Grasmoor: Height, Walks and Views above Crummock Water

Grasmoor rises steeply above Crummock Water, its western face giving little hint of the broad summit beyond. At 851.6 metres, it is the highest of Wainwright’s North Western Fells, with a substantial presence among the ridges between Buttermere and Coledale. Walkers come for that contrast: rough, imposing flanks below, then open ground and a wide outlook across the western Lakes.

A broad summit above Crummock Water

From the shores of Crummock Water, Grasmoor is one of the defining shapes of the north-western Lake District. Its steep western face rises above the valley, while the summit itself is broad rather than sharply pointed. That difference matters to its character: the fell looks rugged and abrupt from below, yet feels spacious once the climbing gives way to its upper slopes.

The summit stands at grid reference NY174203 and reaches 851.6 metres, or 2,794 feet. It is the twentieth-highest of the 214 Wainwrights. To the north, the crags of Dove Crags give Grasmoor another rough edge, above Gasgale Gill and opposite Whiteside. The contrast between these broken flanks and the open summit helps explain why the fell can look quite different depending on where you meet it.

The highest of the North Western Fells

Grasmoor belongs to Book Six of Alfred Wainwright’s pictorial guides, The North Western Fells. It is the highest fell in that volume, standing among a network of summits and connecting ridges around Coledale. Nearby Wainwrights include Whiteside, Wandope, Whiteless Pike and the much lower Rannerdale Knotts, which occupies a prominent position beside Crummock Water.

Its height makes Grasmoor an obvious objective, but its setting gives it a wider appeal. It can be approached from the Crummock Water side or included in longer walks through the surrounding fells. The Lad Hows ridge is a recognised approach from the west, while longer versions of the Coledale Horseshoe sometimes include Grasmoor. These are substantial fell walks rather than short lakeside excursions; distance, ascent and exposure vary considerably with the chosen itinerary.

Views and the experience of the top

In clear weather, the outlook takes in the western fells, the Buttermere valley and the higher central Lakeland summits. Northwards, the view reaches towards the Solway Firth and the Scottish hills. The broad summit means that the foreground changes as you move across it: there is no single narrow perch from which every part of the surrounding landscape falls neatly into view.

Grasmoor rewards walkers who enjoy the shape of the wider district as much as an individual summit. Its height and open upper ground also leave it exposed to wind and poor visibility. The spacious top should not be mistaken for an easy place to navigate in cloud; suitable equipment and a reliable route guide remain important.

Where Grasmoor stands

Summit at grid reference NY174203 · open full map

The real Grasmoor

Walking Grasmoor

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

• Guide links to be curated.

Weather on Grasmoor

Conditions estimated at summit height (852 m) via Open-Meteo. For a walker's forecast, use the Mountain Weather Information Service.

Grasmoor on your wall

A painting of Grasmoor can bring back the weight of its western face above Crummock Water, or the openness of a day on the summit. As a print or canvas, it gives a familiar Lakeland shape a lasting place at home, well beyond the walk itself.

Own “Grasmoor Over Sunlit Valley Fields” — our painting of Grasmoor → or browse all Fells & Mountains artwork

Neighbouring Wainwrights in The North Western Fells

• Whiteless Pike 660 m
• Whiteside 707 m
• Wandope 774 m
• Rannerdale Knotts 355 m

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