Kentmere via Garburn Pass and Yoke up Ill Bell: route map, distance and time
757 m · Cumbria
Ill Bell is the highest point of the ridge between Kentmere and Troutbeck, a rocky summit with tall cairns on the Kentmere Horseshoe.
Follow the stony Garburn Pass track to the ridge, then climb north over Yoke to the summit cairns.
Kentmere via Garburn Pass and Yoke starts at about 174 m and gains 595 m over 5.2 km to 722 m on the track. The first kilometre climbs 78 m. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 2 km, which climbs 180 m at an average of 18%, with a 500 m stretch from 1.7 km at about 31%. It keeps climbing at 10% to the top. About 23% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Kentmere via Garburn Pass and Yoke at a glance
| Distance | 5.2 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 640 m |
| Climb on the track | 595 m up, 45 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 174 m to 727 m (summit 757 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 31%, from 1.7 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 23% of the way |
| Time up | 2h 5m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 3h 10m, down the same way |
| Grade | Moderate |
| Start | Kentmere village hall parking area, LA8 9JL |
| Start grid reference | NY 455 041 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 436 077 |
| Parking | Kentmere village hall parking area; the postcode is approximate |
Kentmere via Garburn Pass and Yoke 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 Kentmere via Garburn Pass and Yoke 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.
Kentmere via Garburn Pass and Yoke 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 | 252 m | +78 m | 8% | NY 449 044 |
| 2 km | 432 m | +180 m | 18% | NY 441 048 |
| 3 km | 547 m | +115 m | 11% | NY 437 056 |
| 4 km | 695 m | +148 m | 15% | NY 437 066 |
| 5 km | 702 m | +7 m | 1% | NY 436 075 |
| 5.2 km | 722 m | +20 m | 10% | NY 436 077 |
How long Kentmere via Garburn Pass and Yoke takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 1h 45m | 2h 35m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 2h 5m | 3h 10m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 2h 35m | 3h 55m |
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 13:54 to be down before dark, allowing 3h 10m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:02. Start by 13:52 to be down before dark, allowing 3h 10m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Ill Bell summit weather for this route
-
Marginal Today Monday 19 October
Overcast, up to 9°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -2°C, summit wind 31 mph gusting 39 mph, 30% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:48, sunset 18:04.
-
Marginal Tomorrow Tuesday 20 October
Dense drizzle, up to 8°C at the summit, feeling as cold as 0°C, summit wind 25 mph gusting 31 mph, 69% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:02.
Best day of the next seven for Kentmere via Garburn Pass and Yoke: Monday 19 October, with summit gusts around 39 mph and a 30% chance of rain.
Hour-by-hour Ill Bell forecast · 14-day forecast · Is it safe to climb Ill Bell?
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 -2°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 39 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 Ill Bell
Ill Bell is the highest point of the ridge between Kentmere and Troutbeck, a rocky summit with tall cairns on the Kentmere Horseshoe. More about Ill Bell, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Hewitt, Nuttall, HuMP, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- Froswick (720 m), 0.8 km north
- Yoke (707 m), 1 km south
- Troutbeck Tongue (364 m), 1.9 km south-west
- Thornthwaite Crag (784 m), 2.3 km north
- Mardale Ill Bell (760 m), 2.6 km north-east
- Harter Fell (779 m), 2.8 km north-east
Challenges that include Ill Bell
More walks from Kentmere village hall parking area
Routes in Peakify's guides that start within 500 m of this one, for another day from the same car park.
- Kentmere horseshoe up Froswick
- Kentmere western horseshoe arm up Froswick
- Kentmere eastern horseshoe arm up Harter Fell
- Kentmere via Shipman Knotts up Kentmere Pike
- Kentmere via the Garburn Pass up Sallows
- Kentmere via Stile End up Shipman Knotts
- Kentmere western horseshoe arm up Thornthwaite Crag
- Kentmere via Garburn Pass up Yoke
In an emergency
Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at NY 455 041, the summit at NY 436 077), 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.
Kentmere via Garburn Pass and Yoke: questions and answers
How far is Kentmere via Garburn Pass and Yoke?
Kentmere via Garburn Pass and Yoke is 5.2 km one way to the summit of Ill Bell, with 640 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 10.4 km.
How long does Kentmere via Garburn Pass and Yoke take?
About 2h 5m to the summit of Ill Bell and 3h 10m 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 3h 55m for the round trip.
How steep is Kentmere via Garburn Pass and Yoke?
The steepest 500 m averages about 31%, starting 1.7 km from the start, and 23% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Kentmere via Garburn Pass and Yoke climbs 595 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Kentmere via Garburn Pass and Yoke?
Kentmere via Garburn Pass and Yoke starts from Kentmere village hall parking area (postcode LA8 9JL). The grid reference is NY 455 041. Kentmere village hall parking area; the postcode is approximate
Is Kentmere via Garburn Pass and Yoke 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 Kentmere via Garburn Pass and Yoke today?
By 13:54 at the latest. Sunset on Ill Bell today is 18:04, Kentmere via Garburn Pass and Yoke takes about 3h 10m there and back, and that leaves an hour for stops. Start earlier in winter or if the forecast turns.
Is there a GPX for Kentmere via Garburn Pass and Yoke?
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.