Home » Routes » Europe » England » Lake District National Park » Lake District's Southern Fells » Walk up Glaramara and Allen Crags from Seatoller

Walk up Glaramara and Allen Crags from Seatoller

By Ian Tupman   

on March 3, 2019    5/5 (1)

Posted as a walk in – England, Europe, Lake District National Park, Lake District's Southern Fells

Walk up Glaramara and Allen Crags from Seatoller

Route Essentials

Route Summary

A circular route from Seatoller including two ‘Wainwrights’ with expansive views in all directions.

See the end of the article for local information about parking, public transport facilities, pubs and cafes.

Distance

14.41 km

Ascent

878 m

Time

4.5 to 5 hours

Calculate the time using Naismith’s Rule and factor in your own pace.

Start Location

National Trust pay and display car park at Seatoller

Difficulty

Hard Walk

Hazards

Some boggy ground. Good navigation skills needed in mist or low cloud.

Weather Forecast:

Met Office Mountain Weather

Check out our Best Mountain Weather Forecast?
Remember that we cannot outline every single hazard on a walk – it’s up to you to be safe and competent. Read up on Mountain Safety , Navigation and what equipment you’ll need. 

Walk up Glaramara and Allen Crags from Seatoller Ordnance Survey Map and GPX File Download

View the full route map

Download file for GPS

Walk up Glaramara and Allen Crags from Seatoller

Glaramara is often overlooked in favour of some of the more popular fells. Once described by film maker Terry Abraham as “Haystacks on steroids”, Glaramara has a wonderful character with its two tops and numerous rocky outcrops. This circular route can be done in either direction and includes a second ‘Wainwright’, Allen Crags.

Walk up Glaramara and Allen Crags from Seatoller

1 From the National Trust car park at Seatoller, walk back along the B5289 towards Rosthwaite. Immediately after crossing the bridge over the River Derwent turn right onto the track leading to Thornythwaite farm. Pass through the first gate on the left and walk up the left hand side of the field. The path swings right and climbs gradually to a gate. Pass through the gate and continue to climb steadily. The head of the valley comes into view with its remnants of glacial activity and the deep gash of Combe Door below Combe Head.

Combe Head and Combe Door

2 Continue to climb and scramble over some easy rock steps onto Thornythwaite Fell. Looking back, the head of the Borrowdale valley and Derwentwater dominate the view.

Borrowdale with Derwentwater and Skiddaw beyond

3 Keep to the eastern flank of Thornythwaite Fell and the gradient eases as you approach a wet and boggy plateau. The route becomes less well-defined since there are numerous ways of negotiating the wet ground but from Thornythwaite Fell maintain a south south-east heading. The northern flank of Glaramara is directly ahead.

Glaramara summit with options to the left and right

4 There are two alternatives to reach the summit. To the left of the summit is a rocky gully which provides some entertaining grade one scrambling but is probably best avoided if the rock is wet. The second option is to bear round to the right and locate a faint path rising to the left of a small gully. As the gully tops out, bear left and scramble up the easy rock steps to reach the summit cairn and shelter at 783m.

On a clear day there are excellent views of the Langdale Pikes to the east and north along the ridge to Allen Crags, our next objective.

The Langdale Pikes from Glaramara

5 From the summit, drop back down the south side and locate the path heading south. After a short descent, the path rises again onto the lower top of Glaramara and then descends more steeply to a shallow saddle. Climb easily over Pinnacle Bield at 721m and then over wet ground to pass to the west of High House Tarn.

Allen Crags (centre) with Bowfell and Esk Pike to the left, Great End to the right

6 There is now an obvious path to follow to the summit of Allen Crags (785m)

From the summit head south south-west and follow the wide, stony path as it descends in the direction of Esk Hause. Before reaching the large stone shelter, take the path on the right to cut the corner and join the good path coming in from the left. Continue to descend on this path which runs parallel to and below the impressive north face of Great End. Straight ahead are Great Gable and Green Gable separated by Aaron Slack.

Great Gable and Green Gable

7 Turn right off the main path and drop down and cross the beck. The path rises up onto the east side of Ruddy Ghyll, an impressive ravine which will be our ‘handrail’ for the descent into Grains Ghyll. Care is needed in places as the path passes close to the edge of the ghyll and there are some rocky steps which can be greasy when wet.

Take your time and enjoy the views back to Great End and the numerous waterfalls and pools.

Looking back to the north face of Great End

8 The path eventually crosses a new footbridge and we are now on the west bank of Grains Ghyll. Continue down to the gate in the wall on the right and cross the impressive Stockley Bridge. The pools below the bridge are an ideal spot to cool off on a hot day!

Stockley Bridge

9 The path is now much wider and is pitched in places as it runs along the valley bottom to reach the wettest place in England, Seathwaite. Walk between the farm buildings and cottages to pick up the end of the road which we now follow back down the valley to Seatoller and our starting point.

Local Information and Recommended Maps and Guidebooks

Route Summary:

A circular route from Seatoller including two ‘Wainwrights’ with expansive views in all directions.

This walk includes the 2 Wainwrights of Allen Crags, Glaramara

This walk includes the 3 Hewitts of Allen Crags, Glaramara, Red Beck Top (Glaramara South Top) (Lincomb Head – Glaramara)

This walk includes the 4 Nuttalls of Allen Crags, Glaramara, Looking Steads (Glaramara), Red Beck Top (Glaramara South Top) (Lincomb Head – Glaramara)

Route Start Location: National Trust pay and display car park at Seatoller

Distance
 Ascent
 Time
14.41 km 878 m 4.5 to 5 hours

Calculate the time using Naismith’s Rule and factor in your own pace.

Activivity Type: Hard Walk

Summits and Places on this Route

Facilities

There are toilets at the car park. Tea room and pub at Rosthwaite.

Hazards

Some boggy ground. Good navigation skills needed in mist or low cloud.

Remember that we cannot outline every single hazard on a walk – it’s up to you to be safe and competent. Read up on Mountain Safety , Navigation and what equipment you’ll need.

Parking :

National Trust pay and display car park at Seatoller (free to NT members)

Public Transport:

The number 78 bus from Keswick to Seatoller runs an hourly service from Keswick to Seatoller (half hourly at weekends) while the 77/77A ‘Honister Rambler’ also calls at Seatoller every hour from Easter to October.

Traveline for UK Public Transport

Weather Forecast:

Met Office Mountain Weather

Check out our Best Mountain Weather Forecast?

Recommended Maps: 

Guidebooks:

Please rate this

Ian Tupman

Ian lives In Ardrossan and being only a fifty five minutes ferry crossing to Brodick, the Isle of Arran is his ‘back yard’. He knows the mountains of the north of the island well and has walked every permutation of routes over the various summits. He is now spending more time further north exploring the Cairngorms, the far north-west and the mountains of the west of Scotland.

More Posts by Ian Tupman

Leave a Reply