Hallin Fell routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX

Peakify lists 2 measured routes up Hallin Fell, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.

Hallin Fell 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.

Hallin Fell 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 Hallin Fell route

Martindale Hause

A broad grassy path climbs from the road by the church to the summit cairn. It starts from St Peter's Church, Martindale Hause (roadside parking). 0.9 km one way with 167 m of ascent. About 0h 30m to the summit and 0h 40m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Easy.

Howtown lakeshore

You follow the lakeshore path round the foot of the fell, then climb its steeper northern slope. It starts from Howtown pier, Ullswater. 1.6 km one way with 235 m of ascent. About 0h 45m to the summit and 1h 0m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.

Hallin Fell route GPX

This page doesn't offer a GPX download. To get a GPX file for a Hallin Fell route, use the Peakify iPhone app: open Hallin Fell, plan the route in the route planner (or import a GPX you already have), save it, then choose Export GPX on the saved route. GPX export is part of Peakify Pro.

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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 Hallin Fell today and the Hallin Fell 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.

Planning a day on Hallin Fell 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 Hallin Fell, 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 Hallin Fell

What is the easiest route up Hallin Fell?

Start from the road summit by St Peter's Church at Martindale and follow the grassy path up. It is one of the shortest Wainwright climbs.

How much time does each Hallin Fell route take?

Martindale Hause: about 0h 30m up and 0h 40m there and back. Howtown lakeshore: about 0h 45m up and 1h 0m 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 Hallin Fell route?

Not from this page. In the Peakify iPhone app, plan the route in the route planner (or import one), save it, then choose Export GPX on the saved route. GPX export is part of Peakify Pro.