Seat Sandal

Smooth grass runs down the west side of Seat Sandal towards Grasmere and Dunmail Raise. The east side falls steeply in crags to Grisedale Hause, and out there Gavel Crag is joined to the main fell by a rock arete.

The quickest start is the lay-by on the A591 at the top of Dunmail Raise, where there is an AA phone box. Cross the stile and follow the path beside the road to Raise Beck. The path climbs beside the beck, and there are small waterfalls on the way. At about 580 metres, where the beck runs out, turn south up easy grass slopes to the summit. A steeper direct line goes straight up the fell from lower down. The round trip is about 5.5 km with 540 metres of climbing.

From Grasmere, the old packhorse route to Patterdale, now part of the Coast to Coast Walk, leads to Grisedale Hause at 537 metres. From the hause you climb steeply beside a broken wall to the top. You can also go straight up the western slopes from Mill Bridge.

None of these routes involves scrambling. The ground is steep in places, but it is all grass and path.

Fairfield and the Helvellyn range block much of the view, but westward it opens out across the fells. On a clear day you can see the Solway Firth and Criffel in the north west, and Morecambe Bay to the south.