Glenridding via White Side and Keppel Cove walking paths up Helvellyn Lower Man: route map, distance and time
925 m · Lake District
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Glenridding main car park.
Glenridding via White Side and Keppel Cove walking paths starts at about 156 m and gains 824 m over 7.3 km to 918 m on the track. The first 2 km are the easy part, averaging 6%. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 7.3 km, which climbs 76 m at an average of 28%. That last pull ends at the summit. About 17% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Glenridding via White Side and Keppel Cove walking paths at a glance
| Distance | 7.3 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 840 m |
| Climb on the track | 824 m up, 66 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 156 m to 918 m (summit 925 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 23%, from 2.9 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 17% of the way |
| Time up | 2h 50m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 4h 20m, down the same way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Glenridding main car park, CA11 0PD |
| Start grid reference | NY 386 169 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 337 155 |
| Parking | Glenridding main car park; the postcode is approximate |
Glenridding via White Side and Keppel Cove walking paths 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
- Travellers Rest0.3 km
- Patterdale Hotel1.4 km
- White Lion Inn1.5 km
- Fairlight Cafe & Restaurant0.0 km
- Fellbites0.0 km
- Helvellyn Country Kitchen0.1 km
- Public toilets0.0 km
- Public toilets0.2 km
- Public toilets0.6 km
- Gillside Camping0.5 km
- Side Farm Campsite1.0 km
- Patterdale Youth Hostel camp site1.9 km
From OpenStreetMap, within 2 km. Check opening times before you rely on them.
Download the Glenridding via White Side and Keppel Cove walking paths 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.
Glenridding via White Side and Keppel Cove walking paths 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 | 227 m | +71 m | 7% | NY 377 171 |
| 2 km | 280 m | +53 m | 5% | NY 367 173 |
| 3 km | 442 m | +162 m | 16% | NY 361 175 |
| 4 km | 651 m | +210 m | 21% steep | NY 354 176 |
| 5 km | 727 m | +75 m | 8% | NY 347 170 |
| 6 km | 843 m | +116 m | 12% | NY 338 167 |
| 7 km | 842 m | +0 m | 0% | NY 337 157 |
| 7.3 km | 918 m | +76 m | 28% steep | NY 337 155 |
How long Glenridding via White Side and Keppel Cove walking paths takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 2h 20m | 3h 35m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 2h 50m | 4h 20m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 3h 30m | 5h 20m |
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 07:48, sunset 18:05. Start by 12:45 to be down before dark, allowing 4h 20m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:50, sunset 18:03. Start by 12:43 to be down before dark, allowing 4h 20m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Helvellyn Lower Man summit weather for this route
-
Marginal Today Monday 19 October
Light drizzle, up to 7°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -3°C, summit wind 35 mph gusting 44 mph, 57% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:48, sunset 18:05.
-
Marginal Tomorrow Tuesday 20 October
Slight rain, up to 6°C at the summit, feeling as cold as 1°C, summit wind 26 mph gusting 32 mph, 97% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:50, sunset 18:03.
Best day of the next seven for Glenridding via White Side and Keppel Cove walking paths: Thursday 22 October, with summit gusts around 39 mph and a 66% chance of rain.
Cloud inversion tomorrow morning: 11% (Low), best around 06:00.
Hour-by-hour Helvellyn Lower Man forecast
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 -3°C on top.
- Waterproof jacket and overtrousers: 57% chance of rain.
- A windproof layer, and poles for balance in gusts to 44 mph.
- 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 Helvellyn Lower Man
More about Helvellyn Lower Man, with the live forecast.
Challenges that include Helvellyn Lower Man
More walks from Glenridding main car park
Routes in Peakify's guides that start within 500 m of this one, for another day from the same car park.
- Glenridding via Mires Beck up Birkhouse Moor
- Patterdale walking approach via Birks up Birks
- Glenridding eastern fell walking paths up Catstye Cam
- Glenridding via Sticks Pass up Clough Head
- Glenridding via Grisedale valley and Grisedale Hause up Dollywaggon Pike
- Glenridding via Grisedale valley and Grisedale Hause up Fairfield
- Glenridding via the Sheffield Pike col up Glenridding Dodd
- Glenridding via Sticks Pass up Great Dodd
- Glenridding via Sticks Pass up Hart Side
- Glenridding via White Side and Keppel Cove walking paths up Helvellyn
- Glenridding via Grisedale valley and Grisedale Hause up Helvellyn
- Glenridding via Sticks Pass up Raise
Other routes up Helvellyn Lower Man
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swirls via the Helvellyn summit ridge | 3.2 km one way | 710 m | 1h 50m | Hard |
In an emergency
Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at NY 386 169, the summit at NY 337 155), 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.
Glenridding via White Side and Keppel Cove walking paths: questions and answers
How far is Glenridding via White Side and Keppel Cove walking paths?
Glenridding via White Side and Keppel Cove walking paths is 7.3 km one way to the summit of Helvellyn Lower Man, with 840 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 14.6 km.
How long does Glenridding via White Side and Keppel Cove walking paths take?
About 2h 50m to the summit of Helvellyn Lower Man and 4h 20m 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 20m for the round trip.
How steep is Glenridding via White Side and Keppel Cove walking paths?
The steepest 500 m averages about 23%, starting 2.9 km from the start, and 17% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Glenridding via White Side and Keppel Cove walking paths climbs 824 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Glenridding via White Side and Keppel Cove walking paths?
Glenridding via White Side and Keppel Cove walking paths starts from Glenridding main car park (postcode CA11 0PD). The grid reference is NY 386 169. Glenridding main car park; the postcode is approximate
Is Glenridding via White Side and Keppel Cove walking paths 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.
What time should I start Glenridding via White Side and Keppel Cove walking paths today?
By 12:45 at the latest. Sunset on Helvellyn Lower Man today is 18:05, Glenridding via White Side and Keppel Cove walking paths takes about 4h 20m there and back, and that leaves an hour for stops. Start earlier in winter or if the forecast turns.
Is there a GPX for Glenridding via White Side and Keppel Cove walking paths?
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.