Mardale Head via Kidsty Howes 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.
Walk along the western shore of Haweswater, then climb the ridge of Kidsty Howes to the pointed summit.
Mardale Head via Kidsty Howes starts at about 249 m and gains 553 m over 4.4 km to 758 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%. It keeps climbing at 11% to the top. About 33% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Mardale Head via Kidsty Howes at a glance
| Distance | 4.4 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 580 m |
| Climb on the track | 553 m up, 48 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 249 m to 760 m (summit 781 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 30%, from 2.3 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 33% of the way |
| Time up | 1h 50m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 2h 45m, down the same way |
| Grade | Moderate |
| Start | Mardale Head car park, Haweswater |
| Start grid reference | NY 469 107 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 447 125 |
| Parking | Mardale Head car park, Haweswater |
Mardale Head via Kidsty Howes 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 Howes 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 Howes 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 |
| 4.4 km | 758 m | +44 m | 11% | NY 447 125 |
How long Mardale Head via Kidsty Howes takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 1h 30m | 2h 15m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 1h 50m | 2h 45m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 2h 15m | 3h 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 18:04. 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 Mardale Head via Kidsty Howes: 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 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 Kidsty Pike up High Raise
- Mardale Head via Rough Crag and Long Stile up High Street
- Mardale via Nan Bield Pass up High Street
- 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 Kidsty Pike
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartsop via Hayeswater | 4.3 km one way | 630 m | 1h 55m | 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 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.
Mardale Head via Kidsty Howes: questions and answers
How far is Mardale Head via Kidsty Howes?
Mardale Head via Kidsty Howes is 4.4 km one way to the summit of Kidsty Pike, with 580 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 8.8 km.
How long does Mardale Head via Kidsty Howes take?
About 1h 50m 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 20m for the round trip.
How steep is Mardale Head via Kidsty Howes?
The steepest 500 m averages about 30%, starting 2.3 km from the start, and 33% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Mardale Head via Kidsty Howes climbs 553 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Mardale Head via Kidsty Howes?
Mardale Head via Kidsty Howes starts from Mardale Head car park, Haweswater. The grid reference is NY 469 107. Mardale Head car park, Haweswater
Is Mardale Head via Kidsty Howes 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 Howes today?
By 14:19 at the latest. Sunset on Kidsty Pike today is 18:04, Mardale Head via Kidsty Howes 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 Mardale Head via Kidsty Howes?
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.