Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause up Esk Pike: route map, distance and time
885 m · Cumbria
Esk Pike is a rocky peak between Esk Hause and Bowfell, and walkers cross it on routes from Langdale or Borrowdale towards the Scafell range.
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 765 m over 8.5 km to 858 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 17% 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 | 8.5 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 800 m |
| Climb on the track | 765 m up, 26 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 102 m to 858 m (summit 885 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 23%, from 5.5 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 13% of the way |
| Time up | 3h 0m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 4h 45m, down the same way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Seatoller National Trust car park, CA12 5XN |
| Start grid reference | NY 245 138 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 236 075 |
| 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 | 775 m | +142 m | 14% | NY 234 079 |
| 8.5 km | 858 m | +83 m | 17% | NY 236 075 |
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 30m | 3h 55m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 3h 0m | 4h 45m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 3h 45m | 5h 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 18:08. Start by 12:23 to be down before dark, allowing 4h 45m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:06. Start by 12:21 to be down before dark, allowing 4h 45m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Esk Pike summit weather for this route
-
Good Today Sunday 18 October
Partly cloudy, up to 5°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -4°C, summit wind 16 mph gusting 21 mph, 0% chance of rain. Rated Good. Sunrise 07:47, sunset 18:08.
-
Marginal Tomorrow Monday 19 October
Dense drizzle, up to 8°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -2°C, summit wind 39 mph gusting 49 mph, 51% 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 21 mph and a 0% chance of rain.
Hour-by-hour Esk Pike forecast · 14-day forecast · Is it safe to climb Esk Pike?
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 -4°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 Esk Pike
Esk Pike is a rocky peak between Esk Hause and Bowfell, and walkers cross it on routes from Langdale or Borrowdale towards the Scafell range. More about Esk Pike, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Hewitt, Nuttall, HuMP, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- Bowfell North Top (866 m), 0.9 km south-east
- Allen Crags (785 m), 1 km north
- Ill Crag (931 m), 1.3 km west
- Great End (910 m), 1.3 km north-west
- Bowfell (903 m), 1.3 km south-east
- Rossett Pike (651 m), 1.3 km east
Challenges that include Esk Pike
- 10 Peaks (England – Lake District) · 10
- Lake District 24 Peaks Challenge · 24
- Bob Graham Round · 42
- Hewitts · 523
- Nuttalls · 442
- Wainwrights · 214
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 Allen Crags
- 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 Esk Pike
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Langdale via Rossett Gill and Esk Hause | 7.2 km one way | 840 m | 2h 50m | Moderate |
| Seathwaite via Grains Gill | 5.5 km one way | 750 m | 2h 20m | Moderate |
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 236 075), 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 8.5 km one way to the summit of Esk Pike, with 800 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 17.0 km.
How long does Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause take?
About 3h 0m to the summit of Esk Pike and 4h 45m 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 50m 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 765 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 Great Langdale via Rossett Gill and Esk Hause.
What time should I start Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause today?
By 12:23 at the latest. Sunset on Esk Pike today is 18:08, Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause takes about 4h 45m 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.