Kirk Fell
802m (2631ft)
The Western Fells, The Lake District, Cumbria, England
You can find Kirk Fell & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps: (click/TAP to select)
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (the ones with orange/yellow covers):
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See Kirk Fell and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:
See Kirk Fell and the surrounding tops on our downloadable PDF Peak Bagging Maps:
*Walk & bag all 33 Wainwrights in The Western Fells area of The Lake District in just 10 easy-to-follow circular walks.
*This version is marked with the walk routes you need to follow to Walk all 214 Wainwrights in just 59 walks. Click here for more information.
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!
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 7.5ml (12km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,289ft (1,002m) |
| Time: | 6 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Honister Pass - Honister Hause - Grey Knotts - Brandreth - Green Gable - Windy Gap - Great Gable - Westmorland Cairn - Beck Head - Beckhead Tarn - Kirk Fell (East Top) - Kirk Fell - Moses' Trod - Wainwright's Coast to Coast Walk - Honister Pass
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 7.75ml (12.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 4,808ft (1,465m) |
| Time: | 7.75hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Wasdale Head - Kirk Fell - Kirk Fell (East Top) - Black Sail Pass - Looking Stead (Pillar) - High Level Route - Robinson's Cairn - Pillar - Wind Gap - Black Crag (Pillar) - Scoat Fell (Little Scoat Fell) - Steeple - Red Pike (Wasdale) - Dore Head - Mosedale Beck - Wasdale Head - Wast Water.
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 8.5ml (13.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 4,260ft (1,298m) |
| Time: | 7.25hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Honister Pass - Honister Hause - Green Crag (Buttermere) - Black Beck - Blackbeck Tarn - Innominate Tarn - Hay Stacks (Haystacks) - Scarth Gap - Ennerdale - River Liza - Black Sail Hut (Youth Hostel) - Black Sail Path - Kirk Fell - Kirk Fell (East Top) - Beckhead Tarn - Beck Head - Great Gable - Westmorland Cairn - Windy Gap - Green Gable - Gillercomb Head - Brandreth - Grey Knotts - Honister Hause.
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 9ml (14.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,965ft (1,208m) |
| Time: | 7½ hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Honister Pass - Honister Hause - Grey Knotts - Brandreth - Blackmoor Pols - Base Brown - Mitchell Cove - Green Gable - Windy Gap - Great Gable - Westmorland Cairn - Beck Head - Beckhead Tarn - Kirk Fell (East Top) - Kirk Fell - Moses' Trod - Wainwright's Coast to Coast Walk - Honister Pass
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 11.25ml (18km) |
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| Ascent: | 5,819ft (1,773m) |
| Time: | 10 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Very Hard) |
Route Summary:
Wasdale Head - Moses' Trod - Lingmell Beck - Gable Beck Bridge - Sty Head - Great Gable - Westmorland Cairn - Beck Head - Beckhead Tarn - Kirk Fell (East Top) - Kirk Fell - Black Sail Pass - Looking Stead (Pillar) - High Level Route - Robinson's Cairn - Pillar - Wind Gap - Black Crag (Pillar) - Scoat Fell (Little Scoat Fell) - Steeple - Red Pike (Wasdale) - Dore Head - Mosedale Beck - Wasdale Head - Wast Water.
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 18.75ml (30km) |
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| Ascent: | 7,309ft (2,408m) |
| Time: | 14.75hrs |
| Grade: | (Very Hard) |
Route Summary:
Bowness Knott Car Park Ennerdale - Low Gillerthwaite Field Centre - High Gillerthwaite Yourth Hostel - Red Pike (Buttermere) - High Stile - High Crag (Buttermere) - Seat (Buttermere) - Scarth Gap - Hay Stacks (Haystacks) - Innominate Tarn - Blackbeck Tarn - Black Beck - Green Crag (Buttermere) - Great Round How - Brandreth - Gillercomb Head - Green Gable - Windy Gap - Great Gable - Westmorland Cairn - Beck Head - Beckhead Tarn - Kirk Fell (East Top) - Kirk Fell - Black Sail Pass - Looking Stead (Pillar) - High Level Route - Robinson's Cairn - Pillar - Wind Gap - Black Crag (Pillar) - High Beck - Low Beck - Ennerdale.
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged Kirk Fell
Doug Martin walked up Kirk Fell on August 1st, 2016 [from/via/route] Straight up the nose from Wasdale Inn [with] Solo [weather] One of those rare days - ideal for walking with some sunshine, cool breeze. - Was making excellent time on the up until I hit the scree - sticks would have come in handy. Great feeling of exhilaration on reaching top & shelter. The off down to Black Sail pass not as bad as I'd been led to believe. Kept looking across to Dore Head at base of Red Pike & Yewbarrow thinking I must be mad & coming down it at end of day confirmed I was. Met up with John & Alex for dinner at Netherwasdale. They were camping - I was knackered.
Geoff Hand climbed Kirk Fell on September 3rd, 2024 [from/via/route] Walk C417 Great Gable & Kirk Fell from Honister. Set off from Honister & climbed Grey Knotts, from there onto Glamara. We then climbed towards Green Gable but went South to pick up Brown Base. We retraced our steps, climbed green gable & onto Gt Gable. Leaving Gt Gable in cloud we found the path down to Beck Head. When reached there the cloud had lifted off Kirk fell so we went for it. Came back by Moses's trod & the dismantled tramway to Honister. [with] Tess, my Jack Russell [weather] Started off quite sunny, however cloud moved in & covered Gt Gable. A bit drisly towards the end. - A really tough walk, one I would think twice about in the future. Very pleased with my navigation of Gt Gable as it was spot on! According to my garmin I didn't quite hit the top of Grey Knots & Brandreth. I find this incredible as I did a lot of tramping around to make sure I hit the tops today. So I'm claiming them anyway. NB I've also done them both before.
