St Sunday Crag from Patterdale

The walk, stage by stage

1. 1

   Start → Arnison Crag (1.4 km, 278 m)

   Climb of about 278 m over 1.4 km (around 20% average).

   Starting from Patterdale, go south past the Patterdale Hotel and through a gate onto the public footpath. After about 250 m, at the next gate, turn left (south) up the steep fellside, a wall on your right, through the bracken to the rocky top of Arnison Crag.

   Waypoints

   Patterdale village, Glenamara Park boundary, Arnison Crag summit (433 m).

   Decision point

   The drystone wall enclosing Glenamara Park, on your right, is a handrail for the first half of the climb. Ascend south, aiming for the rocky outcrop overlooking the valley.

   Easy to get wrong

   Above the second gate the path climbs about 165 m in 0.5 km, about 33%. The lower paths can be choked with thick bracken in high summer, making the ascent humid and obscuring foot placement on uneven ground. The final rocky steps near the summit can be slippery when wet. The ascent from Patterdale is short but relentlessly steep, and a large expanse of wet, greasy rock has to be crossed.

   If you need to get off

   Turn around and retrace your steps directly down the fellside back to Patterdale.

   

2. 2

   Arnison Crag → Birks (2.1 km, 239 m)

   Climb of about 239 m over 2.1 km (around 11% average).

   Head south-west from Arnison Crag over about 1 km of nearly level ground to the shallow saddle at Trough Head. From Trough Head, climb west-north-west up the steep grassy slope to the ridge. Follow the ridge south-west to the top of Birks.

   Waypoints

   Arnison Crag, Trough Head (saddle), Birks summit (622 m).

   Decision point

   Keep the deep trench of Grisedale to your right (north-west) and Deepdale to your left (south-east). The broad grassy ridge points toward St Sunday Crag.

   Easy to get wrong

   Nearly level for 1 km, then about 210 m of climbing in 1 km from Trough Head, over 25% on the slope above it. The descent into Trough Head often holds water and can be boggy. The climb up Birks is steep and grassy, though straightforward compared to the rocky sections ahead.

   If you need to get off

   Retrace your steps north-east over Arnison Crag to Patterdale. We have not checked a line down from Trough Head into Glenamara Park, so none is offered here.

3. 3

   Birks → St Sunday Crag (1.7 km, 244 m)

   Climb of about 244 m over 1.7 km (around 14% average).

   Continue south-west along the ridge, down about 30 m to the col. From the col, climb south-west, steeply, onto rockier ground on the narrowing ridge. Bear south for the last 400 m across the summit plateau of St Sunday Crag.

   Waypoints

   Birks summit, the col below Birks, at about 595 m, St Sunday Crag summit (841 m).

   Decision point

   The ridge is well defined; follow the crest upwards. In thick clag, stay well clear of the northern crags overlooking Grisedale; the path naturally favors the southern side of the ridge line.

   Easy to get wrong

   About 30 m down to the col, then about 245 m up on increasingly rugged ground, most of it in the 0.7 km above the col, at about 30%. The ridge narrows slightly here, and exposure increases, particularly with the precipitous drops into the coves of Grisedale to the north. The wind can strengthen sharply as you reach the upper plateau.

   If you need to get off

   Retreat north-east back down the ridge to Birks. Do not attempt to drop blindly into Grisedale or Deepdale from these steep upper flanks.

   

4. 4

   St Sunday Crag → Gavel Pike (0.4 km, 1 m)

   Descent of about 54 m over 0.4 km.

   From the summit of St Sunday Crag, head east, off the main path, down a short, rocky slope to Gavel Pike.

   Waypoints

   St Sunday Crag summit, Gavel Pike summit (784 m).

   Decision point

   Gavel Pike is obvious in clear weather, a rocky top on the spur about 450 m east of the summit. In low visibility, take a careful compass bearing east from the main summit to ensure you do not miss the spur.

   Easy to get wrong

   A short descent, about 55 m in 0.4 km, over rugged terrain. Gavel Pike has views down into Deepdale and across to the Fairfield Horseshoe, but the ground is rocky and requires careful foot placement to avoid ankle twists.

   If you need to get off

   Retrace your steps the short distance back to the main St Sunday Crag summit to access the primary descent routes.

5. Gavel Pike → Finish (4.6 km, 75 m)

   Descent of about 636 m, with about 75 m of climbing, over 4.6 km.

   From Gavel Pike, head back north over the rocky ground to rejoin the main ridge path, then follow it north-east down to the col below Birks. Climb back over Birks and follow its ridge east-north-east for about 450 m. Then take the path that drops north off it to join the main path above Thornhow End, and follow that down past Thornhow End. Just before the lane in Grisedale, turn right onto the public footpath along the foot of the fell to the gate where you turned up the fell on the way out, and retrace the outward path into Patterdale.

   Waypoints

   Gavel Pike, the col below Birks, Birks summit, Thornhow End, the footpath along the foot of the fell, Patterdale (finish).

   Decision point

   The descent initially tracks north, then north-east to the col. There, keep to the ridge over Birks rather than the path that runs below it on the Grisedale side. Use the deep valleys of Grisedale (to the left) and Deepdale (to the right) as boundaries.

   Easy to get wrong

   A long descent, hard on the knees. The upper sections off Gavel Pike feature steep grass and minor rocky steps that are highly treacherous when wet or icy. There is about 30 m of climbing back over Birks from the col. The path north off Birks and the main path past Thornhow End drop about 320 m in 0.85 km, around 35-40%.

   If you need to get off

   You are on the final exit route. Maintain downward progress along the established paths; avoid descending too steeply off the sides of the ridge into the deep, trackless gills.