Routes

Planner

Features

Updates

App

Get the App

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

Mardale Head – Small Water loop from Wood Howe

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

Mardale Head – Small Water loop from Wood Howe

Moderate

5.0

(11)

140

hikers

Mardale Head – Small Water loop from Wood Howe

02:57

7.35km

510m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: April 15, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Lake District National Park

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

36 m

Mardale Head

Highlight • Historical Site

Mardale Head is an excellent starting point for many grand adventures in the Far Eastern Fells of the Lake District. From here, trails splay out onto the likes of High Street, the Kentmere Horseshoe summits and tranquil Branstree and Selside Pike.

There was once a hamlet near here called Mardale Green, which was submerged when the reservoir was created in the 1930s to supply water to Greater Manchester. When the water is low, the remains of the village can still be seen – a ghostly sight.

Tip by

2.72 km

View of Haweswater from Little Harter Fell

Highlight • Lake

Views down to Haweswater

Tip by

3.68 km

Harter Fell (Mardale) Summit Cairn

Highlight • Viewpoint

This is one of two Wainwright fells of the Lake District with the name Harter Fell, not to be confused with the Harter Fell of the Southern Lake District. The Mardale Harter Fell in the Far Eastern Lake District is 2,552 feet (779 m) high and the summit is marked by a cairn with iron posts included amongst the stones. The views of Haweswater from this fell are particularly mesmerising.

Tip by

4.19 km

View of Kentmere Reservoir and Valley

Highlight • Viewpoint

If your doing the Kentmere Horseshoe this could be a great place for lunch. Great views towards Yoke, Froswick, ill crag and Kentmere Reservoir. It kept the wind gusts off us!

Tip by

4.62 km

Nan Bield Pass Summit

Highlight • Mountain Pass

Stunning views north over Haweswater and south into Kentmere and the start of one of the best descents in the lakes. Save your lunch for here, there is a small shelter to sit and fuel up in.

Tip by

4.62 km

View of Small Water and Haweswater from Nan Bield Pass

Highlight • Viewpoint

The Nan Bield Pass gives access to the fells of the Kentmere Horseshoe from Mardale Head. It passes between the Wainwright summits of Mardale Ill Bell and Harter Fell and is a spectacular addition to any route. Rough underfoot, ringed by towering fells and with the dark pool of Small Water below, it's a lovely spot.

Tip by

5.41 km

Stone Shelters at Small Water

Highlight • Structure

Those were built as emergency shelters for merchants using Nan Bield pass.
Do not think of using those for a semi-wild camp. They are cramped, and not the cleanest of places.
Even in their days, they were only used as emergency shelters in case of deluge or snowstorm.
But they were a nice surprise sight and it is good to see they have stood the test of time.

Tip by

5.68 km

Small Water

Highlight • Lake

Great spot for a wild swim when bagging Wainwrights in the Far Eastern Fell as it is on the way to Mardale Ill Bell and High Street.
It is sheltered and there is a small beach which is ideal for a picnic.
It is quieter than many of the tarns in the Lake District and we had it to ourselves on a Saturday.
But be prepared for cold water, even on a hot summer's day as it is 510 meters (1,673 feet) above sea level. It feeds into Haweswater via Small Water Beck.

Tip by

7.35 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

5.73 km

1.55 km

< 100 m

Surfaces

3.53 km

1.98 km

1.55 km

293 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Tuesday 19 May

14°C

9°C

65 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 25.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Edit route

Download GPX

Move start point

Embed on a website

Report an Issue

Nearby routes

Hard

4.8

3,713

Striding Edge, Helvellyn & Swirral Edge loop from Glenridding — Lake District National Park

05:10h

13.1km

810m

Hard

4.8

3,739

Fairfield Horseshoe from Ambleside — Lake District National Park

06:01h

17.7km

890m

Moderate

4.7

3,661

Derwent Water loop from Keswick — Lake District National Park

04:45h

17.3km

260m

Moderate

4.9

1,737

Cat Bells & Derwent Water loop — Lake District National Park

02:27h

7.09km

360m

Moderate

4.9

2,699

Aira Force and Gowbarrow Park Trail

02:16h

6.96km

300m

Hard

4.6

1,020

Scafell Pike loop from Wasdale — Lake District National Park

05:09h

9.14km

940m

Moderate

4.8

1,052

Derwent Water & Walla Crag loop from Keswick — Lake District National Park

02:38h

8.42km

290m

Moderate

4.8

1,095

Scales Tarn & Blencathra loop

03:11h

7.31km

580m

Hard

4.8

1,014

Kentmere Horseshoe

06:22h

18.8km

930m

Moderate

4.8

1,051

Derwent Water Ferry & Catbells loop from Keswick

04:20h

14.3km

410m

Hard

4.7

772

The Langdale Pikes - Pavey Ark, Thunacar Knott and Pike of Stickle

04:23h

11.7km

730m

Moderate

4.8

741

Helm Crag loop from Grasmere— Lake District National Park

02:26h

7.37km

300m

Mardale Head – Small Water loop from Wood Howe

Mardale Head

View of Haweswater from Little Harter Fell

Harter Fell (Mardale) Summit Cairn

View of Kentmere Reservoir and Valley

Nan Bield Pass Summit

View of Small Water and Haweswater from Nan Bield Pass

Stone Shelters at Small Water

Small Water

Nearby routes

Sign up or log in to keep exploring this route

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️