Grasmoor routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX
852 m · Cumbria
Grasmoor is the highest fell in the north-western Lakes, a massive block of a mountain rising above Crummock Water with a broad summit plateau.
Peakify lists 5 measured routes up Grasmoor, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.
Grasmoor 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lanthwaite Green via Gasgale Gill | Lanthwaite Green car park | 5.5 km one way | 699 m | 2h 15m | 3h 20m | Moderate |
| Cinderdale Common via Lad Hows | Cinderdale Common (roadside, Crummock Water) | 2.7 km one way | 714 m | 1h 45m | 2h 15m | Moderate |
| Braithwaite via Coledale Hause | Braithwaite / lower Whinlatter Pass car park | 7.2 km one way | — | — | — | Hard |
| Lanthwaite via Gasgale Gill and Coledale Hause | Lanthwaite Wood National Trust car park | 7.5 km one way | 820 m | 2h 50m | 4h 20m | Hard |
| Buttermere via Whiteless Pike | Buttermere village National Trust car park | 6.6 km one way | — | — | — | Hard |
Grasmoor 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 Grasmoor route
Lanthwaite Green via Gasgale Gill
Walk up Gasgale Gill to Coledale Hause, then climb west on to the summit plateau. It starts from Lanthwaite Green car park. 5.5 km one way with 699 m of ascent. About 2h 15m to the summit and 3h 20m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.
Cinderdale Common via Lad Hows
Climb the steep grassy ridge of Lad Hows above Crummock Water, then follow the edge on to the plateau. It starts from Cinderdale Common (roadside, Crummock Water). 2.7 km one way with 714 m of ascent. About 1h 45m to the summit and 2h 15m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.
Braithwaite via Coledale Hause
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Braithwaite / lower Whinlatter Pass car park. It starts from Braithwaite / lower Whinlatter Pass car park. 7.2 km one way. Grade: Hard.
Lanthwaite via Gasgale Gill and Coledale Hause
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Lanthwaite Wood National Trust car park. It starts from Lanthwaite Wood National Trust car park. 7.5 km one way with 820 m of ascent. About 2h 50m to the summit and 4h 20m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.
Buttermere via Whiteless Pike
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Buttermere village National Trust car park. It starts from Buttermere village National Trust car park. 6.6 km one way. Grade: Hard.
Grasmoor route GPX
Download a GPX for each route with a track: Braithwaite via Coledale Hause, Lanthwaite via Gasgale Gill and Coledale Hause, Buttermere via Whiteless Pike. 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 Grasmoor today and the Grasmoor 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.
Planning a day on Grasmoor 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 Grasmoor, 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 Grasmoor
What is the easiest route up Grasmoor?
From Lanthwaite Green, follow Gasgale Gill to Coledale Hause and climb west on to the summit plateau.
How much time does each Grasmoor route take?
Lanthwaite Green via Gasgale Gill: about 2h 15m up and 3h 20m there and back. Cinderdale Common via Lad Hows: about 1h 45m up and 2h 15m there and back. Lanthwaite via Gasgale Gill and Coledale Hause: about 2h 50m up and 4h 20m 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 Grasmoor route?
Yes. Open a route below and download its GPX: an ascent track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths.