Mountain (Hewitt), Wainwright & Nuttall Icon

Great Rigg
766m (2514ft)

The Eastern Fells, The Lake District, Cumbria, England


Record Great Rigg as Bagged, Climbed & Conquered


English Mountain Icon

English Mountain
62nd highest in England,
107th in England & Wales

Wainwright Icon

Wainwright
(No. 54)

English Nuttall Icon

English Nuttall
76th highest in England,
131st in England & Wales

Walk Great Rigg walking UK Mountains in The Eastern Fells The Lake District National Park Cumbria, England

The view from the summit of Great Rigg

Photo: Jamie Caryl

You can find Great Rigg & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps: (click/TAP to select)

The Lake District National Park


1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Maps (the ones with orange/yellow covers):

OL5 The English Lakes - North Eastern area


OL7 The English Lakes - South Eastern area


1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map (the ones with pink/magenta covers):

90 Penrith & Keswick, Ambleside


See Great Rigg and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:

See Great Rigg and the surrounding tops on our downloadable PDF Peak Bagging Maps:

NB: Whether you print off a copy on to paper or download it to your phone, these PDF Peak Baggers Maps will prove incredibly useful when your are up there on the tops and you cannot get a phone signal!


You can walk to the top of Great Rigg by using any of these 6 easy‑to‑follow route maps:
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Walk c216 Stone Arthur, Great Rigg and Heron Pike from Grasmere

Fabulous views of Grasmere - the descent off Heron Pike is down steep grass

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Vital Statistics:

Length: 7ml (11km)
Ascent:2,661ft (811m)
Time:5.25hrs
Grade:Walk Grade 6 Icon (Moderate)
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Walk c266 Seat Sandal and Fairfield from Grasmere

Fabulous views - classic Lakeland

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Vital Statistics:

Length: 7.5ml (12km)
Ascent:3,116ft (950m)
Time:6 hrs
Grade:Walk Grade 6 Icon (Moderate)
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Walk c358 Seat Sandal, Fairfield and Heron Pike from Grasmere

Fabulous views - classic Lakeland

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Vital Statistics:

Length: 9.5ml (15km)
Ascent:3,682ft (1,122m)
Time:7.25hrs
Grade:Walk Grade 7 Icon (Hard)
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Walk c247 The Fairfield Horseshoe from Ambleside

A classic lakeland horseshoe walk

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Vital Statistics:

Length: 11ml (17.5km)
Ascent:3,633ft (1,107m)
Time:7.75hrs
Grade:Walk Grade 7 Icon (Hard)
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Walk c389 Great Rigg, Fairfield and Hart Crag from Ambleside

A variation on a classic route

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Vital Statistics:

Length: 12.25ml (19.5km)
Ascent:3,984ft (1,214m)
Time:8½ hrs
Grade:Walk Grade 8 Icon (Hard)
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Walk c230 The Scandale Beck Horizon from Ambleside

Fabulous high level route

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Vital Statistics:

Length: 12.5ml (20km)
Ascent:3,411ft (1,040m)
Time:8 hrs
Grade:Walk Grade 8 Icon (Hard)

Other walkers who hiked, climbed, bagged and summited Great Rigg Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged Great Rigg

Melfyn Parry walked up Great Rigg on November 21st, 2023 [from/via/route] Followed route C247 - walked out of Ambleside on the A591 & just after Scandale Bridge we crossed the road to follow the lane into the Rydal Hall estate, went passed the cafe & the Hall & then turned right to pass Rydal Mount. Here we veered left to take the stone steps path to the top of Nab Scar, again following a well defined path we were soon on Heron Pike. Continuing along the path with a slight detour to ascend Heron Pike north top. Continuing on to Great Rigg & onwards to Fairfield. We stopped here for lunch & the clouds lifted to give great views over towards Helvellyn & Sunday Crag. After pausing to take some photos we retraced our steps for a few metres before heading left to follow the ridge line to ascend Hart Crag, then Dove Crag & then High Pike. The undulating ridge takes you through some quite boggy areas & on to Low Pike & then down to High Sweden Bridge (a fascinating old bridge). All that was left to do from here was to follow the trail downwards in to Ambleside returning to the village by the Salutation Hotel. [with] DS [weather] Visibility was very good below 800m. By lunchtime the cloud had lifted even more to give clear views of the whole horseshoe. A dry day with sunny intervals, quite cold above 600m but very pleasant below this level. - Doing the walk in a clockwise direction as per C247 is best as the ascent anticlockwise would be much more of a cardio vascular workout.

