Hallin Fell

Lake District National Park

With a high start and a low summit this likeable mini fell must be one of the easiest ascents in the Lake District, by its standard route.

Hiking Moderate

Distance: 2.7 km
Ascent: 220 m
Descent: 220 m
Duration: 0-1 hrs

Low Point: 161 m
High Point: 378 m
Gradient: 15˚

With a high start and a low summit this likeable mini fell must be one of the easiest ascents in the Lake District, by its standard route. It's very family friendly, but for minimal effort you still get a big view out over Ullswater, with the High Street and Helvellyn hills ranged across the skyline. A steeper variation on the descent adds some modest challenge to the walk.

Hallin Fell & Martindale Photo: Allan Harris

Ullswater from the summit of Hallin Fell, 388 m Photo: Allan Harris

Lady of the Lake coming into Howtown. Photo: Allan Harris

The Hellvellyn Ridge and Glenridding Common. Photo: Allan Harris

Stybarrow Dodd and probably Raise from Hallin Fell. Photo: Allan Harris

Description

Cross the road and go northwest up the obvious grassy path, at first beside a drystone wall and then over open hillside. It's a steady climb onto the knobbly fell top. On the high point is an impressive obelisk cairn, a big construction for such a wee hill.

Head roughly northeast. The main path soon swings rightwards to complete a quick loop back to the car park, but to add a little extra time out go straight on here, on a less well-defined trail. At a steep headland directly overlooking Ullswater the path cuts left, descending a steep grass slope below a line of small rock outcrops to reach the busy path at the foot of the fell.

Turn right onto the main path, following a field boundary around the base of Hallin Fell. It's soon possible to pop down to the shoreline of Ullswater (nice gravel beaches here); otherwise, stay with the path for the steady climb above the road, back up to the car park on top of the pass.