Grey Friar routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX
773 m · Cumbria
Grey Friar is a quieter Coniston fell west of Swirl How, overlooking the Duddon Valley, and walkers reach it from Wrynose Pass or the Coniston ridge.
Peakify lists 3 measured routes up Grey Friar, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.
Grey Friar 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wrynose Pass via Great Carrs | Wrynose Pass (roadside parking by the Three Shire Stone) | 3.4 km one way | 464 m | 1h 25m | 2h 10m | Moderate |
| Walna Scar via Goat's Water and Goats Hawse | Walna Scar car park, Coniston | 7.0 km one way | 760 m | 2h 40m | 4h 5m | Hard |
| Wrynose via Wet Side Edge | Low Tilberthwaite National Trust car park | 6.8 km one way | — | — | — | Hard |
Grey Friar 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 Grey Friar route
Wrynose Pass via Great Carrs
Climb the ridge from the top of the pass to Great Carrs, then cross the grassy col south-west to Grey Friar. It starts from Wrynose Pass (roadside parking by the Three Shire Stone). 3.4 km one way with 464 m of ascent. About 1h 25m to the summit and 2h 10m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.
Walna Scar via Goat's Water and Goats Hawse
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Walna Scar car park, Coniston. It starts from Walna Scar car park, Coniston. 7.0 km one way with 760 m of ascent. About 2h 40m to the summit and 4h 5m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.
Wrynose via Wet Side Edge
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Low Tilberthwaite National Trust car park. It starts from Low Tilberthwaite National Trust car park. 6.8 km one way. Grade: Hard.
Grey Friar route GPX
Download a GPX for each route with a track: Walna Scar via Goat's Water and Goats Hawse, Wrynose via Wet Side Edge. 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 Grey Friar today and the Grey Friar 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.
Planning a day on Grey Friar 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 Grey Friar, 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 Grey Friar
What is the easiest route up Grey Friar?
From the top of Wrynose Pass, climb to Great Carrs and follow the grassy col south-west to the summit.
How much time does each Grey Friar route take?
Wrynose Pass via Great Carrs: about 1h 25m up and 2h 10m there and back. Walna Scar via Goat's Water and Goats Hawse: about 2h 40m up and 4h 5m 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 Grey Friar route?
Yes. Open a route below and download its GPX: an ascent track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths.