Mardale Head via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree up Selside Pike: route map, distance and time
655 m · Cumbria
Selside Pike is a 655 m grassy fell between Haweswater and Swindale in the Far Eastern Fells, above the old corpse road from Mardale.
Climb the stony track to Gatescarth Pass, go over Branstree and follow the grassy ridge north-east to the summit.
Mardale Head via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree starts at about 250 m and gains 510 m over 4.6 km to 647 m on the track. It is steep from the start: the first kilometre climbs 185 m (18%). The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 1 km, which climbs 185 m at an average of 18%, with a 500 m stretch from 0.5 km at about 23%. The final 0.6 km eases 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 Gatescarth Pass and Branstree at a glance
| Distance | 4.6 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 520 m |
| Climb on the track | 510 m up, 113 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 250 m to 708 m (summit 655 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 23%, from 0.5 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 24% of the way |
| Time up | 1h 45m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 2h 40m, down the same way |
| Grade | Moderate |
| Start | Mardale Head car park, Haweswater |
| Start grid reference | NY 469 107 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 490 111 |
| Parking | Mardale Head car park, Haweswater |
Mardale Head via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree 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 Gatescarth Pass and Branstree 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 Gatescarth Pass and Branstree 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 | 435 m | +185 m | 18% | NY 470 099 |
| 2 km | 618 m | +183 m | 18% | NY 475 095 |
| 3 km | 679 m | +61 m | 6% | NY 481 101 |
| 4 km | 643 m | -36 m | -4% | NY 488 106 |
| 4.6 km | 647 m | +4 m | 1% | NY 490 111 |
How long Mardale Head via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 1h 30m | 2h 15m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 1h 45m | 2h 40m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 2h 10m | 3h 20m |
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 14:24 to be down before dark, allowing 2h 40m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:02. Start by 14:22 to be down before dark, allowing 2h 40m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Selside Pike summit weather for this route
There is no recent summit forecast cached for Selside Pike right now. The main Selside Pike page loads the live forecast when you open it. Open the live Selside Pike forecast.
Before you go, also check: MWIS Lake District forecast · Met Office mountain forecast · Weatherline fell top conditions.
About Selside Pike
Selside Pike is a 655 m grassy fell between Haweswater and Swindale in the Far Eastern Fells, above the old corpse road from Mardale. More about Selside Pike, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Hewitt, Nuttall, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- Branstree NE Top (673 m), 0.9 km south
- Howes (583 m), 1.1 km south-east
- Branstree (712 m), 1.7 km south-west
Challenges that include Selside Pike
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 Small Water and Nan Bield Pass up Mardale Ill Bell
- Mardale Head via Kidsty Pike up Rampsgill Head
- 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 Selside Pike
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burnbanks eastern Haweswater walking paths | 6.9 km one way | 460 m | 2h 10m | 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 490 111), 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 Gatescarth Pass and Branstree: questions and answers
How far is Mardale Head via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree?
Mardale Head via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree is 4.6 km one way to the summit of Selside Pike, with 520 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 9.2 km.
How long does Mardale Head via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree take?
About 1h 45m to the summit of Selside Pike and 2h 40m 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 20m for the round trip.
How steep is Mardale Head via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree?
The steepest 500 m averages about 23%, starting 0.5 km from the start, and 24% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Mardale Head via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree climbs 510 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Mardale Head via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree?
Mardale Head via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree starts from Mardale Head car park, Haweswater. The grid reference is NY 469 107. Mardale Head car park, Haweswater
Is Mardale Head via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree 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 Gatescarth Pass and Branstree today?
By 14:24 at the latest. Sunset on Selside Pike today is 18:04, Mardale Head via Gatescarth Pass and Branstree takes about 2h 40m 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 Gatescarth Pass and Branstree?
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.