Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause up Allen Crags: route map, distance and time
785 m · Cumbria
Allen Crags is a rocky fell at the head of Borrowdale and Langstrath, rising north of Esk Hause at the main crossroads of the central Lakeland fells.
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Seatoller National Trust car park.
Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause starts at about 118 m and gains 707 m over 8.3 km to 766 m on the track. The first 5 km are the easy part, averaging 3%. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 7 km, which climbs 195 m at an average of 19%, with a 500 m stretch from 5.5 km at about 23%. It keeps climbing at 14% to the top. About 13% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause at a glance
| Distance | 8.3 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 730 m |
| Climb on the track | 707 m up, 61 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 102 m to 766 m (summit 785 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 23%, from 5.5 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 13% of the way |
| Time up | 2h 55m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 4h 30m, down the same way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Seatoller National Trust car park, CA12 5XN |
| Start grid reference | NY 245 138 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 236 085 |
| Parking | Seatoller National Trust car park |
Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause map
The track from the start (green) to the summit (blue), with a marker at each kilometre.
Height profile and getting to the start
Near the start
- The Yew Tree Pub0.1 km
- The Langstrath Inn1.7 km
- Borrowdale YHA1.0 km
- The Flock-in1.5 km
- Peathouse Tea & Coffee Shop1.6 km
- Public toilets0.1 km
- Public toilets1.6 km
- Public toilets1.9 km
- Seatoller Farm0.3 km
- Chapel House Farm Campsite1.1 km
- Seathwaite Farm Campsite2.0 km
From OpenStreetMap, within 2 km. Check opening times before you rely on them.
Download the Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause GPX
Ascent only: plan your way down. A planning track, not checked on the ground; it doesn't show safe scrambling moves. Track data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), heights from a terrain model.
Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause kilometre by kilometre
Height, climb and average gradient for each kilometre of the track, with a grid reference at the end of each one to check your position on the map.
| At | Height | Climb | Gradient | Grid ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 109 m | -9 m | -1% | NY 249 134 |
| 2 km | 120 m | +11 m | 1% | NY 243 127 |
| 3 km | 133 m | +13 m | 1% | NY 236 121 |
| 4 km | 163 m | +30 m | 3% | NY 234 113 |
| 5 km | 254 m | +91 m | 9% | NY 234 103 |
| 6 km | 438 m | +184 m | 18% | NY 232 095 |
| 7 km | 633 m | +195 m | 19% | NY 229 086 |
| 8 km | 723 m | +90 m | 9% | NY 234 083 |
| 8.3 km | 766 m | +43 m | 14% | NY 236 085 |
How long Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 2h 20m | 3h 45m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 2h 55m | 4h 30m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 3h 30m | 5h 35m |
Times leave out stops. Coming down the same way, the table counts the ascent once; steep descents on rough ground can be as slow as the climb.
- Today: sunrise 07:47, sunset 18:08. Start by 12:38 to be down before dark, allowing 4h 30m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:06. Start by 12:36 to be down before dark, allowing 4h 30m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Allen Crags summit weather for this route
-
Good Today Sunday 18 October
Partly cloudy, up to 6°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -3°C, summit wind 12 mph gusting 19 mph, 0% chance of rain. Rated Good. Sunrise 07:47, sunset 18:08.
-
Marginal Tomorrow Monday 19 October
Light drizzle, up to 8°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -2°C, summit wind 36 mph gusting 46 mph, 49% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:06.
Best day of the next seven for Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause: Sunday 18 October, with summit gusts around 19 mph and a 0% chance of rain.
Hour-by-hour Allen Crags forecast · 14-day forecast · Is it safe to climb Allen Crags?
Before you go, also check: MWIS Lake District forecast · Met Office mountain forecast · Weatherline fell top conditions.
What to take today
- An insulated jacket, hat and warm gloves: it feels like -3°C on top.
- A waterproof jacket. It can rain on the tops in any forecast.
- Microspikes for icy paths. In snow, an ice axe and crampons and the skills to use them.
- Map and compass, and the skills to use them. A phone is a backup, not a plan.
- A head torch, food, water, a charged phone and a small first aid kit.
About Allen Crags
Allen Crags is a rocky fell at the head of Borrowdale and Langstrath, rising north of Esk Hause at the main crossroads of the central Lakeland fells. More about Allen Crags, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Hewitt, Nuttall, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- High House Tarn Top (683 m), 0.8 km north-east
- Great End (910 m), 1 km west
- Esk Pike (885 m), 1 km south
- Red Beck Top (720 m), 1.3 km north-east
- Seathwaite Fell South Top (631 m), 1.3 km north-west
- Seathwaite Fell (631 m), 1.5 km north-west
Challenges that include Allen Crags
More walks from Seatoller National Trust car park
Routes in Peakify's guides that start within 500 m of this one, for another day from the same car park.
- Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause up Esk Pike
- Seatoller via Thornythwaite Fell up Glaramara
- Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap up Great Gable
- Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap up Green Gable
- Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause up Scafell Pike
- Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and the Corridor Route up Scafell Pike
- Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause up Broad Crag
- Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and the Corridor Route up Broad Crag
- Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Seathwaite Fell paths up Seathwaite Fell
- Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Seathwaite Fell paths up Seathwaite Fell South Top
Other routes up Allen Crags
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seathwaite via Grains Gill and Esk Hause | 5.3 km one way | 686 m | 2h 10m | Moderate |
| Great Langdale via Rossett Gill | 7.1 km one way | 750 m | 2h 40m | Moderate |
| Rosthwaite and the Glaramara ridge | 8.0 km one way | — | — | Hard |
In an emergency
Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at NY 245 138, the summit at NY 236 085), what happened and how many are in your group. If you have no signal for a call, a text to 999 works once you have registered your phone with emergencySMS: text "register" to 999 before you go.
Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause: questions and answers
How far is Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause?
Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause is 8.3 km one way to the summit of Allen Crags, with 730 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 16.6 km.
How long does Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause take?
About 2h 55m to the summit of Allen Crags and 4h 30m there and back by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops. A relaxed group takes nearer 5h 35m for the round trip.
How steep is Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause?
The steepest 500 m averages about 23%, starting 5.5 km from the start, and 13% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause climbs 707 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause?
Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause starts from Seatoller National Trust car park (postcode CA12 5XN). The grid reference is NY 245 138. Seatoller National Trust car park
Is Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause suitable for beginners?
Not as a first mountain. Peakify grades it Hard: steep, rough ground where a slip matters. Build up on an easier route first, such as Seathwaite via Grains Gill and Esk Hause.
What time should I start Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause today?
By 12:38 at the latest. Sunset on Allen Crags today is 18:08, Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause takes about 4h 30m there and back, and that leaves an hour for stops. Start earlier in winter or if the forecast turns.
Is there a GPX for Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause?
Yes. Download it from this page. It is an ascent-only planning track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths and not checked on the ground.