Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass up Little Hart Crag: route map, distance and time
637 m · Cumbria
Little Hart Crag is a 637 m knobbly fell at the head of Scandale, linking Patterdale and Ambleside, with twin rocky tops over Dovedale.
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Cow Bridge car park, Brothers Water.
Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass starts at about 167 m and gains 471 m over 5.1 km to 610 m on the track. The first 3 km are the easy part, averaging 2%. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 4 km, which climbs 186 m at an average of 19%. The final 0.1 km eases to the top. About 12% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass at a glance
| Distance | 5.1 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 500 m |
| Climb on the track | 471 m up, 30 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 164 m to 610 m (summit 637 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 20%, from 3.4 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 12% of the way |
| Time up | 1h 50m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 2h 50m, down the same way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Cow Bridge car park, Brothers Water, CA11 0NS |
| Start grid reference | NY 402 133 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 387 100 |
| Parking | Cow Bridge car park, Brothers Water |
Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass 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 Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass 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.
Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass 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 | 171 m | +4 m | 0% | NY 399 124 |
| 2 km | 170 m | -1 m | 0% | NY 398 115 |
| 3 km | 242 m | +71 m | 7% | NY 397 105 |
| 4 km | 428 m | +186 m | 19% | NY 391 098 |
| 5 km | 602 m | +175 m | 17% | NY 386 099 |
| 5.1 km | 610 m | +8 m | 5% | NY 387 100 |
How long Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 1h 30m | 2h 20m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 1h 50m | 2h 50m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 2h 15m | 3h 35m |
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 14:15 to be down before dark, allowing 2h 50m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:50, sunset 18:02. Start by 14:12 to be down before dark, allowing 2h 50m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Little Hart Crag summit weather for this route
There is no recent summit forecast cached for Little Hart Crag right now. The main Little Hart Crag page loads the live forecast when you open it. Open the live Little Hart Crag forecast.
Before you go, also check: MWIS Lake District forecast · Met Office mountain forecast · Weatherline fell top conditions.
About Little Hart Crag
Little Hart Crag is a 637 m knobbly fell at the head of Scandale, linking Patterdale and Ambleside, with twin rocky tops over Dovedale. More about Little Hart Crag, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Hewitt, Nuttall, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- High Hartsop Dodd (519 m), 1 km north-east
- Middle Dodd (654 m), 1.1 km south-east
- Dove Crag (792 m), 1.3 km west
- Red Screes (779 m), 1.6 km south-east
- High Pike (657 m), 1.8 km south-west
- Hartsop Above How (586 m), 2 km north
Challenges that include Little Hart Crag
More walks from Cow Bridge car park, Brothers Water
Routes in Peakify's guides that start within 500 m of this one, for another day from the same car park.
- Cow Bridge via Dovedale up Dove Crag
- Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass up Dove Crag
- Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass up Fairfield
- Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass up Hart Crag
- Cow Bridge via Hartsop Hall up High Hartsop Dodd
- Brothers Water by the north ridge up Middle Dodd
- Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass up Middle Dodd
- Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass up Red Screes
Other routes up Little Hart Crag
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brothers Water via High Hartsop Dodd | 4.0 km one way | 478 m | 1h 35m | Moderate |
| Ambleside via Scandale Pass | 6.4 km one way | 589 m | 2h 15m | Moderate |
In an emergency
Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at NY 402 133, the summit at NY 387 100), 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.
Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass: questions and answers
How far is Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass?
Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass is 5.1 km one way to the summit of Little Hart Crag, with 500 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 10.2 km.
How long does Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass take?
About 1h 50m to the summit of Little Hart Crag and 2h 50m 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 35m for the round trip.
How steep is Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass?
The steepest 500 m averages about 20%, starting 3.4 km from the start, and 12% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass climbs 471 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass?
Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass starts from Cow Bridge car park, Brothers Water (postcode CA11 0NS). The grid reference is NY 402 133. Cow Bridge car park, Brothers Water
Is Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass 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 Brothers Water via High Hartsop Dodd.
What time should I start Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass today?
By 14:15 at the latest. Sunset on Little Hart Crag today is 18:05, Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass takes about 2h 50m there and back, and that leaves an hour for stops. Start earlier in winter or if the forecast turns.
Is there a GPX for Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass?
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.