Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike up High Raise: route map, distance and time
804 m · Cumbria
High Raise is the second highest of the Far Eastern Fells, a stony dome north of High Street above Haweswater and Martindale.
Climb the ridge over Kidsty Howes to Kidsty Pike, then walk north on stony ground to High Raise.
Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike starts at about 249 m and gains 625 m over 5.7 km to 790 m on the track. The first 2 km are the easy part, averaging 2%. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 3 km, which climbs 261 m at an average of 26%, with a 500 m stretch from 2.3 km at about 30%. The final 0.7 km eases to the top. About 25% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike at a glance
| Distance | 5.7 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 640 m |
| Climb on the track | 625 m up, 85 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 249 m to 790 m (summit 804 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 30%, from 2.3 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 25% of the way |
| Time up | 2h 10m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 3h 20m, down the same way |
| Grade | Moderate |
| Start | Mardale Head car park, Haweswater |
| Start grid reference | NY 469 107 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 448 134 |
| Parking | Mardale Head car park, Haweswater |
Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike map
The track from the start (green) to the summit (blue), with a marker at each kilometre.
Height profile and getting to the start
Download the Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike 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.
Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike 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 | 269 m | +20 m | 2% | NY 472 113 |
| 2 km | 281 m | +11 m | 1% | NY 467 119 |
| 3 km | 542 m | +261 m | 26% steep | NY 460 125 |
| 4 km | 713 m | +171 m | 17% | NY 451 126 |
| 5 km | 765 m | +52 m | 5% | NY 444 129 |
| 5.7 km | 790 m | +25 m | 4% | NY 448 134 |
How long Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 1h 50m | 2h 45m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 2h 10m | 3h 20m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 2h 40m | 4h 10m |
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 18:04. Start by 13:44 to be down before dark, allowing 3h 20m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:02. Start by 13:42 to be down before dark, allowing 3h 20m for the walk and an hour for stops.
High Raise summit weather for this route
-
Marginal Today Monday 19 October
Slight rain, up to 8°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -1°C, summit wind 38 mph gusting 47 mph, 28% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:48, sunset 18:04.
-
Marginal Tomorrow Tuesday 20 October
Slight rain, up to 7°C at the summit, feeling as cold as 2°C, summit wind 26 mph gusting 33 mph, 84% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:02.
Best day of the next seven for Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike: Thursday 22 October, with summit gusts around 33 mph and a 49% chance of rain.
Hour-by-hour High Raise forecast · 14-day forecast · Is it safe to climb High Raise?
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 -1°C on top.
- A waterproof jacket. It can rain on the tops in any forecast.
- A windproof layer, and poles for balance in gusts to 47 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 High Raise
High Raise is the second highest of the Far Eastern Fells, a stony dome north of High Street above Haweswater and Martindale. More about High Raise, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Hewitt, Nuttall, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- Rampsgill Head (792 m), 0.8 km south-west
- Kidsty Pike (781 m), 0.9 km south
- The Knott (739 m), 1.4 km south-west
- Rest Dodd (696 m), 1.6 km west
- The Nab (576 m), 2.2 km north-west
- Rough Crag (628 m), 2.3 km south
More walks from Mardale Head car park, Haweswater
Routes in Peakify's guides that start within 500 m of this one, for another day from the same car park.
- Mardale Head via Gatescarth Pass up Branstree
- Mardale Head via Nan Bield Pass up Harter Fell
- Mardale Head via Gatescarth Pass up Harter Fell
- Mardale Head via Rough Crag and Long Stile up High Street
- Mardale via Nan Bield Pass up High Street
- Mardale Head via Kidsty Howes up Kidsty Pike
- Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield Pass up Mardale Ill Bell
- Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike up Rampsgill Head
- Mardale Head via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree up Selside Pike
- Mardale via Nan Bield Pass up Thornthwaite Crag
- Mardale via Rough Crag and Long Stile up Rough Crag
- Mardale via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree up Branstree NE Top
Other routes up High Raise
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartsop via Hayeswater and The Knott | 4.7 km one way | 650 m | 2h 0m | Moderate |
| Burnbanks eastern Haweswater walking paths | 7.5 km one way | 620 m | 2h 30m | Hard |
In an emergency
Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at NY 469 107, the summit at NY 448 134), 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.
Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike: questions and answers
How far is Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike?
Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike is 5.7 km one way to the summit of High Raise, with 640 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 11.4 km.
How long does Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike take?
About 2h 10m to the summit of High Raise and 3h 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 4h 10m for the round trip.
How steep is Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike?
The steepest 500 m averages about 30%, starting 2.3 km from the start, and 25% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike climbs 625 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike?
Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike starts from Mardale Head car park, Haweswater. The grid reference is NY 469 107. Mardale Head car park, Haweswater
Is Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike suitable for beginners?
Yes, for fit walkers on a clear day. Peakify grades it Moderate: a long climb on a made path, but the top is high, exposed and colder than the start. Turn back if the cloud comes down and you can't navigate.
What time should I start Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike today?
By 13:44 at the latest. Sunset on High Raise today is 18:04, Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike takes about 3h 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 Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike?
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.