Hartsop via Hayeswater and The Knott up Rampsgill Head: route map, distance and time
792 m · Cumbria
Rampsgill Head is a top on the High Street range at the head of Rampsgill, with steep crags falling into the valley north of the summit.
Walk up to Hayeswater, climb to The Knott and follow the path east to the summit.
Hartsop via Hayeswater and The Knott starts at about 184 m and gains 596 m over 3.9 km to 772 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%. It keeps climbing at 11% to the top. About 32% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Hartsop via Hayeswater and The Knott at a glance
| Distance | 3.9 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 610 m |
| Climb on the track | 596 m up, 6 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 185 m to 781 m (summit 792 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 29%, from 2.1 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 32% of the way |
| Time up | 1h 50m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 2h 35m, down the same way |
| Grade | Moderate |
| Start | Hartsop village car park, CA11 0NZ |
| Start grid reference | NY 410 129 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 443 128 |
| Parking | Hartsop village car park |
Hartsop via Hayeswater and The Knott 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 and The Knott 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 and The Knott 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 |
| 3.9 km | 772 m | +101 m | 11% | NY 443 128 |
How long Hartsop via Hayeswater and The Knott takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 1h 30m | 2h 5m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 1h 50m | 2h 35m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 2h 10m | 3h 10m |
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 14:29 to be down before dark, allowing 2h 35m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:50, sunset 18:02. Start by 14:27 to be down before dark, allowing 2h 35m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Rampsgill Head summit weather for this route
-
Marginal Today Monday 19 October
Slight rain, up to 8°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -2°C, summit wind 37 mph gusting 46 mph, 28% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:48, sunset 18:04.
-
Marginal Tomorrow Tuesday 20 October
Slight rain, up to 7°C at the summit, feeling as cold as 2°C, summit wind 25 mph gusting 31 mph, 84% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:50, sunset 18:02.
Best day of the next seven for Hartsop via Hayeswater and The Knott: Thursday 22 October, with summit gusts around 33 mph and a 49% chance of rain.
Hour-by-hour Rampsgill Head forecast · 14-day forecast · Is it safe to climb Rampsgill Head?
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 46 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 Rampsgill Head
Rampsgill Head is a top on the High Street range at the head of Rampsgill, with steep crags falling into the valley north of the summit. More about Rampsgill Head, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Hewitt, Nuttall, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- Kidsty Pike (781 m), 0.5 km south-east
- The Knott (739 m), 0.6 km west
- High Raise (804 m), 0.8 km north-east
- Rest Dodd (696 m), 1.3 km north-west
- High Street (829 m), 1.8 km south
- Rough Crag (628 m), 2 km south-east
Challenges that include Rampsgill Head
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 up Mardale Ill Bell
- 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 Rampsgill Head
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike | 4.9 km one way | 600 m | 2h 0m | 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 443 128), 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 and The Knott: questions and answers
How far is Hartsop via Hayeswater and The Knott?
Hartsop via Hayeswater and The Knott is 3.9 km one way to the summit of Rampsgill Head, with 610 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 7.8 km.
How long does Hartsop via Hayeswater and The Knott take?
About 1h 50m to the summit of Rampsgill Head and 2h 35m 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 10m for the round trip.
How steep is Hartsop via Hayeswater and The Knott?
The steepest 500 m averages about 29%, starting 2.1 km from the start, and 32% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Hartsop via Hayeswater and The Knott climbs 596 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Hartsop via Hayeswater and The Knott?
Hartsop via Hayeswater and The Knott starts from Hartsop village car park (postcode CA11 0NZ). The grid reference is NY 410 129. Hartsop village car park
Is Hartsop via Hayeswater and The Knott 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 Hartsop via Hayeswater and The Knott today?
By 14:29 at the latest. Sunset on Rampsgill Head today is 18:04, Hartsop via Hayeswater and The Knott takes about 2h 35m 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 and The Knott?
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.