Mardale via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree up Branstree NE Top: route map, distance and time
673 m · Cumbria
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Mardale Head car park, Haweswater.
Mardale via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree starts at about 250 m and gains 481 m over 3.7 km to 668 m on the track. It is steep from the start: the first kilometre climbs 185 m (18%). The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 1 km, which climbs 185 m at an average of 18%, with a 500 m stretch from 0.5 km at about 23%. The final 0.7 km eases to the top. About 31% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Mardale via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree at a glance
| Distance | 3.7 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 480 m |
| Climb on the track | 481 m up, 64 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 250 m to 708 m (summit 673 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 23%, from 0.5 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 31% of the way |
| Time up | 1h 30m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 2h 15m, down the same way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Mardale Head car park, Haweswater |
| Start grid reference | NY 469 107 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 487 103 |
| Parking | Mardale Head car park, Haweswater |
Mardale via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree map
The track from the start (green) to the summit (blue), with a marker at each kilometre.
Height profile and getting to the start
Download the Mardale via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree 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.
Mardale via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree 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 | 435 m | +185 m | 18% | NY 470 099 |
| 2 km | 618 m | +183 m | 18% | NY 475 095 |
| 3 km | 679 m | +61 m | 6% | NY 481 101 |
| 3.7 km | 668 m | -11 m | -2% | NY 487 103 |
How long Mardale via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 1h 15m | 1h 50m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 1h 30m | 2h 15m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 1h 55m | 2h 50m |
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 18:04. Start by 14:49 to be down before dark, allowing 2h 15m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:02. Start by 14:47 to be down before dark, allowing 2h 15m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Branstree NE Top summit weather for this route
There is no recent summit forecast cached for Branstree NE Top right now. The main Branstree NE Top page loads the live forecast when you open it. Open the live Branstree NE Top forecast.
Before you go, also check: MWIS Lake District forecast · Met Office mountain forecast · Weatherline fell top conditions.
About Branstree NE Top
More about Branstree NE Top, with the live forecast.
Challenges that include Branstree NE Top
More walks from Mardale Head car park, Haweswater
Routes in Peakify's guides that start within 500 m of this one, for another day from the same car park.
- Mardale Head via Gatescarth Pass up Branstree
- Mardale Head via Nan Bield Pass up Harter Fell
- Mardale Head via Gatescarth Pass up Harter Fell
- Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike up High Raise
- Mardale Head via Rough Crag and Long Stile up High Street
- Mardale via Nan Bield Pass up High Street
- Mardale Head via Kidsty Howes up Kidsty Pike
- Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield Pass up Mardale Ill Bell
- Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike up Rampsgill Head
- Mardale Head via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree up Selside Pike
- Mardale via Nan Bield Pass up Thornthwaite Crag
- Mardale via Rough Crag and Long Stile up Rough Crag
Other routes up Branstree NE Top
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burnbanks eastern Haweswater walking paths | 7.9 km one way | 500 m | 2h 25m | Hard |
In an emergency
Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at NY 469 107, the summit at NY 487 103), 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.
Mardale via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree: questions and answers
How far is Mardale via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree?
Mardale via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree is 3.7 km one way to the summit of Branstree NE Top, with 480 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 7.4 km.
How long does Mardale via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree take?
About 1h 30m to the summit of Branstree NE Top and 2h 15m 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 2h 50m for the round trip.
How steep is Mardale via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree?
The steepest 500 m averages about 23%, starting 0.5 km from the start, and 31% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Mardale via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree climbs 481 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Mardale via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree?
Mardale via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree starts from Mardale Head car park, Haweswater. The grid reference is NY 469 107. Mardale Head car park, Haweswater
Is Mardale via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree 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.
What time should I start Mardale via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree today?
By 14:49 at the latest. Sunset on Branstree NE Top today is 18:04, Mardale via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree takes about 2h 15m there and back, and that leaves an hour for stops. Start earlier in winter or if the forecast turns.
Is there a GPX for Mardale via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree?
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.