Dollywaggon Pike routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX
859 m ยท Cumbria
Dollywaggon Pike is the southern end of the Helvellyn ridge, rising above Grisedale Tarn, and most walkers climb it on the way to Helvellyn.
Peakify lists 5 measured routes up Dollywaggon Pike, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.
Dollywaggon Pike 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.
| Route | Start | Distance | Ascent | Time up | There and back | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grasmere via Tongue Gill and Grisedale Tarn | Mill Bridge, north of Grasmere | 5.4 km one way | 938 m | 2h 40m | 3h 45m | Moderate |
| Patterdale via Grisedale | Patterdale village | 8.7 km one way | 729 m | 2h 55m | 4h 40m | Moderate |
| Swirls via the Helvellyn summit ridge | Swirls car park, Thirlmere | 6.3 km one way | 820 m | 2h 40m | 3h 55m | Hard |
| Wythburn western walking ascent | Wythburn church car park | 4.7 km one way | 760 m | 2h 10m | 3h 10m | Hard |
| Glenridding via Grisedale valley and Grisedale Hause | Glenridding main car park | 9.4 km one way | 820 m | 3h 15m | 5h 10m | Hard |
Dollywaggon Pike 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 Dollywaggon Pike route
Grasmere via Tongue Gill and Grisedale Tarn
Climb Tongue Gill to Grisedale Hause and the tarn, then follow the pitched zigzag path to the summit. It starts from Mill Bridge, north of Grasmere. 5.4 km one way with 938 m of ascent. About 2h 40m to the summit and 3h 45m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.
Patterdale via Grisedale
Walk the length of Grisedale to the tarn, then climb the zigzags up the western side. It starts from Patterdale village. 8.7 km one way with 729 m of ascent. About 2h 55m to the summit and 4h 40m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.
Swirls via the Helvellyn summit ridge
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Swirls car park, Thirlmere. It starts from Swirls car park, Thirlmere. 6.3 km one way with 820 m of ascent. About 2h 40m to the summit and 3h 55m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.
Wythburn western walking ascent
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Wythburn church car park. It starts from Wythburn church car park. 4.7 km one way with 760 m of ascent. About 2h 10m to the summit and 3h 10m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.
Glenridding via Grisedale valley and Grisedale Hause
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Glenridding main car park. It starts from Glenridding main car park. 9.4 km one way with 820 m of ascent. About 3h 15m to the summit and 5h 10m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.
Dollywaggon Pike route GPX
Download a GPX for each route with a track: Swirls via the Helvellyn summit ridge, Wythburn western walking ascent, Glenridding via Grisedale valley and Grisedale Hause. 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 Dollywaggon Pike today and the Dollywaggon Pike 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.
Planning a day on Dollywaggon Pike 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 Dollywaggon Pike, 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 Dollywaggon Pike
What is the easiest route up Dollywaggon Pike?
From Grasmere, walk up Tongue Gill to Grisedale Tarn, then take the zigzag path up the western slope.
How much time does each Dollywaggon Pike route take?
Grasmere via Tongue Gill and Grisedale Tarn: about 2h 40m up and 3h 45m there and back. Patterdale via Grisedale: about 2h 55m up and 4h 40m there and back. Swirls via the Helvellyn summit ridge: about 2h 40m up and 3h 55m there and back. Wythburn western walking ascent: about 2h 10m up and 3h 10m there and back. Glenridding via Grisedale valley and Grisedale Hause: about 3h 15m up and 5h 10m 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 Dollywaggon Pike route?
Yes. Open a route below and download its GPX: an ascent track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths.