Robinson routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX
738 m ยท Cumbria
Robinson is a broad fell between Buttermere and Newlands, the westernmost top of the Newlands Horseshoe, with a short climb from Newlands Hause.
Peakify lists 3 measured routes up Robinson, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.
Robinson routes, easiest to hardest
Sorted by grade, easiest first: Easy, Moderate, Hard, then Scramble. Routes with the same grade keep the order in which Peakify's editors listed them.
| Route | Start | Distance | Ascent | Time up | There and back | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newlands Hause | Newlands Hause car park | 2.2 km one way | 419 m | 1h 10m | 1h 35m | Moderate |
| Little Town via High Snab Bank | Little Town / Chapel Bridge, Newlands | 4.5 km one way | 558 m | 1h 50m | 2h 45m | Moderate |
| Honister via Dale Head ridge | Honister Pass National Trust car park | 5.6 km one way | 610 m | 2h 10m | 3h 15m | Hard |
Robinson route times by Naismith's rule
The times above use Naismith's rule: 5 km/h on the flat plus 10 minutes for every 100 m of ascent, rounded to the nearest 5 minutes. "There and back" doubles the distance and counts the ascent once, for coming down the same way. Naismith assumes a fit walker and no stops, so add time for breaks, a heavy pack, rough or snowy ground, and a group that moves at its slowest member's pace.
Each Robinson route
Newlands Hause
Climb past Moss Force on to the ridge, then follow it south to the summit plateau. It starts from Newlands Hause car park. 2.2 km one way with 419 m of ascent. About 1h 10m to the summit and 1h 35m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.
Little Town via High Snab Bank
Climb High Snab Bank and the ridge of Robinson Crags, with a few short rock steps, to the summit. It starts from Little Town / Chapel Bridge, Newlands. 4.5 km one way with 558 m of ascent. About 1h 50m to the summit and 2h 45m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.
Honister via Dale Head ridge
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Honister Pass National Trust car park. It starts from Honister Pass National Trust car park. 5.6 km one way with 610 m of ascent. About 2h 10m to the summit and 3h 15m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.
Robinson route GPX
Download a GPX for each route with a track: Honister via Dale Head ridge. Each is an ascent-only planning track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths and not checked on the ground.
Before you pick a route
The grade describes the ground in fair weather. Wind, rain, cloud and ice change it: a Moderate path can be hard to follow in mist, and a scramble in strong gusts is a different proposition from the same rock on a calm day. Check whether it is safe to climb Robinson today and the Robinson 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.
Planning a day on Robinson routes
The walking times above use Naismith's rule, which assumes a fit walker on good paths with short stops. Most groups take longer: add a quarter for a mixed group, more for children or heavy packs, and plan the descent as carefully as the climb, because tired legs and fading light cause more trouble on the way down than on the way up.
Start early. Car parks at popular starts fill by mid-morning in summer and at weekends, and an early start leaves spare daylight if the weather turns or the walk takes longer than planned. In winter, work back from sunset and leave a margin of at least an hour.
Carry a map and compass and know how to use them, even on a well-trodden path; a phone battery fails fastest in cold, wet weather. Pack a waterproof jacket and trousers, a warm layer, a hat and gloves in every season, plus food, water and a head torch. Tell someone your route and when you expect to be back.
If you are new to Robinson, choose the easiest route in the table for a first ascent and save the harder lines for a settled day when you know the mountain. Turning back is always an option; the summit will still be there.
Questions about Robinson
What is the easiest route up Robinson?
From Newlands Hause, climb the path past Moss Force on to the ridge and follow it to the summit.
How much time does each Robinson route take?
Newlands Hause: about 1h 10m up and 1h 35m there and back. Little Town via High Snab Bank: about 1h 50m up and 2h 45m there and back. Honister via Dale Head ridge: about 2h 10m up and 3h 15m there and back. Times are by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops.
Can I get a GPX file for a Robinson route?
Yes. Open a route below and download its GPX: an ascent track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths.