The Lake District is home to some of the UK's most scenic landscapes and there’s no better way to experience it than by hiking along its famous ridgelines. One spectacular route is a 24km hiking route which takes you across several prominent peaks offering panoramic views, challenging terrain and a true taste of Lakeland’s wild beauty. This linear route links two charming villages - Threlkeld and Grasmere. Along the way, you’ll reach 10 summits and enjoy some of the most iconic views in the region.
At a Glance
Difficulty: Difficult - big ascent with boggy and rocky terrain. Confidence with route finding needed.
Distance: 24km/15 miles
Total Ascent: 1493m
Est Time: 9hrs depending on pace & rest stops
Starting location: Threlkeld car park next to the Lake District National Park Authority base. You will also need a vehicle (or use public transport) at the end in Grasmere. There are plenty of car parks in Grasmere as well as some free lay-by parking.
Facilities: None at start or on route. Pubs at the end as well as plenty of facilities in Grasmere.
Dog friendly: Yes if they are okay with the distance and varied terrain. Be aware of livestock.
Starting Point: Threlkeld to Clough Head
Your hike begins just outside Threlkeld, a small village beneath the slopes of Blencathra. After a gentle start following the footpath from the car park and around the back of the quarry, you’ll soon find yourself heading toward the first climb of the day - Clough Head. The path takes you up through farmland eventually gaining the rocky ridge that leads you to the trig point on the summit. The ascent is steady and at 726 meters, it’s not the tallest of the bunch but it offers fantastic views towards Skiddaw and back towards the valley below.
From here, you’ll continue along the grassy ridge with the route steadily leading you toward the next peak, Calfhow Pike. This summit is often overlooked by those focused on the more well-known peaks but it provides excellent views towards Thirlmere, the Helvellyn range and Blencathra. It's a great spot to catch your breath before continuing on.
Great Dodd
Next up is Great Dodd, a slightly higher peak that marks a key waypoint along the path. From the top, you can see over to St. John’s in the Vale and out toward Skiddaw and the northwestern fells. The route to Watson’s Dodd is fairly straightforward and the route in front of you becomes clear over towards the Helvellyn Range and beyond. This is an exposed section of the route so depending on the time of year you do it, if there's still a chill in the air then you might want to wrap up warm here. Check out the My Urban Trail Thermals and the thermal leggings with a water repellent coating for when those light showers appear from nowhere!
Raise
After Great Dodd, the route leads you to Watson’s Dodd, Stybarrow Dodd, crosses Stick’s Pass and onto the summit of Raise. This is a popular spot for those making their way toward Helvellyn so the route is likely to get busier now. Just beyond the summit is a great place for a quick break before you head up Helvellyn. If the weather is clear, you’ll be able to see all the way to Scafell Pike in the distance, the highest point in England. From Raise, the route becomes slightly more challenging as you continue your climb up to the crown jewel of this route - Helvellyn.
Helvellyn
The path rises steeply and if you look out towards your left, you’ll likely see lines of people tackling the two ridges of Helvellyn. At the trig point that marks the summit, you’ve reached the highest point of this route. Rising to 950 meters, this mountain is renowned for its spectacular ridgelines. Helvellyn is often reached via the famous Striding Edge, a ridge that is not for the faint-hearted but from the route you’re following today, the summit is a straightforward yet rewarding climb. Spend some time soaking in the stunning 360-degree views before descending toward Nethermost Pike.
Nethermost Pike
The next peak on the list is Nethermost Pike. It's slightly lower than Helvellyn but still offers fantastic views of the surrounding landscape. If you look behind you, you’ll get a dramatic view of Striding Edge. From here, you’ll notice the path becoming a little more rugged as you make your way across to the next summit of Dollywagon Pike via High Crag. At High Crag, you’ll get a feeling of remoteness as this peak is less frequented by hikers compared to others in the area.
Dollywaggon Pike and Seat Sandal
Now, you’ll descend slightly before reaching the summit of Dollywaggon Pike with incredible views over to Fairfield and down to Grisedale Tarn. You have two options of descent here; the incredibly steep, grassy path straight down or the easier zig zag path down to the tarn. The second is slightly longer but may be a better choice if you are at all unsure. The final summit of the day is Seat Sandal, which at 736 meters, marks the final fell of the route. The path is steep but short with magnificent view from the summit. After a rocky descent back to the edge of Grisedals Tarn, the path winds gently down the side of Tongue Gill, past a series of waterfalls and eventually pops you out at the main road leading into Grasmere.
Ending Point: Grasmere
This charming village, steeped in history, is famous for being the home of William Wordsworth who lived in the village for 14 years. If you have left a vehicle here then your journey ends (possibly with some food at one of the pubs) but if not, you’ll have to time your return journey back to Threlkeld using the local bus service. You can find the timetable here.
Threlkeld to Grasmere hiking route- download the route
Download the Ordnance Survey route and map here.
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Starting point from parking area next to the Lake District National Park Authority base
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Highest point of the hike on Helvellyn
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End point at the main road into Grasmere
Komoot App
Have you ever tried Komoot? Komoot allows you to access routes planned by others or plan your own which you can then download to your phone to follow while you are out. Komoot is free to join and access and you can find the route for his walk here.
For additional UK outdoor adventures, wild swimming, hiking routes and more, check my other blog posts here on MY URBAN TRAIL and follow me @Wild_0utdoors on Instagram.
Happy adventuring!
Izzy