A moderate route in Eastern Fells. Check the GPS track on Outdooractive for full details of the route, waypoints, and terrain.
Starting Point: Lay-by on the A591, south of Grasmere (NY 337 086)
Terrain: A591 road, Mill Bridge, Coast to Coast path, lower Coast to Coast fork, wild walking section on lower flank of Seat Sandal (pathless), ridge path, steep summit climbs, steep descent through Grisedale Hause, Grisedale Tarn, clear path to Fairfield, ridge path south, descent to Stone Arthur, steep descent on good clear path, Alcock Tarn Walk, road return IMPORTANT — MOUNTAIN SAFETY: Despite its modest distance this is a serious and demanding Lake District mountain walk with nearly 1,000m of ascent. The route includes a wild walking section on the lower flank of Seat Sandal with no clear path and a very steep descent from Fairfield to Grisedale Tarn. Full mountain kit is essential. Check the weather forecast carefully before setting out.
A compact but enormously rewarding mountain walk from the edge of Grasmere, packing nearly 1,000 metres of ascent into under 12 kilometres and delivering four Wainwrights with a remarkable finale. The wild walking section on the lower flank of Seat Sandal is the only genuinely navigationally demanding part of the day and is over quickly, leading to a fine ridge path and a satisfying summit in improving conditions. Fairfield revisited in cloud is still Fairfield — always worth the steep climb from Grisedale Tarn — and Great Rigg heralds the best of what is to come as the views begin to open up south towards Grasmere. But Stone Arthur is the walk's undisputed highlight. At a modest 503 metres it sits below the cloud on days when everything above it is smothered, and the panorama across Grasmere, Rydal Water and down towards Windermere with the great fells ranged around in every direction is as fine as anything this part of the Lake District can offer. It earns its place in any top five without question.