Parking
Use the small roadside lay-by on the A591 at Dunmail Raise, near NY328116. The trail starts via a short access track; parking is very limited and there are no facilities at the start.
Overview
About Grisedale Tarn
An out-and-back hike of 4.7 miles round trip, starting from the roadside lay-by on the A591 at Dunmail Raise and finishing at Grisedale Tarn before you retrace the same path down. Most walkers take 3 to 4.5 hours, with about 3.75 hours a fair planning figure. The ascent is substantial, roughly 390 m of climbing, and it comes in a sustained push rather than in gentle stages.
Why go
- Dramatic high-fell tarn in a natural corrie
- Direct access to a classic mountain landscape
Heads up
- Small roadside parking area
- Rough, wet footing and a sustained climb
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Lake District map
Full mapElevation107–583 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
Safety
8 active Lake District alerts
- ClosureChapel Stile footpath closed for retaining-wall riskPart of Footpath 543030 between Chapel Stile and Baysbrown campsite is closed because a retaining wall beside the path could collapse and material it supports could fall across the footpath.Official details
- ClosureStanley Ghyll Lower Falls footpath closed for rockfallThe section of Footpath 408037 leading towards Stanley Ghyll Lower Falls is closed because severe rockfall damage has made the path unstable and further rockfall remains a danger.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Lake District Tour Guide
Your drive to Grisedale Tarn, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Lake District National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this area
Mill Bridge: Seat Sandal and the Grasmere View0:00 / 1:10
“You're coming up to Mill Bridge, the starting area for Seat Sandal, a quieter fell walk with a fine view down toward Grasmere.”
Plays near this trailhead in the Parkwolf Lake District Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Easedale Tarn: Waterfalls from Grasmere
- Grasmere: Riverside, Gingerbread and Lake
- Wordsworth Grasmere: Inside Dove Cottage
- Rydal Water and Cave from White Moss
- 298 audio storiesacross Lake District’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Red Deer, Eurasian Otter, Osprey, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 265 trails, 89 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Grisedale Tarn
What the walk is likeThe payoff is the high mountain setting: an enclosed tarn, steep surrounding slopes, and wide…
The payoff is the high mountain setting: an enclosed tarn, steep surrounding slopes, and wide fell views on clearer days. Expect a proper hill walk rather than a level waterside stroll.
- A short access track leads away from the lay-by and onto the fellside path.
- The route then follows Raise Beck upstream, past small cascades, as the valley narrows and steepens between crags.
- Above the beck the path crosses rough, open fell before easing out at the tarn.
- Grisedale Tarn sits at about 538 m and is around 33 m deep, held in a dark corrie beneath Fairfield, Seat Sandal, and the Dollywaggon Pike and Helvellyn ridge.
Difficulty and footingRated 6/10, which in practice feels moderate to hard.
Rated 6/10, which in practice feels moderate to hard. There is no scrambling on this route, but the ground demands attention:
Boots with grip and ankle support make a real difference, and poles help on the descent.
- Steep, rough path with loose and rocky footing, especially alongside the beck.
- Wet and boggy patches on the flatter ground and near the tarn.
- Signage is limited, so carry a map and know the line of the beck.
- Open, exposed high ground where wind and low cloud arrive quickly.
Parking and facilitiesParking is the main constraint.
Parking is the main constraint. The lay-by at Dunmail Raise is small, sits beside a fast main road, and fills early on busy days. There are no toilets, cafes, or water on the route, so bring what you need and take litter home.
A gentler alternativeIf the climb or the parking sounds like too much, Easedale Tarn from Grasmere is shorter and…
If the climb or the parking sounds like too much, Easedale Tarn from Grasmere is shorter and easier to reach, with a milder valley feel. It is a pleasant tarn walk, but it does not put you in the same steep, enclosed high fell surroundings as Grisedale Tarn.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Lake District
81 sightingsRed DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
13 sightingsEurasian OtterMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
76 sightingsOspreyMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
51 sightingsEuropean BadgerMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
233 sightingsMute SwanMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
176 sightingsGrey HeronMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Lake District. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
