Steel Fell: 553m Height, Walks and Views near Grasmere

Steel Fell stands between Greenburn and the southern end of Thirlmere, its steep eastern flank rising above Dunmail Raise. At 553m, it is far from the highest of the Central Fells, but its position gives it an unusually rewarding outlook. Walkers often include it in the Greenburn horseshoe, where its broad, grassy upper slopes contrast with the more broken ridge towards Helm Crag.

A grassy summit above Dunmail Raise

Steel Fell rises immediately west of Dunmail Raise, the pass carrying the A591 between Grasmere and Thirlmere. From the road, its eastern face looks steep and substantial. Above those slopes, however, the fell opens into a much gentler landscape of grass, scattered rock and broad ridges. That contrast is central to its character: a firm edge to the pass, with a quieter upland interior behind it.

The summit, also known as Dead Pike, reaches 553m (1,814ft), at grid reference NY319111. Steel Fell ranks 146th in height among the 214 Wainwrights. Its grassy appearance should not be mistaken for uniformly easy ground: the flanks are steep in places, while the higher ground extending west towards Calf Crag can be wet and boggy.

Views towards Thirlmere and the eastern skyline

The northward view along Thirlmere is one of Steel Fell’s strongest attractions. The reservoir occupies the long valley beyond Dunmail Raise, giving the outlook a clear line into the northern Lakes. Across the pass, the higher eastern skyline includes the Helvellyn range, while the Fairfield group rises to the south-east.

South of Steel Fell lies Greenburn, enclosed by the fell and the ridge linking Calf Crag, Gibson Knott and Helm Crag. From the upper slopes, the shape of this valley and its surrounding ridges is readily apparent. It is a good place to understand how the smaller fells north of Grasmere fit together, rather than simply pick out distant summits. Clear conditions reward a pause here before continuing along the ridge.

Steel Fell in the Central Fells

Steel Fell appears in Book Three of Alfred Wainwright’s Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, The Central Fells. It belongs to the cluster of lower summits north of Grasmere, with Calf Crag to the west and Gibson Knott and Helm Crag across Greenburn to the south.

Its best-known walking connection is the Greenburn horseshoe, which brings those four Wainwrights into a single circuit. Steel Fell supplies the broad northern arm; the return ridge through Gibson Knott and Helm Crag has a more pronounced rocky character. The appeal is the variety within a compact group of fells. Steel Fell is worth appreciating in its own right, too, particularly for the contrast between the enclosed Greenburn valley and the long outlook towards Thirlmere.

Where Steel Fell stands

Summit at grid reference NY319111 · open full map

The real Steel Fell

Walking Steel Fell

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

• Guide links to be curated.

Weather on Steel Fell

Conditions estimated at summit height (553 m) via Open-Meteo. For a walker's forecast, use the Mountain Weather Information Service.

Steel Fell on your wall

A painting of Steel Fell can bring home something familiar: the grassy skyline above Greenburn, the steep flank over Dunmail Raise, or the view towards Thirlmere. As a print or canvas, it offers a lasting connection to a fell that rewards looking beyond the highest summits.

Own “Steel Fell Ridge Bright Shadows” — our painting of Steel Fell → or browse all Fells & Mountains artwork

Neighbouring Wainwrights in The Central Fells

• Gibson Knott 420 m
• Helm Crag 405 m
• Calf Crag 537 m
• Tarn Crag (Easedale) 549 m

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