Ill Bell
757m (2484ft)
The Far Eastern Fells, The Lake District, Cumbria, England
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 11ml (17.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,410ft (1,039m) |
| Time: | 7½ hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Troutbeck Bridge - Garburn Road - Backstone Barrow - Sour Howes - Sallows - Garburn Pass - Yoke - Ill Bell - Froswick - Wanfer Crag - Hagg Gill - Trout Beck - Troutbeck Tongue - Lowther Brow - Long Green Head - Limefitt Campsite - Troutbeck - Troutbeck Bridge
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 11.5ml (18.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,378ft (1,030m) |
| Time: | 7½ hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Kentmere - Garburn Pass - Yoke - Ill Bell - Froswick - Thornthwaite Crag - Mardale Ill Bell - Nan Bield Pass - Harter Fell (Mardale) - Kentmere Pike - Brookstones - Kentmere
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 12.25ml (19.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 4,194ft (1,278m) |
| Time: | 8.75hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Troutbeck Bridge - Garburn Pass - Yoke - Ill Bell - Froswick - Thornthwaite Crag - Stony Cove Pike (Caudale Moor) - Doup Crag - Trout Beck - Troutbeck Tongue - Hagg Gill - Lowther Brow - Long Green Head - Limefitt Campsite - Troutbeck - Troutbeck Bridge
See Ill Bell and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:
The Far Eastern Fells of The Lake District National Park
Less data - quicker to download
The Whole of The Lake District National Park
More data - might take a little longer to download
See Ill Bell 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 Ill Bell & 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 Map (pink/magenta covers):
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged Ill Bell
Tim Winn walked up Ill Bell on June 2nd, 2025 [from/via/route] Kentmere [with] Rachel and Helen [weather] Dry. Sunny.
Richard Holmes climbed it on April 7th, 2025 [from/via/route] Troutbeck [with] Myself. [weather] Hot, not a cloud in the sky. Got sunburnt!
James Hughes bagged it on September 11th, 2024 [from/via/route] c332 The Hagg Gill Round from Troutbeck [weather] Mixed. Odd shower, warm in valleys, cold on tops. Clear visibility. - Stunning & reasonably straight forward easy to navigate walk. Beautiful vistas. Multiple jet fly-bys. Tongue boggy & tusoucky in places. Mortal Man for post walk pint.
Paul Roddam hiked Ill Bell on March 17th, 2024 [with] Barber [weather] Cloudy coming into sun
Sarah Moore summited on February 24th, 2024 [from/via/route] c332 / The Hagg Gill Round from Troutbeck. Loads of parking options & the route was well defined. Only thing to watch for is the path down when on the ridge. Most continuing on from Froswick but I needed to go left - it's clear if you look for it! Nice to go along the path once down at the Gill / stream - the road / track would be easier if there was a hurry. [with] On my own [weather] February frost, but dry although low visibility for most of the walk - particularly once past Sallows until coming down from Froswick. Glad of layers today! - 10 months since I've been in The Lakes - & it was so so good to be back. Not as cold as I expected & the sun made an appearance but visibility was rubbish. Coming down from Froswick was lethal & I went full length twice - but very glad for the poles & nothing that the washing machine can't fix! (Disappointing given how clear it was later in the day & the next day!)
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More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on or of Ill Bell
Looking South from the summit of Ill Bell across cloud trapped by a temperature inversion
Yoke, Ill Bell, Froswick and the shoulder of Lingmell End (Mardale Ill Bell) above Kentmere Reservoir from Harter Fell (Mardale)
Red Screes (left), Thornthwaite Crag, Froswick, Ill Bell and Yoke from Baystones (Wansfell)
Looking North towards Skiddaw and Blencathra from the summit of Ill Bell across cloud trapped by a temperature inversion
*Baystones (Wansfell) in the foreground with Red Screes (left), Stony Cove Pike (Caudale Moor), Thornthwaite Crag and the Froswick, Ill Bell, Yoke ridge silhouetted on the skyline from Wansfell Pike
Cloud trapped by a temperature inversion clawing at the eastern slopes of Yoke, Ill Bell and Froswick as seen from Thornthwaite Crag
The Westerly aspect from Hollow Moor includes a distant view of Crinkle Crags with Yoke, Ill Bell, Froswick and Thornthwaite Crag above Kentmere
Stony Cove Pike (Caudale Moor) (left), Thornthwaite Crag, Froswick, Ill Bell and Yoke (right) from Garburn Road near Troutbeck Park
The Kentmere Horseshoe (Yoke, Ill Bell, Froswick, Thornthwaite Crag, Kentmere Pike and Shipman Knotts) from Hollow Moor
Yoke, Ill Bell, Froswick above Kentmere Reservoir from Harter Fell (Mardale)
Rough Crag beyond Blea Water from above Blea Water Crag between High Street and Mardale Ill Bell
Mardale Ill Bell, High Street and Rough Crag (Riggindale) above Blea Tarn from Nan Bield Pass
Kentmere with Yoke, Ill Bell, Froswick and Thornthwaite Crag above from Hollow Moor
Mardale Ill Bell (left) Nan Bield Pass and Harter Fell (Mardale)(right) with Kentmere Reservoir below from the summit of Yoke
Harter Fell (left) and Mardale Ill Bell (in cloud) seen from above Haweswater Reservoir near Rowantreethwaite Beck
Looking north to Baystones with Thornthwaite Crag (left) and Ill Bell (centre) beyond from Wansfell Pike as the sun catches a passing shower
. . . see just 10 walk photographs & pictures of views from, on or of Ill Bell
Send us your photographs and pictures on, of, or from Ill Bell
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