Fairfield Route Information

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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

1010 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

5.5 hrs

The horizontal distance of the route.

Route Distance

17.05 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

Longer route (the ‘Fairfield Horseshoe’) from Ambleside, on gently-graded ridges none-the-less requires stamina. Summit near crags to north.

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: Ambleside

From Ambleside drive to the N end of the town and park near junction of A591 with the Kirkstone road.

Route Waypoint Map

The total ascent is 1,010 metres. Allow 5.5 hours to complete this 17.05 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

	This walk starts from Ambleside town.
		NY37600470	Distance	Altitude 59 m

1	Walk NW on A591 crossing beck at Scandale Bridge to the start of an old road (bridleway).
		NY37160517	Distance 0.69 km	Altitude 54 m

2	Head N on bridleway towards Rydal
		NY37210564	Distance 0.48 km	Altitude 96 m

3	Continue NW on bridleway
		NY36750633	Distance 0.85 km	Altitude 77 m

4	Continue W into Rydal to the T-junction.
		NY36480633	Distance 0.33 km	Altitude 93 m

5	Bear NNW and walk to end of houses.
		NY36420649	Distance 0.20 km	Altitude 96 m

6	Ascend path NW to gain ridge above Nab Scar
		NY35620704	Distance 1.03 km	Altitude 364 m

7	Ascend NNW on path along ridge
		NY35450764	Distance 0.63 km	Altitude 457 m

8	Follow ridge NNE over Heron Pike to Rydal Fell
		NY35690873	Distance 1.14 km	Altitude 590 m

9	Continue NNW on ridge towards Great Rigg
		NY35581041	Distance 1.45 km	Altitude 674 m

10	Follow ridge NNE towards Fairfield
		NY35911159	Distance 1.58 km	Altitude 823 m

11	Bear NW to the summit of Fairfield (2500ft+)
		NY35801177	Distance 0.21 km	Altitude 873 m

12	Return SE to the junction of paths
		NY35911159	Distance 0.21 km	Altitude 823 m

13	Head E to the East end of broad summit ridge
		NY36501156	Distance 0.62 km	Altitude 760 m

14	Descend SE to Link Hause col then ascend to Hart Crag (822m).
		NY36821127	Distance 0.46 km	Altitude 822 m

15	Descend SSE to col
		NY37071077	Distance 0.56 km	Altitude 720 m

16	Follow crumbling wall SE to Dove Crag.
		NY37411045	Distance 0.48 km	Altitude 792 m

17	Continue descent S beside wall over High Pike (656m) to Low Pike (508m).
		NY37360783	Distance 2.68 km	Altitude 438 m

18	Continue SSE to junction of paths
		NY37660660	Distance 1.25 km	Altitude 260 m

19	Follow track and wall SSW to Scandale Beck, crossing at Low Sweden Bridge
		NY37490551	Distance 1.28 km	Altitude 114 m

20	Continue S on road to return to Ambleside
		NY37600470	Distance 0.92 km	Altitude 705 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

Fairfield, from Cofa Pike. 21st November 2008.

© David S Brown

Image by David S Brown

Grisedale Tarn and Hause (the near col), from the descent path on Fairfield.

© David S Brown

Image by David S Brown

Looking back towards the summit from Heron Pike

© Peter Burgess

Image by Peter Burgess

Fairfield from the Southeast, taken from The Knott (High Sreet).

© David S Brown

Image by David S Brown

Route Area Map

Legend

Munro

Corbett

Graham

English/Welsh Top

Accommodation

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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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