Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.
The walk
The walk starts from the car park by the green at Wasdale Head. It passes the inn and the packhorse bridge and follows Mosedale Beck north into Mosedale. The path fords Gatherstone Beck and climbs, pitched in places, to the top of Black Sail Pass. From the pass the ridge rises west over Looking Stead, then through crags and boulders to a long plateau and the summit of Pillar, 892 m. The return is the same way.
It is 12.9 km with 855 m of ascent; allow about 6¼ hours. The grade is Hard: a long climb with steep, rocky ground.
The ford at Gatherstone Beck can be dangerous in spate. Above Looking Stead the path climbs steeply through rocks, and the top is easy to lose in mist; Pillar Rock stands on the Ennerdale side below the summit, and the walk does not go near it. The National Trust says the route is not suitable for dogs.
The car park at Wasdale Head is free.
Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.
Good to know
- Up Mosedale and Black Sail Pass, then along the ridge to Pillar's broad summit
- Pillar Rock stands on the Ennerdale side below the summit; the walk does not go near it
- On a clear day the Isle of Man and Scotland are in view
Summits on the way
- Looking Stead (Pillar) 628 m · passed close by
- Pillar 892 m
Getting there
Start: Wasdale Head · Free parking. 54.46542, -3.25620
Places to stay nearby
Rooms in and around Drigg: Booking.com → Expedia →
Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.
Paths change, and the weather decides the day. The line and figures come from OpenStreetMap and our own checks; take a map, check the forecast, and turn back if it isn't right.
