Branstree: 711.5m Height, Walks and Haweswater Views

Branstree is a broad, grassy fell above the head of Haweswater, rising to 711.5 metres on the eastern side of Gatescarth Pass. Its rounded summit offers a different experience from the sharper outlines of nearby Harter Fell and the High Street range. Walkers come for the open ground, the Mardale setting and the chance to link it with Selside Pike across an expansive upland ridge.

A rounded fell above Mardale

Branstree stands between Mardale and the headwaters of Longsleddale, with Gatescarth Pass separating it from Harter Fell to the south-west. Its defining feature is its breadth: this is a fell of rounded shoulders and grassy slopes rather than a narrow summit ridge. The highest point, at grid reference NY477100, reaches 711.5 metres, or 2,334 feet, making Branstree the 81st highest of the 214 Wainwrights.

The summit is marked by a circular concrete survey ring, an unusually modest landmark compared with the substantial cairns found on many Lakeland tops. The broad shape matters when considering the views. Haweswater lies below the western slopes, but the highest ground is not the best place to appreciate the reservoir itself. The surrounding fells, particularly the High Street range across Mardale, give the summit its mountain context.

Branstree in the Far Eastern Fells

Alfred Wainwright included Branstree in The Far Eastern Fells, the second book of his seven-volume pictorial guide. It belongs to the eastern side of the Haweswater group, where the ground becomes more rounded and grassy than the craggy faces overlooking the opposite shore. Selside Pike lies to the north-east, while Tarn Crag and Kentmere Pike belong to the neighbouring country around Longsleddale.

Branstree and Selside Pike are commonly combined in one walk, their connecting ground making them a natural pairing. Mardale Head and Longsleddale are established starting areas for walks on Branstree, with Gatescarth Pass an important feature of the surrounding walking country. These are upland outings rather than lakeside strolls: broad grassy ground can be wet underfoot, and the lack of a sharply defined summit ridge makes careful navigation important in poor visibility.

The Haweswater setting

Branstree's strongest association is with Mardale and Haweswater. The valley was profoundly changed in the 1930s, when the raising of Haweswater submerged the settlement of Mardale Green. That history belongs to the landscape below the fell and helps explain the contrast between today's reservoir and the inhabited valley shown in older photographs and accounts.

Branstree has no celebrated scrambling edge or dramatic summit tower. Its appeal rests instead on its position: above the reservoir, beside an old mountain pass, and within reach of several neighbouring Wainwrights. For walkers who enjoy understanding how the dales and ridges fit together, it is a rewarding part of the Far Eastern Fells.

Where Branstree stands

Summit at grid reference NY477100 · open full map

The real Branstree

Walking Branstree

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

• Branstree and Selside Pike from Mardale Head (walklakes.co.uk)
• Branstree (andrewswalks.co.uk)
• Selside Pike and Branstree (jimearl6.com)

Weather on Branstree

Conditions estimated at summit height (712 m) via Open-Meteo. For a walker's forecast, use the Mountain Weather Information Service.

Branstree on your wall

A painting of Branstree can bring home something quieter than a dramatic summit: the sweep of grassy slopes and the familiar shapes above Mardale. On paper or canvas, that landscape offers a lasting connection to a walk, a season or a much-loved corner of the Lakes.

Own “Branstree Fell and Valley Shadows” — our painting of Branstree → or browse all Fells & Mountains artwork

Neighbouring Wainwrights in The Far Eastern Fells

• Selside Pike 655 m
• Tarn Crag (Longsleddale) 664 m
• Kentmere Pike 730 m
• Harter Fell (Mardale) 779 m

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