Mardale Ill Bell: 760m Height, Walks and Views

Mardale Ill Bell stands at 760m on the ridge between High Street and Nan Bield Pass, above the corrie of Small Water. It can be overshadowed by its higher neighbour, but its position above Mardale gives it a character of its own. Walkers find a contrast here between the broad upland slopes towards High Street and the steeper, rockier ground falling towards the tarns and Haweswater.

A ridge summit above Mardale

Mardale Ill Bell belongs to the high ground enclosing the head of Mardale, at the southern end of Haweswater. Its summit is less sharply defined than some of the surrounding tops: towards High Street, the ground broadens into an upland ridge. On the Mardale side, however, the slopes steepen markedly, with crags and corries giving this flank a much more rugged appearance.

Small Water lies below the fell on its eastern side, beneath the ridge leading towards Nan Bield Pass. Blea Water occupies the neighbouring corrie beneath High Street, north of Mardale Ill Bell. These two tarns help define the landscape here: compact bodies of water held beneath steep fell walls, quite different in scale and setting from the long reservoir of Haweswater farther down the dale.

Its place in the Far Eastern Fells

Wainwright included Mardale Ill Bell in Book Two, The Far Eastern Fells. At 760m, or 2,493ft, it ranks 59th in height among the 214 Wainwrights. The summit grid reference is NY447101. Its position makes it part of the connected high ground around High Street rather than an isolated fell, and it is often visited alongside neighbouring summits.

High Street is the higher neighbour to the north-west, while Harter Fell stands across Nan Bield Pass. Kidsty Pike and Froswick belong to the wider group of nearby Wainwrights. Despite the similar names, Mardale Ill Bell and Ill Bell are separate fells: Ill Bell stands farther south on the western side of the Kentmere horseshoe. The Mardale prefix is a useful distinction when choosing maps or walk guides.

Walks, views and the valley below

Mardale Head is a familiar starting area for walks taking in the fell, while longer outings connect it with the Kentmere circuit and High Street. Its appeal is closely tied to those ridge connections: a visit can bring together broad summit ground, a mountain pass and views into steep-sided corries. Dedicated route guides are the best place to compare the different approaches and their demands.

The outlook over Mardale also carries a human history. Haweswater was enlarged to create a reservoir, submerging the former settlement of Mardale Green. Above that changed valley, the tarns, crags and ridges remain the defining features of the view. Mardale Ill Bell offers a clear sense of how the high fells frame this eastern corner of Lakeland.

Where Mardale Ill Bell stands

Summit at grid reference NY447101 · open full map

The real Mardale Ill Bell

Walking Mardale Ill Bell

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

• High Street - Mardale Ill Bell walk (andrewswalks.co.uk)
• Lake District Walk: High Street (Racecourse Hill), and a few ... (walklakes.co.uk)
• Walks in the Lake District - Yoke, Ill Bell, Frostwick, Mardale ... (walkingenglishman.com)

Weather on Mardale Ill Bell

Conditions estimated at summit height (760 m) via Open-Meteo. For a walker's forecast, use the Mountain Weather Information Service.

Mardale Ill Bell on your wall

A painting of Mardale Ill Bell can recall more than a summit reached: the shape of Small Water below, the ridge towards High Street, or changing light over Mardale. A print or canvas brings those familiar forms into the room, keeping a connection with days on the fell.

Own “Mardale Ill Bell Sunlit Ridge” — our painting of Mardale Ill Bell → or browse all Fells & Mountains artwork

Neighbouring Wainwrights in The Far Eastern Fells

• High Street 828 m
• Harter Fell (Mardale) 779 m
• Kidsty Pike 781 m
• Froswick 720 m

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