Dale Head routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX

Peakify lists 3 measured routes up Dale Head, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.

Dale Head routes, easiest to hardest

Sorted by grade, easiest first: Easy, Moderate, Hard, then Scramble. Routes with the same grade keep the order in which Peakify's editors listed them.

Dale Head route times by Naismith's rule

The times above use Naismith's rule: 5 km/h on the flat plus 10 minutes for every 100 m of ascent, rounded to the nearest 5 minutes. "There and back" doubles the distance and counts the ascent once, for coming down the same way. Naismith assumes a fit walker and no stops, so add time for breaks, a heavy pack, rough or snowy ground, and a group that moves at its slowest member's pace.

Each Dale Head route

Honister Pass

Follow the line of fence posts up the grassy southern slope to the summit cairn. It starts from Honister Pass car park (Honister Slate Mine). 3.4 km one way with 577 m of ascent. About 1h 40m to the summit and 2h 20m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.

Little Town via Newlands and Dalehead Tarn

Walk up the Newlands valley past old mine workings, climb to Dalehead Tarn and finish up the eastern ridge. It starts from Little Town / Chapel Bridge, Newlands. 5.6 km one way with 618 m of ascent. About 2h 10m to the summit and 3h 15m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.

Honister via Dale Head ridge

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Honister Pass National Trust car park. It starts from Honister Pass National Trust car park. 1.9 km one way with 400 m of ascent. About 1h 5m to the summit and 1h 25m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Dale Head route GPX

Download a GPX for each route with a track: Honister via Dale Head ridge. Each is an ascent-only planning track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths and not checked on the ground.

Before you pick a route

The grade describes the ground in fair weather. Wind, rain, cloud and ice change it: a Moderate path can be hard to follow in mist, and a scramble in strong gusts is a different proposition from the same rock on a calm day. Check whether it is safe to climb Dale Head today and the Dale Head 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.

Planning a day on Dale Head routes

The walking times above use Naismith's rule, which assumes a fit walker on good paths with short stops. Most groups take longer: add a quarter for a mixed group, more for children or heavy packs, and plan the descent as carefully as the climb, because tired legs and fading light cause more trouble on the way down than on the way up.

Start early. Car parks at popular starts fill by mid-morning in summer and at weekends, and an early start leaves spare daylight if the weather turns or the walk takes longer than planned. In winter, work back from sunset and leave a margin of at least an hour.

Carry a map and compass and know how to use them, even on a well-trodden path; a phone battery fails fastest in cold, wet weather. Pack a waterproof jacket and trousers, a warm layer, a hat and gloves in every season, plus food, water and a head torch. Tell someone your route and when you expect to be back.

If you are new to Dale Head, choose the easiest route in the table for a first ascent and save the harder lines for a settled day when you know the mountain. Turning back is always an option; the summit will still be there.

Questions about Dale Head

What is the easiest route up Dale Head?

From the top of Honister Pass, follow the old fence posts up grassy slopes to the summit. The climb is short but steady.

How much time does each Dale Head route take?

Honister Pass: about 1h 40m up and 2h 20m there and back. Little Town via Newlands and Dalehead Tarn: about 2h 10m up and 3h 15m there and back. Honister via Dale Head ridge: about 1h 5m up and 1h 25m there and back. Times are by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops.

Can I get a GPX file for a Dale Head route?

Yes. Open a route below and download its GPX: an ascent track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths.