Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield Pass 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.
Climb past Small Water to the shelter on Nan Bield Pass, then follow the ridge west to the grassy summit.
Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield Pass starts at about 250 m and gains 496 m over 3.3 km to 749 m on the track. The first kilometre climbs 96 m. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 3 km, which climbs 212 m at an average of 21%. It keeps climbing at 11% to the top. About 24% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield Pass at a glance
| Distance | 3.3 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 510 m |
| Climb on the track | 496 m up, 0 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 250 m to 749 m (summit 760 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 23%, from 2 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 24% of the way |
| Time up | 1h 30m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 2h 10m, down the same way |
| Grade | Moderate |
| Start | Mardale Head car park, Haweswater |
| Start grid reference | NY 469 107 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 447 101 |
| Parking | Mardale Head car park, Haweswater |
Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield 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
Download the Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield 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.
Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield 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 | 346 m | +96 m | 10% | NY 460 103 |
| 2 km | 499 m | +153 m | 15% | NY 453 100 |
| 3 km | 712 m | +212 m | 21% steep | NY 448 098 |
| 3.3 km | 749 m | +37 m | 11% | NY 447 101 |
How long Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield Pass takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 1h 15m | 1h 45m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 1h 30m | 2h 10m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 1h 50m | 2h 40m |
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 14:54 to be down before dark, allowing 2h 10m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:02. Start by 14:52 to be down before dark, allowing 2h 10m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Mardale Ill Bell summit weather for this route
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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.
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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 Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield Pass: 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 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 Kidsty Howes up Kidsty Pike
- 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 Mardale Ill Bell
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartsop via Hayeswater | 6.7 km one way | 710 m | 2h 30m | 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 447 101), 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.
Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield Pass: questions and answers
How far is Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield Pass?
Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield Pass is 3.3 km one way to the summit of Mardale Ill Bell, with 510 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 6.6 km.
How long does Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield Pass take?
About 1h 30m to the summit of Mardale Ill Bell and 2h 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 2h 40m for the round trip.
How steep is Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield Pass?
The steepest 500 m averages about 23%, starting 2 km from the start, and 24% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield Pass climbs 496 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield Pass?
Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield Pass starts from Mardale Head car park, Haweswater. The grid reference is NY 469 107. Mardale Head car park, Haweswater
Is Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield Pass 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 Small Water and Nan Bield Pass today?
By 14:54 at the latest. Sunset on Mardale Ill Bell today is 18:04, Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield Pass takes about 2h 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 Mardale Head via Small Water and Nan Bield 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.