Wrynose via Wet Side Edge up Grey Friar: route map, distance and time
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.
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Low Tilberthwaite National Trust car park.
Wrynose via Wet Side Edge starts at about 151 m and gains 794 m over 6.8 km to 761 m on the track. It is steep from the start: the first kilometre climbs 204 m (20%). The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 1 km, which climbs 204 m at an average of 20%, with a 500 m stretch from 0.4 km at about 27%. The final 0.8 km eases to the top. About 16% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Wrynose via Wet Side Edge at a glance
| Distance | 6.8 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Climb on the track | 794 m up, 183 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 151 m to 761 m (summit 773 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 27%, from 0.4 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 16% of the way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Low Tilberthwaite National Trust car park |
| Start grid reference | NY 306 010 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 260 003 |
| Parking | Low Tilberthwaite National Trust car park |
Wrynose via Wet Side Edge 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
From OpenStreetMap, within 2 km. Check opening times before you rely on them.
Download the Wrynose via Wet Side Edge 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.
Wrynose via Wet Side Edge 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 | 355 m | +204 m | 20% steep | NY 302 016 |
| 2 km | 208 m | -146 m | -15% | NY 295 023 |
| 3 km | 373 m | +165 m | 17% | NY 286 025 |
| 4 km | 514 m | +140 m | 14% | NY 277 022 |
| 5 km | 661 m | +147 m | 15% | NY 270 016 |
| 6 km | 702 m | +41 m | 4% | NY 266 007 |
| 6.8 km | 761 m | +59 m | 7% | NY 259 003 |
How long Wrynose via Wet Side Edge takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 2h 10m | 3h 20m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 2h 40m | 4h 5m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 3h 15m | 5h 0m |
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.
Grey Friar summit weather for this route
There is no recent summit forecast cached for Grey Friar right now. The main Grey Friar page loads the live forecast when you open it. Open the live Grey Friar forecast.
Before you go, also check: MWIS Lake District forecast · Met Office mountain forecast · Weatherline fell top conditions.
About Grey Friar
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. More about Grey Friar, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Hewitt, Nuttall, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- Great Carrs (785 m), 1.2 km north-east
- Swirl How (802 m), 1.3 km east
- Brim Fell (796 m), 2.1 km south-east
- Black Sails (745 m), 2.3 km east
- Dow Crag (778 m), 2.6 km south
- The Old Man of Coniston (802 m), 2.8 km south-east
Challenges that include Grey Friar
More walks from Low Tilberthwaite 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.
- Wrynose via Wet Side Edge up Great Carrs
- Wrynose via Wet Side Edge up Swirl How
- Tilberthwaite via Wetherlam Edge up Wetherlam
Other routes up Grey Friar
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wrynose Pass via Great Carrs | 3.4 km one way | 464 m | 1h 25m | Moderate |
| Walna Scar via Goat's Water and Goats Hawse | 7.0 km one way | 760 m | 2h 40m | Hard |
In an emergency
Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at NY 306 010, the summit at NY 260 003), 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.
Wrynose via Wet Side Edge: questions and answers
How far is Wrynose via Wet Side Edge?
Wrynose via Wet Side Edge is 6.8 km one way to the summit of Grey Friar. There and back by the same way is about 13.6 km.
How steep is Wrynose via Wet Side Edge?
The steepest 500 m averages about 27%, starting 0.4 km from the start, and 16% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Wrynose via Wet Side Edge climbs 794 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Wrynose via Wet Side Edge?
Wrynose via Wet Side Edge starts from Low Tilberthwaite National Trust car park. The grid reference is NY 306 010. Low Tilberthwaite National Trust car park
Is Wrynose via Wet Side Edge 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 Wrynose Pass via Great Carrs.
Is there a GPX for Wrynose via Wet Side Edge?
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.