Hartsop via Hayeswater up Kidsty Pike: route map, distance and time
781 m · Cumbria
Kidsty Pike is the sharp-profiled fell above Haweswater and the highest point on Wainwright's Coast to Coast Walk, climbed from Mardale Head.
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Hartsop village car park.
Hartsop via Hayeswater starts at about 184 m and gains 603 m over 4.3 km to 758 m on the track. The first kilometre climbs 103 m. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 3 km, which climbs 241 m at an average of 24%, with a 500 m stretch from 2.1 km at about 29%. The final 0.3 km eases to the top. About 28% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Hartsop via Hayeswater at a glance
| Distance | 4.3 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 630 m |
| Climb on the track | 603 m up, 30 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 185 m to 787 m (summit 781 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 29%, from 2.1 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 28% of the way |
| Time up | 1h 55m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 2h 45m, down the same way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Hartsop village car park, CA11 0NZ |
| Start grid reference | NY 410 129 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 447 125 |
| Parking | Hartsop village car park |
Hartsop via Hayeswater 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 Hartsop via Hayeswater 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.
Hartsop via Hayeswater 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 | 287 m | +103 m | 10% | NY 419 129 |
| 2 km | 429 m | +142 m | 14% | NY 428 126 |
| 3 km | 671 m | +241 m | 24% steep | NY 436 128 |
| 4 km | 778 m | +107 m | 11% | NY 444 127 |
| 4.3 km | 758 m | -21 m | -6% | NY 447 125 |
How long Hartsop via Hayeswater takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 1h 35m | 2h 15m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 1h 55m | 2h 45m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 2h 20m | 3h 25m |
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 14:19 to be down before dark, allowing 2h 45m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:02. Start by 14:17 to be down before dark, allowing 2h 45m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Kidsty Pike summit weather for this route
-
Marginal Today Monday 19 October
Light drizzle, up to 8°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -2°C, summit wind 28 mph gusting 35 mph, 33% 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 1°C, summit wind 26 mph gusting 32 mph, 75% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:02.
Best day of the next seven for Hartsop via Hayeswater: Monday 19 October, with summit gusts around 35 mph and a 33% chance of rain.
Hour-by-hour Kidsty Pike forecast · 14-day forecast · Is it safe to climb Kidsty Pike?
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 35 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 Kidsty Pike
Kidsty Pike is the sharp-profiled fell above Haweswater and the highest point on Wainwright's Coast to Coast Walk, climbed from Mardale Head. More about Kidsty Pike, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Nuttall, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- Rampsgill Head (792 m), 0.5 km north-west
- High Raise (804 m), 0.9 km north
- The Knott (739 m), 1 km west
- Rough Crag (628 m), 1.5 km south-east
- High Street (829 m), 1.6 km south
- Rest Dodd (696 m), 1.8 km north-west
Challenges that include Kidsty Pike
More walks from Hartsop village car park
Routes in Peakify's guides that start within 500 m of this one, for another day from the same car park.
- Hartsop towards Angle Tarn up Brock Crags
- Hartsop by the north ridge up Gray Crag
- Hartsop north ridge up Hartsop Dodd
- Hartsop via Hayeswater and The Knott up High Raise
- Hartsop via Hayeswater up High Street
- Hartsop via Hayeswater up Mardale Ill Bell
- Hartsop via Hayeswater and The Knott up Rampsgill Head
- Hartsop via Hayeswater up Rest Dodd
- Hartsop via Threshthwaite Mouth up Stony Cove Pike
- Hartsop via Gray Crag and Thornthwaite up Stony Cove Pike
- Hartsop via Hayeswater up The Knott
- Hartsop via Threshthwaite Mouth up Thornthwaite Crag
Other routes up Kidsty Pike
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mardale Head via Kidsty Howes | 4.4 km one way | 580 m | 1h 50m | Moderate |
In an emergency
Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at NY 410 129, the summit at NY 447 125), 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.
Hartsop via Hayeswater: questions and answers
How far is Hartsop via Hayeswater?
Hartsop via Hayeswater is 4.3 km one way to the summit of Kidsty Pike, with 630 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 8.6 km.
How long does Hartsop via Hayeswater take?
About 1h 55m to the summit of Kidsty Pike and 2h 45m 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 25m for the round trip.
How steep is Hartsop via Hayeswater?
The steepest 500 m averages about 29%, starting 2.1 km from the start, and 28% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Hartsop via Hayeswater climbs 603 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Hartsop via Hayeswater?
Hartsop via Hayeswater starts from Hartsop village car park (postcode CA11 0NZ). The grid reference is NY 410 129. Hartsop village car park
Is Hartsop via Hayeswater 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 Mardale Head via Kidsty Howes.
What time should I start Hartsop via Hayeswater today?
By 14:19 at the latest. Sunset on Kidsty Pike today is 18:04, Hartsop via Hayeswater takes about 2h 45m there and back, and that leaves an hour for stops. Start earlier in winter or if the forecast turns.
Is there a GPX for Hartsop via Hayeswater?
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.