Fairfield and St.Sunday Crag (The Cape) Route Information

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Fairfield & St.Sunday Crag (The Cape)

Quick Facts

This is the summed total of all the climbing within a route and is a good indicator of the strenuousness of a route.

Total Ascent

1040 m

An estimate of the time taken based on a derivation of Naismiths rules. Our calculation is based on the horizontal and ascent components of a climb, we do not make a reduction for descent.

Registered users can customise these walking times by specifying their own walking and ascending speeds. They can also add a fixed time period for stoppages.

Route Time

4.5 hrs

The horizontal distance of the route.

Route Distance

13.27 km

The UK is covered by 204 Ordnance Survey Landranger 1:50,000 scale maps. Maps numbered 1 to 86 cover Scotland but for the highest mountains (Munros) only 23 maps are required. The name given roughly describes the area covered by the map.

You can click on the map name to purchase the map for £6.29 including postage which is one of the cheapest prices we have found.

OS Landranger Maps Required

90	Penrith & Keswick, Ambleside

Only £6.29 (£13.49 Laminated) from

A brief summary of this route.

Our summary will always contain one of easy, moderate or hard to indicate the severity of the route.

Notes

Traverse over St.Sunday Crag is simple, with excellent views. Extension to Fairfield involves scrambling over Cofa Pike then steep descent to Grisedale Hause.

Here we provide the nearest town to the start of the route where you will find basic services.

We then give directions from that location to the route start. Your approach route may differ.

Travel Information

Head to: Penrith

From Penrith M6 intersection follow A66 W 1.5km then turn left onto A592. Follow for 17km to Glenridding village on Ullswater. Park here and walk 1km beyond to Grisedale Bridge (no parking in narrow lane) or park beyond in Patterdale.

Route Waypoint Map

The total ascent is 1,040 metres. Allow 4.5 hours to complete this 13.27 km route.

Usually the shortest way to climb the mountain, making best use of tracks and paths to gain altitude. Route navigation requires map reading skills and an ability to navigate with a compass.

The information given here will enable you to annotate your map and plan your route. We do not give anecdotal descriptions on where to find the paths, worn by the feet of previous mountaineers.

Where the access routes are few or the ridge is narrow, paths are generally obvious. On open ground, following paths without using your compass may get you lost in poor visibility.

Route Information

Waypoint Detail

	Start at Grisedale road end. Parking is prohibited, so park nearby in Patterdale or Glenridding.
		NY39021610	Distance	Altitude 151 m

1	Walk up Grisedale road 500m to gate (signposted) at start of track heading S.
		NY38691582	Distance 0.50 km	Altitude 195 m

2	Follow path SSW up steep slope towards corner of wood
		NY38591533	Distance 0.58 km	Altitude 365 m

3	Continue on path SW across slope of Birks to col
		NY37571415	Distance 1.50 km	Altitude 599 m

4	Ascend ridge on path WSW to the summit of St. Sunday Crag (The Cape) (2500ft+)
		NY36901340	Distance 1.10 km	Altitude 841 m

5	Descend ridge SW to Deepdale Hause (descent WSW to Grisedale possible from here)
		NY35961242	Distance 1.37 km	Altitude 686 m

6	Ascend ridge S over Cofa Pike to summit of Fairfield (2500ft+)
		NY35801177	Distance 0.67 km	Altitude 873 m

7	Descend W down steep shoulder to Grisedale Hause
		NY34891168	Distance 0.93 km	Altitude 584 m

8	Descend NE to tarn and cross Grisedale Beck
		NY35211219	Distance 0.60 km	Altitude 583 m

9	Ascend NNW to junction with Grisedale Pass path
		NY35141234	Distance 0.20 km	Altitude 560 m

10	Follow path down NNE to Ruthwaite Lodge
		NY35551356	Distance 1.32 km	Altitude 377 m

11	Continue NE down path (S of beck) and join road at Elmhow
		NY37221506	Distance 2.25 km	Altitude 210 m

12	Follow road to join approach route and return to start.
		NY39021610	Distance 2.25 km	Altitude 151 m

A selection of weather forecasts local to this route.

Weather

Cumbrian Fells
by MWIS (PDF format)

Lake District
by Met Office

Helvellyn
by Metcheck

Images of Fairfield & St.Sunday Crag (The Cape)

Looking across Grisedale to St.Sunday Crag from the NW, showing its craggy face. Taken from High Spying How (before traversing Striding Edge onto Helvellyn).

Image by David S Brown

Looking back towards the summit from Heron Pike

Image by Peter Burgess

Looking up St.Sunday's SW ridge from above Deepdale Hause.

Image by David S Brown

St.Sunday Crag and Grisedale, taken from the path not far below Grisedale Tarn.

Image by David S Brown

Route Area Map

Legend

Munro

Corbett

Graham

English/Welsh Top

Accommodation

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Where to Stay

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Disclaimer. The details provided above are an aid to planning an expedition, but all distances, altitudes and bearings must be considered approximate. You must navigate with the appropriate map, a compass, your navigation skills and common sense, MunroMagic.com accept no responsibility for your interpretation of our route information.

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