David Higginbottom climbed Great Rigg on February 8th, 2023 [from/via/route] Route 247 [with] Carolyn [weather] Very poor

James Hughes bagged Great Rigg on June 26th, 2023 [from/via/route] Nab Scar, Heron Pike, Great Rigg, Fairfield, Hart Cragg, Dove Cragg, High Pike, Low Pike [with] Solo [weather] Four seasons in a day. Unsettled with showers at times, cold & misty around Fairfield, improved on descent into Ambleside. - Chatted with Andrew from Littleborough. Outraged by parking cost & then toilet fee. Pint at Golden Rule (Robinsons Cumbria Way) at end.

Rob Prikanowski hiked Great Rigg on June 21st, 2023 [from/via/route] c247 [weather] Cloudy but dry, strong wind, top in the mist.

Angeline Grieveson summited Great Rigg on April 5th, 2023 [with] Dotty

Sarah Moore conquered Great Rigg on December 5th, 2022 [from/via/route] c247 / The Fairfield Horseshoe (from Ambleside) [with] On my own [weather] Beautiful start with a cold edge... turning to icy cold with sleet & minimal visibility between Great Rigg - Fairfield - Hart Crag. - This one scared me. The realisation that if I slipped up at Fairfield then I don't know that I could have waited an hour plus for mountain rescue was very scary. Used the GPS & was proud of myself but major "eeek"

Martin Hartshorne scaled Great Rigg on September 12th, 2022 [with] finley [weather] Low cloud then sunshine to finish

Mr Davison walked up Great Rigg on November 18th, 2017 [from/via/route] Fairfield horseshoe [with] Ian F, Ian F, Mike, Gary, Simon, Martyn, Andy [weather] sunny,

Christine Shepherd climbed Great Rigg during May, 2007 [from/via/route] Walked from Ambleside using Walk c247 'The Fairfield Horseshoe' Did this walk for the fifth time on 19.6.22 [with] Tony Sailes [weather] Sunny at first but cloudy on the summit. - Made other visits to the summit on 30.9.07, 15.8.08, 26.2.12, 25.3.18 & on 30.4.11 when I battled with some of the strongest winds I have ever walked in to reach the summit before giving up 'The horseshoe' & making my way down to Grasmere.

Tony Halliday bagged Great Rigg on May 28th, 2022 [from/via/route] Circular walk starting at rydal taking in nab scar heron pike rydal fell great rigg Fairfield hart crag dove crag high pike & low pike known as the fairfield circular or round [with] My boarder terrier jimmy boo and George also my wife sal [weather] The weather was warm start dry sunny no wind but cooler on the summit some clouds - A tough circular roughly 11 miles great views over rydal water & Windermere & surrounding fells a brutal start of 3.5 hours of climbing & equally as brutal 3.5 hours of going down ended with a nice couple of pints & the sun came out in all its glory in the beer garden

To add (or remove) your name and experiences on this page - Log On and edit your Personal Mountain Bagging Record

. . . [see more walk reports]



More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on or of Great Rigg

Great Rigg from Fairfield on The Fairfield Horeshoe

Great Rigg from Fairfield on The Fairfield Horeshoe

Photo: Mike Walker (337)

Great Rigg from Hart Crag

Great Rigg from Hart Crag

Photo: Mike Walker (330)

Great Rigg (left) Fairfield (centre) and Dove Crag (right) from Heron Pike

Great Rigg (left) Fairfield (centre) and Dove Crag (right) from Heron Pike

Photo: Jamie Caryl (1)

Me & my shadow approaching Great Rigg in the snow

Me & my shadow approaching Great Rigg in the snow

Photo: Sandra Littlewood (8)

Great Rigg summit cairn on The Fairfield Horeshoe

Great Rigg summit cairn on The Fairfield Horeshoe

Photo: Mike Walker (339)

Seat Sandal (left) Grisedale Hause, Fairfield (centre) and Great Rigg above The Pass of Dunmail Raise from the top of High Raven Crag

Seat Sandal (left) Grisedale Hause, Fairfield (centre) and Great Rigg above The Pass of Dunmail Raise from the top of High Raven Crag