Christine Shepherd bagged Kirk Fell on June 4th, 2007 [from/via/route] Walked from Honister Slate mine using walk c151 Climbed again on 23.08.2021 from Wasdale, the first fell in a long day's walking using walk c240. [with] On my own [weather] Hot & hazy - Followed the walk route over Kirk fell but didn't climb Great Gable on this occasion as my husband was waiting for me at Honister. On my second visit I descended via the scree slope. An exciting descent but not for the faint hearted. Climbed for a third time on 8.6.23 using walk c417, in gorgeous sunshine with a pleasant breeze.
Ian Ashton hiked Kirk Fell on May 13th, 2023 [with] Jph
Martyn Atherton summited Kirk Fell on September 20th, 2020 [from/via/route] c338 Grey Knotts, Brandreth, Green Gable, Great Gable, Kirk Fell [with] Martyn and Paul [weather] Cloudy at first then very warm & sunny - Great view of the mines
Paul Macey conquered Kirk Fell on June 6th, 2022 [from/via/route] C417 in reverse [with] Luke [weather] Cloudy but cloud above summits
Darren Wilson scaled Kirk Fell on June 20th, 2021 [from/via/route] Last Wainright walks Red Pike, Scoat Fell, Steeple, Pillar & Kirk Fell [with] Mike [weather] Sunny dry beautiful day out, steep climb up
Christina Lander walked up Kirk Fell on June 4th, 2021 [from/via/route] Wasdale Head - Kirk Fell - Pillar - Yewbarrow - Wasdale Head [with] Dick [weather] A beautiful, sunny day - During our holiday staying at Station House, Troutbeck, Penrith
Kevin Foster climbed Kirk Fell on May 14th, 2021 [from/via/route] Honister Pass (slate mine). [with] By myself. [weather] Low clouds down on tops gradually lifting. - The true summit of Kirk Fell is a short stroll from the East top across a grassy dip. The descent to Black Sail Pass looks a bit daunting but isn't too bad if taken carefully. Again the views are worth it especially of Lingmell , the Scafell massif & Wasdale.
Caroline Winter bagged Kirk Fell on August 2nd, 2020 [from/via/route] Wasdale Head, Kirkfell, East Top, Kirkfell crags, Mosedale Beck [with] Becky [weather] Rain morning, clearing later - Direct route up steep south side. 2 groups of Bob Graham challengers passed us. I found the steepness quite a struggle. Lunch in shelter at top before finding the sister top. Intended to include Pillar, but decided to add on to our Yewbarrow walk in a few days time. Pleasant descent of Mosedale beck & an early steak dinner at the Inn.
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More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on or of Kirk Fell
Yewbarrow with Kirk Fell, Great Gable and Lingmell beyond from Middle Fell (Wasdale)
Kirk Fell and Mosedale from Dore Head having just climbed up from Wasdale and heading for Yewbarrow
Great view of Brandreth, Green Gable, Great Gable (the rounded dome), Kirk Fell, Pillar (the highest point), Black Crag and Steeple from Lingcomb Edge just below the summit of Red Pike (Buttermere)
Kirk Fell, Looking Stead & Pillar, Ennerdale, High Stile, High Crag & Hay Stacks, Crummock Water & Buttermere and Grasmoor from Green Gable
Wast Water, Wasdale and Yewbarrow with Middle Fell (left) Seatallan (background centre), Red Pike (Wasdale) (right) and the shoulder of Kirk Fell (centre foreground) from Westmorland Cairn on Great Gable
Innominate Tarn with Grey Knotts, Brandreth, Green Gable, Great Gable and Kirk Fell forming the backdrop
Wast Water, Yewbarrow (left), Kirk Fell (centre left), Great Gable (centre right) and Lingmell Fell (right) from Illgill Head
The Mosedale Horseshoe - Yewbarrow (mid-distance left), Red Pike (Wasdale) and Little Scoat Fell beyond, Pillar (right of centre) and the shoulder of Kirk Fell (mid-distance right) from Scafell Pike
*From Left to right: Caw Fell, Seatallan, Red Pike, Pillar, Yewbarrow, Kirk Fell, Great Gable, Lingmell and Sca Fell and Wast Water (foreground) from Illgill Head (NB. Scafell Pike is largely hidden behind Sca Fell)
Kirk Fell with Red Pike (Wasdale), Little Scoat Fell and Pillar behind from Westmorland Cairn, Great Gable
Haycock, Little Scoat Fell, Red Pike (Wasdale), Pillar, Top of Stirrup Crag, Kirk Fell, Great Gable, Great End, Lingmell, Scafell Pike, Sca Fell, Slightside, Harter Fell (Eskdale) and Burnmoor Tarn from the summit of Yewbarrow
Green Gable, Great Gable (left of centre), Kirk Fell (centre) and Pillar (right) with the Scafell Massif beyond (centre) from High Crag
Beck Head and Beckhead Tarn with Kirk Fell beyond from below Westmorland Cairn, Great Gable
Red Pike (Wasdale) and Little Scoat Fell (left), Mosedale, Pillar and Kirk Fell (centre) and Great Gable (right) from the summit of Scafell Pike
Lingmell (left) and Kirk Fell in sunlight from near Dropping Crag below Scafell Pike
. . . see all 65 walk photographs & pictures of views from, on or of Kirk Fell
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