
- Greendale (layby) — at 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
We don’t know yet. Wasdale Explorer (seasonal) serves this area, but we don’t hold its stop positions, so we can’t measure the walk from it — and we won’t tell you to drive on the strength of a gap in our own data. The Wasdale Action Group lists it as running Saturdays, Sundays and bank holiday Mondays from the start of May to the end of August (read 30 September 2026): check before you travel.
Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com (opens in new tab) or Traveline before travelling.
Toilets and refreshments
The essentials
- Arrival Free verge parking on the road at Greendale, beside the start. The mapped parking area there is tagged private, so use the roadside, not the yard. 26 m in a straight line, not a walking distance. (our parking map (Lee confirmed the pin, 9 August 2026; OpenStreetMap way/859299301), checked 9 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 Haycock is a long, rough walk from any direction: a minor injury, a navigation error or a late finish turns serious a long way from a road. (our route notes (this route's own warnings), checked 28 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
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Middle Fell | 2.1 km | 506 m | 1:16–1:42 |
| 2Haycock | 6.1 km | 848 m | 2:38–3:30 |
| 3Little Gowder Crag | 6.7 km | 866 m | 2:47–3:42 |
| 4Caw Fell | 7.5 km | 884 m | 2:58–3:57 |
| 5Seatallan | 13.3 km | 1271 m | 4:47–6:21 |
| 6Glade How | 15.7 km | 1290 m | 5:18–7:02 |
| 7Buckbarrow | 16.1 km | 1296 m | 5:23–7:09 |
| Finish | 17.8 km | 1298 m | 5:43–7:37 |
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 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 long, steep ~44% drop over 250 m around the 11.0 km mark — hard on the knees.
On the line: No barriers mapped on this line.
Barriers as mapped on OpenStreetMap, which can miss some. Spotted one? Tell us (opens in new tab). Barrier data as of 26 July 2026. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).
Places to stay near this start
- Church Stile Farm And Holiday Park (opens in new tab) campsiteabout 2.3 km
Also nearby, but not independent
- YHA Wasdale Hall (opens in new tab) hostelabout 1.1 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 Wasdale — 4.3 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.