Grey Friar
773m (2536ft)
The Southern Fells, The Lake District, Cumbria, England
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Grey Friar is classified as:
Walk c179 The Seathwaite Round from Seathwaite (Duddon Valley)
Quiet and lonely (except for the Old Man!)
Download walk c179:
Vital Statistics for walk c179:
9½
miles
(15 km)
3523
feet
(1074 m)
7
Hours
7
Hard
Route outline for walk c179:
Walna Scar Road (nr Seathwaite (Duddon Valley) - Long Houses - Brown Pike - Dow Crag - Goat's Hawse - The Old Man of Coniston - Brim Fell - Levers Hawse - Swirl Band - Swirl How - Great Carrs - Grey Friar - Seathwaite Tarn - Walna Scar Road.
Walk c420 The Coniston Fells from Walna Scar Road, Coniston
Superb high level route
Download walk c420:
Vital Statistics for walk c420:
12¾
miles
(20.5 km)
4191
feet
(1277 m)
8¾
Hours
8
Hard
Route outline for walk c420:
Coniston - Walna Scar Road - Boo Tarn - Torver Beck - Cove Bridge - Goat's Water - Goat's Hawse - Dow Crag - Goat's Hawse - The Old Man of Coniston - Brim Fell - Levers Hawse - Grey Friar - Great Carrs - Swirl How - Prison Band - Keld Gill Head - Black Sails - Wetherlam - Swirl Hawse - Levers Water - Crowberry Haws - Walna Scar Road - Coniston
See Grey Friar and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:
See Grey Friar and the surrounding tops on our downloadable Peak Bagging Maps in PDF format:
NB: Whether you print off a copy or download it to your phone, these PDF Peak Baggers Maps might prove incredibly useful when your are up there on the tops and you cannot get a phone signal.
*This version is marked with the walk routes you need to follow to Walk all 214 Wainwrights in just 59 walks.
You can find Grey Friar & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps:
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Maps (pink/magenta covers):
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged Grey Friar
Richard Fulcher walked up on September 8th, 2025 [from/via/route] Parked near the Three Shires stone & set off up the path that joins up with the Wet Side Edge. We followed that path until it splits into two at the base of Great Carrs. We then headed off & up to Grey Friar. From there we turned around & headed up to Swirl How & back to Great Carrs. From there we descended back down Wet Side Edge & back to the car. [with] Jen [weather] Heavy rain at the start & then a sunny / cloudy day with blustery strong winds. - Great views all around, from Scafell, Bowfell, Crinkle Crags, the Langdale Pikes through to the Hellvellyn range & the Old Man of Coniston.
Sarah Gunn climbed it on July 27th, 2025 [with] Martin Gunn
John Ramsbottom bagged it on September 22nd, 2024 [from/via/route] Dow Cragg, The Old Man of Coniston,Brim Fell,Swirl How, Great Carrs & Grey Friar [with] Lola [weather] Mainly warm & Sunny - Good day with & Lola, went to Wilson Inn Tover, for a quick pint
Clare Tait hiked it on August 11th, 2024 [from/via/route] Our no:96 Wainwright while staying at The Birks in the Duddon Valley. Lovely walk from the Walna Scar Road & Seathwaite Tarn. [with] Charlie, Beth and Max [weather] Sun 🌞
Tim Winn summited on July 24th, 2024 [from/via/route] Coniston [with] Simon [weather] Sunny & clear.
Christine Shepherd conquered it on July 31st, 2007 [from/via/route] Coniston along the Walna Scar road to Brown pike then back over the Coniston Fells [with] On my own [weather] Glorious! - Climbed this again on my own on 1.10.11 using walk c420. Did the Coniston Seven again on 4.8.23 in wonderful walking weather.
James Hughes scaled on March 27th, 2023 [from/via/route] Walna Scar Road, Brown Pike, Dow Crag, Old Man Coniston, Brim Fell, Swirl How, Great Carrs, Grey Friar [with] Solo [weather] Clear, sun beginning to have some warmth, but cold on tops. Very boggy descent. - Awesome, if not brutal climb. Completed within 5 hoursish. Pint of Keswick Gold Bitter at Newfield Inn.
John Tippins walked up on October 23rd, 2022 [from/via/route] From Seathwaite (c179) [with] Alone [weather] Very low cloud, continual rain & strong winds almost all day.
Richard Marchant climbed it on September 15th, 2022 [from/via/route] Parked at Wrynose Pass & walked straight up to Great Carrs over Little Carrs & then on to Grey Friar & back the same route. [with] On my Own [weather] Clear day with little or no breeze.
Ian Ashton bagged it on July 9th, 2022 [from/via/route] Part of seathwaite Round [with] SOLO
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White Maiden summit cairn with Grey Friar (left), Dow Crag, Brown Pike and The Old Man of Coniston (right) in the background
From left to right: Slight Side and Sca Fell, Mickledore, Scafell Pike, Ill Crag and Great End, Esk Hause, Esk Pike, Bow Fell (Bowfell), Crinkle Crags (Long Top), Cold Pike, Little Stand and finally the shoulder of Grey Friar from the summit of Hard Knott
Grey Friar (left), Dow Crag, Brown Pike and The Old Man of Coniston (right) from White Maiden
*Loft Crag (foreground far left), Lingmoor, Blea Tarn, Pike of Blisco (Pike o' Blisco), Cold Pike and Crinkle Crags (featuring Crinkle Crags (South Top), Crinkle Crags (Long Top) and Gunson Knott) (mid-distance left to right) and Wetherlam, Great Carrs and Grey Friar (far-distance centre to right) from the summit of Pike of Stickle (Langdale Pikes)
The S for Sugar Aircraft Crash Memorial between Swirl How, Great Carrs and Grey Friar
Send us your photographs and pictures on, of, or from Grey Friar
If you would like to your walk photographs and pictures featuring views from, on or of Grey Friar to this page, please send them as email attachments (configured for any computer) along with your name to:
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