Blea Rigg: 541.5m Height, Walks and Central Fells Views

Blea Rigg is a fell of rocky knolls, grassy hollows and changing perspectives, rather than one commanding summit. Standing between Easedale and Great Langdale, it belongs to the long ridge linking Silver How with the higher ground around Sergeant Man. At 541.5m, it offers plenty of interest without the height of its neighbours: rough little crags, tarn country and wide views across the central Lakes.

A rocky ridge between Easedale and Langdale

Blea Rigg is best understood as a stretch of upland ridge rather than an isolated peak. Its ground rises and falls through a succession of rocky tops, with grass and wetter hollows between them. The highest point is not announced by a strong, unmistakable outline. That modest profile helps explain why the fell can receive less attention than the more sharply defined summits nearby.

Its position is a large part of its appeal. Easedale lies to the north-east and Great Langdale to the south, placing Blea Rigg between two much-loved walking areas. Easedale Tarn and Stickle Tarn occupy separate basins on either side of the wider ridge. Moving over this broken ground brings changing views towards the Langdale Pikes and across the surrounding Central Fells, rather than a single fixed prospect.

Blea Rigg in the Central Fells

Blea Rigg appears in Alfred Wainwright’s third guidebook, The Central Fells. Its recorded height is 541.5 metres, or 1,777 feet, and its summit grid reference is NY301078. It ranks 152nd by height among the 214 Wainwrights. Those figures place it well below the district’s highest fells, but its ridge setting gives it a stronger connection with the surrounding uplands than the height alone might suggest.

Silver How lies along the ridge towards the south-east, while Sergeant Man stands on higher ground to the north-west. Pavey Ark is another nearby Wainwright, with Tarn Crag across Easedale and Calf Crag farther north. These relationships make Blea Rigg a useful fell for understanding the central landscape: it sits among the ridges and tarn basins linking Grasmere’s western fells with the Langdale heights.

Walking interest beyond the summit

Walks taking in Blea Rigg commonly begin in the Grasmere and Easedale area or in Great Langdale. It is also included in longer ridge outings with neighbouring Wainwrights. The attraction is as much the intervening ground as the summit itself: small crags, uneven paths and repeated changes of outlook give this relatively modest fell considerable variety.

The broken terrain deserves respect in poor visibility. A ridge made up of similar knolls and shallow depressions is less straightforward to read than a single clear crest, and grassy hollows can be wet underfoot. Blea Rigg rewards walkers who give it time and attention, rather than treating it solely as another summit on the way to Sergeant Man or the Langdale Pikes.

Where Blea Rigg stands

Summit at grid reference NY301078 · open full map

The real Blea Rigg

Walking Blea Rigg

We make artwork, not route guides — these are the guides we'd point a friend to:

• Guide links to be curated.

Weather on Blea Rigg

Conditions estimated at summit height (542 m) via Open-Meteo. For a walker's forecast, use the Mountain Weather Information Service.

Blea Rigg on your wall

A painting of Blea Rigg can recall the quieter details of a day on the fells: pale rock, rough grass and the changing outline of the Langdale heights. As a print or canvas at home, that familiar ridge offers a lasting connection with the central Lakes.

Own “Vibrant Blea Rigg and Tarns” — our painting of Blea Rigg → or browse all Fells & Mountains artwork

Neighbouring Wainwrights in The Central Fells

• Tarn Crag (Easedale) 549 m
• Calf Crag 537 m
• Sergeant Man 736 m
• Pavey Ark 702 m

Part of our guide to all 214 Wainwrights — see the full index.