Stone Arthur

From Grasmere village, Stone Arthur looks like a short wall of rock on the fellside, a bit like a ruined castle. It is the end of the south west ridge of Great Rigg, and the rocks give it its character. The summit outcrop is known as Arthur's Chair, and among all the upthrust rock it is hard to be sure which point is highest.

Start from one of the Grasmere car parks and walk through the village to the A591 by the Swan. Cross over, take the lane beside the hotel, and turn right at the sign for Greenhead Gill and Alcock Tarn. Go through the gate by the gill, and the path turns left and climbs steeply. Much of it is engineered stone steps. The gradient eases for a while halfway up, then steepens again for the last pull to the summit rocks, where it can be boggy. In late summer bracken closes in on the narrow path.

There is no scrambling on the walking route. You can also climb from Mill Bridge by Tongue Gill, finishing on pathless grass.

From the top you look straight down on Grasmere village and its lake, and across to Easedale Tarn and many of the Central Fells.

Greenhead Gill was mined for lead between 1564 and 1573, and you pass traces of the workings in the valley. Few walkers stop at Stone Arthur. They carry on to Great Rigg and come back over Heron Pike and Nab Scar, then take the coffin road from Rydal back to Grasmere. That round is 12.5 km with 800 m of climbing.