Photo: Alan Wainwright (203)

Seat Sandal from Great Rigg on The Fairfield Horeshoe

Seat Sandal from Great Rigg on The Fairfield Horeshoe

Photo: Mike Walker (338)

Stone Arthur, Great Rigg and Heron Pike above Greenbank from Stang End

Stone Arthur, Great Rigg and Heron Pike above Greenbank from Stang End

Photo: David Wright (73)

Great Rigg, Fairfield, Hart Crag and St Sunday Crag from Dove Crag

Great Rigg, Fairfield, Hart Crag and St Sunday Crag from Dove Crag

Photo: Mike Walker (326)

Great Rigg from Hart Crag

Great Rigg from Hart Crag

Photo: John Holt (1)

*The Coniston Fells, The Langdale Pikes, High Raise, The Helvellyn Ridge, Fairfield, Seat Sandal, Great Rigg, Heron Pike and finally Loughrigg Fell from Lang How

*The Coniston Fells, The Langdale Pikes, High Raise, The Helvellyn Ridge, Fairfield, Seat Sandal, Great Rigg, Heron Pike and finally Loughrigg Fell from Lang How

Photo: David Connolly (6)

Great Rigg summit cairn on The Fairfield Horeshoe

Great Rigg summit cairn on The Fairfield Horeshoe

Photo: Mike Walker (340)

Great Rigg from Rydal Fell on The Fairfield Horeshoe

Great Rigg from Rydal Fell on The Fairfield Horeshoe

Photo: Mike Walker (341)

Helm Crag, Seat Sandal,  Grisedale Hause, Fairfield, Great Rigg, Stone Arthur, Heron Crag, Nab Scar, Loughrigg and Grasmere above The Pass of Dunmail Raise from the top of High Raven Crag

Helm Crag, Seat Sandal, Grisedale Hause, Fairfield, Great Rigg, Stone Arthur, Heron Crag, Nab Scar, Loughrigg and Grasmere above The Pass of Dunmail Raise from the top of High Raven Crag

Photo: Alan Wainwright (206)

Lake Windermere, Nab Scar, Heron Pike, Heron Pike (North Top) and Great Rigg (far right) from the summit of Low Pike (Scandale)

Lake Windermere, Nab Scar, Heron Pike, Heron Pike (North Top) and Great Rigg (far right) from the summit of Low Pike (Scandale)

Photo: Mike Walker (318)

Nab Scar, Heron Pike, Great Rigg and Fairfield from Rydal Park

Nab Scar, Heron Pike, Great Rigg and Fairfield from Rydal Park

Photo: Wayne Hill (39)

The Helevllyn Ridge featuring: Great Dodd, Watson's Dodd, Stybarrow Dodd, Raise (Helvellyn), White Side, Helvellyn, Nethermost Pike, Dollywaggon Pike, St Sunday Crag, Fairfield, Great Rigg and Heron Pike with Steel Fell (mid distance) and Calf Crag, Gibson Knott and Helm Crag  (foreground) from Brownrigg Moss

The Helevllyn Ridge featuring: Great Dodd, Watson's Dodd, Stybarrow Dodd, Raise (Helvellyn), White Side, Helvellyn, Nethermost Pike, Dollywaggon Pike, St Sunday Crag, Fairfield, Great Rigg and Heron Pike with Steel Fell (mid distance) and Calf Crag, Gibson Knott and Helm Crag (foreground) from Brownrigg Moss

Photo: Alan Wainwright (211)

The Old Man of Coniston beyond Great Rigg from Fairfield

The Old Man of Coniston beyond Great Rigg from Fairfield

Photo: Timothy Towers (4)

Heron Pike, Heron Pike (North Top), Great Rigg, Rydal Head and Fairfield from Hart Crag

Heron Pike, Heron Pike (North Top), Great Rigg, Rydal Head and Fairfield from Hart Crag

Photo: Mike Walker (329)

Rydal Head with Fairfield (left) and Hart Crag (right) from Great Rigg

Rydal Head with Fairfield (left) and Hart Crag (right) from Great Rigg

Photo: Christine Shepherd (112)


. . . see all 26 walk photographs & pictures of views from, on or of Great Rigg


Send us your photographs and pictures on, of, or from Great Rigg

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