Thornthwaite Crag routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX
784 m · Cumbria
Thornthwaite Crag is the fell with the tall stone beacon at the meeting of ridges in the Far Eastern Fells, between High Street and the Kentmere valley.
Peakify lists 5 measured routes up Thornthwaite Crag, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.
Thornthwaite Crag 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartsop via Hayeswater | Hartsop village car park | 7.1 km one way | 722 m | 2h 35m | 4h 5m | Moderate |
| Hartsop via Threshthwaite Mouth | Hartsop village car park | 4.4 km one way | 619 m | 1h 55m | 2h 50m | Hard |
| Hartsop via Gray Crag and Thornthwaite | Hartsop village car park | 4.5 km one way | 610 m | 1h 55m | 2h 50m | Hard |
| Mardale via Nan Bield Pass | Mardale Head car park, Haweswater | 5.1 km one way | 550 m | 1h 55m | 2h 55m | Hard |
| Kentmere western horseshoe arm | Kentmere village hall parking area | 7.8 km one way | — | — | — | Hard |
Thornthwaite Crag 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 Thornthwaite Crag route
Hartsop via Hayeswater
Walk up to Hayeswater, climb to the ridge and follow it south to the beacon. It starts from Hartsop village car park. 7.1 km one way with 722 m of ascent. About 2h 35m to the summit and 4h 5m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.
Hartsop via Threshthwaite Mouth
Walk up Pasture Beck to Threshthwaite Mouth, then climb the steep, loose slope to the summit beacon. It starts from Hartsop village car park. 4.4 km one way with 619 m of ascent. About 1h 55m to the summit and 2h 50m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.
Hartsop via Gray Crag and Thornthwaite
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Hartsop village car park. It starts from Hartsop village car park. 4.5 km one way with 610 m of ascent. About 1h 55m to the summit and 2h 50m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.
Mardale via Nan Bield Pass
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Mardale Head car park, Haweswater. It starts from Mardale Head car park, Haweswater. 5.1 km one way with 550 m of ascent. About 1h 55m to the summit and 2h 55m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.
Kentmere western horseshoe arm
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Kentmere village hall parking area. It starts from Kentmere village hall parking area. 7.8 km one way. Grade: Hard.
Thornthwaite Crag route GPX
Download a GPX for each route with a track: Hartsop via Gray Crag and Thornthwaite, Mardale via Nan Bield Pass, Kentmere western horseshoe arm. 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 Thornthwaite Crag today and the Thornthwaite Crag 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.
Planning a day on Thornthwaite Crag 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 Thornthwaite Crag, 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 Thornthwaite Crag
What is the easiest route up Thornthwaite Crag?
From Hartsop, walk up to Hayeswater and climb to the ridge, then follow it south to the beacon.
How much time does each Thornthwaite Crag route take?
Hartsop via Hayeswater: about 2h 35m up and 4h 5m there and back. Hartsop via Threshthwaite Mouth: about 1h 55m up and 2h 50m there and back. Hartsop via Gray Crag and Thornthwaite: about 1h 55m up and 2h 50m there and back. Mardale via Nan Bield Pass: about 1h 55m up and 2h 55m 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 Thornthwaite Crag route?
Yes. Open a route below and download its GPX: an ascent track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths.