A good Hartsop Round taking in some high peaks along the ridge

STD

A Hartsop Round [FE]

REX May 05, 2026 Hartsop, Satura Crag, Rest Dodd, The Knott, Rampsgill Head, High Raise (M), Low Raise, Kidsty Pike, High Street, Mardale Ill Bell, Thornthwaite Crag, Gray Crag

Start Point, Map

Titbit

Obstacle

Distance 18.57 km, Time 6.52 h, Total Ascent 1,117 m Imperial | Metric

REX SAYS: This was a long walk but no part of it was really difficult apart from that closed off gate. It was mainly grassy paths and I had a good run on Low Raise.
We met a lady who said I was the nicest dog and she made a fuss of me.

After the last couple of days with tiny walks we set off today from Hartsop with an initial target of High Raise and Kidsty Pike. In the end we made a full round of it taking in High Street, Mardale Ill Bell and more.

We are at Hartsop for 8:30 - no need for a very early start since we are hoping for weather improvement during the day

An easy gradient from Hartsop to start

Ugh, the dreaded 'obstacle' is still there. Rex being a fair bit younger

and slimmer than Indy, decided to squeeze through this gap!

This is a straightforward path up towards Satura Crag

A good view of the Filter House and main path down from Hayeswater

A few minutes off-lead for Rex. There are sheep in the valley, so I'm cautious...

Hayeswater comes into view

A Hartsop Round - Image 10, May 05, 2026

The pics probably look OK, but it's quite cold and the clouds are still low

A Hartsop Round - Image 11, May 05, 2026

We soon arrive at Satura Crag

A Hartsop Round - Image 12, May 05, 2026

and proceed onwards to Rest Dodd, which has a tantalisingly-balanced cairn

A Hartsop Round - Image 13, May 05, 2026

We decide to take the direct route up to The Knott, which is alongside that wall

A Hartsop Round - Image 14, May 05, 2026

This is The Knott - has the same cairn-balancing artist visited recently?

A Hartsop Round - Image 15, May 05, 2026

The path past Rampsgill Head and towards High Raise is quite easy walking. We'll use that path coming in from the right when we return from Low Raise.

A Hartsop Round - Image 16, May 05, 2026

After Rampsgill Head we arrive rapidly at High Raise (Martindale)

A Hartsop Round - Image 17, May 05, 2026

We are totally alone - absolutely no sheep or other people so I point Rex towards Low Raise and tell him to get on with it (some poetic license)

A Hartsop Round - Image 18, May 05, 2026

If he gets too far ahead, he stops, and when I call him...

A Hartsop Round - Image 19, May 05, 2026

races back as if his life depends on it

A Hartsop Round - Image 20, May 05, 2026

Summit of Low Raise, from where we have

A Hartsop Round - Image 21, May 05, 2026

a partial view of Haweswater reservoir

The summit of Kidsty Pike with Haweswater reservoir in the background. Rex is sitting down on a grassy area, May 05, 2026

It's a grassy plain up here, and not much effort to partially retrace our steps and reach Kidsty Pike, where we have our first break.
There's a good viewpoint just to the E of the summit where we have a snack and some water.

A Hartsop Round - Image 22, May 05, 2026

A Hartsop Round - Image 23, May 05, 2026

After a short break (it's still windy and we don't want to get cold) we decide to continue the 'Round'. Next stop is High Street, which involves a short descent before ascending by one of two paths. I choose the left one near the wall because we plan to visit Blea Water Crag and Mardale Ill Bell

A Hartsop Round - Image 24, May 05, 2026

The unmissable OS monument that marks the summit of High Street

A Hartsop Round - Image 25, May 05, 2026

A short walk to this bird's eye view of Blea Water and Haweswater

A Hartsop Round - Image 26, May 05, 2026

NB: To get this view we must veer off-piste (caution required) to Blea Water Crag.
It's worth it, and in my view beats the view from Mardale Ill Bell, but please do take care if you venture onto Blea Water Crag. There are sharp drops

A Hartsop Round - Image 27, May 05, 2026

Mardale Ill Bell

A Hartsop Round - Image 28, May 05, 2026

Looking down to Haweswater

A Hartsop Round - Image 29, May 05, 2026

Leaving Mardale Ill Bell we make our way in the direction of Thorthwaite Crag and its significant cairn

A Hartsop Round - Image 30, May 05, 2026

Looking towards the ridge of fells that run South from Thorthwaite Crag - Froswick, Ill Bell and on to Yoke

A Hartsop Round - Image 31, May 05, 2026

As we approach we can see our last objective coming into view - the switch Northwards to Gray Crag and back to Hartsop

A Hartsop Round - Image 32, May 05, 2026

But first we arrive at Thorthwaite Crag where we have our second break in the lee of the wind on the other side. A glimpse of Windermere rear left

A Hartsop Round - Image 33, May 05, 2026

Windermere to the SSW

A Hartsop Round - Image 34, May 05, 2026

We leave Thorthwaite Crag in the direction of Gray Crag - Hayeswater comes into view

A Hartsop Round - Image 35, May 05, 2026

The summit cairn of Gray Crag wasn't built by whoever did Thornthwaite!

A Hartsop Round - Image 36, May 05, 2026

A last look back at Hayeswater and High Street before we return to Hartsop

A Hartsop Round - Image 37, May 05, 2026

Today's walk was more or less 7 hours -
Rex enjoys his dinner and has a good sleep

Start: Hartsop

Car parking in the car park at the far end of Hartsop Village [NY 40999 13007]

Route

Hartsop, Satura Crag, Rest Dodd, The Knott, Rampsgill Head, High Raise (M), Low Raise, Kidsty Pike, High Street, Mardale Ill Bell, Thornthwaite Crag, Gray Crag
Distance 18.57 km, Time 6.52 h, Total Ascent 1,117 m
Wainwright Pictorial Guide: The Far Eastern Fells

Titbit

High Street - High Street is named after the Roman road that crosses its summit. Roman roads connected Ambleside, Keswick and near to Penrith.
High Street's summit was historically used for summer fairs in the 18th and 19th centuries, known as Racecourse Hill due to horse racing events held there. The last fair took place in 1835.
Traces of the Roman Road can still be seen (to the East of the main path).

Obstacle

There was an impassable gate towards the beginning of this walk. (We encountered it the other way round when hiking Angletarn Pikes last year). It is on the top left initial section of the route slightly along where there is a kink. I had to lift Rex up and then he squeezed through. An alternative path would be to go further N from Hartsop initially, and then cut back (May 05, 2026)

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Please do your own research to verify current routes and information on car parking, bus services and so on

Route maps from Ordnance Survey are scaled 1:25000 unless otherwise indicated.
Distance, Hike Time and Total Ascent as supplied by OS. Image shows planned route.
Distance 18.57 km, Time 6.52 h, Total Ascent 1,117 m

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