Hartsop via Hayeswater up Mardale Ill Bell: route map, distance and time
760 m · Cumbria
Mardale Ill Bell is a grassy top between High Street and Harter Fell, climbed from Mardale Head by Small Water and Nan Bield Pass.
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Hartsop village car park.
Hartsop via Hayeswater starts at about 184 m and gains 675 m over 6.7 km to 749 m on the track. The first kilometre climbs 103 m. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 3 km, which climbs 161 m at an average of 16%, with a 500 m stretch from 2.5 km at about 28%. The final 0.7 km eases to the top. About 21% 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 | 6.7 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 710 m |
| Climb on the track | 675 m up, 111 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 185 m to 825 m (summit 760 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 28%, from 2.5 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 21% of the way |
| Time up | 2h 30m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 3h 50m, down the same way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Hartsop village car park, CA11 0NZ |
| Start grid reference | NY 410 129 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 447 101 |
| 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 | 426 m | +139 m | 14% | NY 428 125 |
| 3 km | 587 m | +161 m | 16% | NY 432 129 |
| 4 km | 731 m | +144 m | 14% | NY 438 123 |
| 5 km | 803 m | +72 m | 7% | NY 441 114 |
| 6 km | 769 m | -33 m | -3% | NY 442 104 |
| 6.7 km | 749 m | -21 m | -3% | NY 447 101 |
How long Hartsop via Hayeswater takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 2h 5m | 3h 10m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 2h 30m | 3h 50m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 3h 5m | 4h 45m |
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 07:47, sunset 18:04. Start by 13:14 to be down before dark, allowing 3h 50m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:02. Start by 13:12 to be down before dark, allowing 3h 50m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Mardale Ill Bell summit weather for this route
-
Marginal Today Monday 19 October
Moderate drizzle, up to 8°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -2°C, summit wind 31 mph gusting 38 mph, 33% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:47, 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 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 38 mph and a 33% chance of rain.
Hour-by-hour Mardale Ill Bell forecast · 14-day forecast · Is it safe to climb Mardale 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 38 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 Mardale Ill Bell
Mardale Ill Bell is a grassy top between High Street and Harter Fell, climbed from Mardale Head by Small Water and Nan Bield Pass. More about Mardale Ill Bell, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- High Street (829 m), 1.2 km north-west
- Rough Crag (628 m), 1.3 km north-east
- Harter Fell (779 m), 1.4 km south-east
- Thornthwaite Crag (784 m), 1.6 km west
- Froswick (720 m), 2 km south-west
- Kidsty Pike (781 m), 2.5 km north
Challenges that include Mardale Ill Bell
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 Kidsty Pike
- 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 Mardale Ill Bell
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield Pass | 3.3 km one way | 510 m | 1h 30m | 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 447 101), 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 6.7 km one way to the summit of Mardale Ill Bell, with 710 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 13.4 km.
How long does Hartsop via Hayeswater take?
About 2h 30m to the summit of Mardale Ill Bell and 3h 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 4h 45m for the round trip.
How steep is Hartsop via Hayeswater?
The steepest 500 m averages about 28%, starting 2.5 km from the start, and 21% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Hartsop via Hayeswater climbs 675 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 Small Water and Nan Bield Pass.
What time should I start Hartsop via Hayeswater today?
By 13:14 at the latest. Sunset on Mardale Ill Bell today is 18:04, Hartsop via Hayeswater takes about 3h 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 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.