Seat Sandal routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX
737 m ยท Cumbria
Seat Sandal is a rounded fell above Dunmail Raise and Grisedale Tarn, climbed from Grasmere and often added to walks to Fairfield or Helvellyn.
Peakify lists 3 measured routes up Seat Sandal, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.
Seat Sandal 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mill Bridge via Tongue Gill | Mill Bridge, north of Grasmere | 2.9 km one way | 635 m | 1h 40m | 2h 15m | Moderate |
| Dunmail Raise | Dunmail Raise (lay-by) | 2.3 km one way | 512 m | 1h 20m | 1h 45m | Moderate |
| Glenridding via Grisedale valley and Grisedale Hause | Glenridding main car park | 8.3 km one way | 680 m | 2h 50m | 4h 25m | Hard |
Seat Sandal 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 Seat Sandal route
Mill Bridge via Tongue Gill
Climb Tongue Gill to Grisedale Hause, then follow the wall west up the steep slope to the summit. It starts from Mill Bridge, north of Grasmere. 2.9 km one way with 635 m of ascent. About 1h 40m to the summit and 2h 15m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.
Dunmail Raise
Climb the steep north-west slope beside Raise Beck and the wall to the summit. It starts from Dunmail Raise (lay-by). 2.3 km one way with 512 m of ascent. About 1h 20m to the summit and 1h 45m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.
Glenridding via Grisedale valley and Grisedale Hause
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Glenridding main car park. It starts from Glenridding main car park. 8.3 km one way with 680 m of ascent. About 2h 50m to the summit and 4h 25m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.
Seat Sandal route GPX
Download a GPX for each route with a track: Glenridding via Grisedale valley and Grisedale Hause. 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 Seat Sandal today and the Seat Sandal 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.
Planning a day on Seat Sandal 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 Seat Sandal, 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 Seat Sandal
What is the easiest route up Seat Sandal?
From Mill Bridge, climb Tongue Gill to Grisedale Hause and follow the wall west to the summit.
How much time does each Seat Sandal route take?
Mill Bridge via Tongue Gill: about 1h 40m up and 2h 15m there and back. Dunmail Raise: about 1h 20m up and 1h 45m there and back. Glenridding via Grisedale valley and Grisedale Hause: about 2h 50m up and 4h 25m 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 Seat Sandal route?
Yes. Open a route below and download its GPX: an ascent track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths.