Hopegill Head

About Hopegill Head

Standing at an elevation of 770 m (2,530 ft), Hopegill Head is a peak forming part of Wainwright’s North Western Fells, on the north-western edge of the Lake District. It is also classified as a Hewitt and a Nuttall. It lies around 9 km (5 mi) to the west of Keswick and its parent peak is Grisedale Pike.

It is often called Hobcarton Pike locally, because of its location at the head of Hobcarton Gill. It has two lesser summits, both of which are also classified as Nuttalls – Ladyside Pike (703 m / 2,306 ft) and Sand Hill (756 m / 2,480 ft). There are stunning views of the Helvellyn range to the east from its small pointed peak. On a clear day, the Isle of Man and the Scottish Border hills are visible. A small cairn marks the summit.

Climbing Hopegill Head

A significant feature of Hopegill Head is a 130 m (427 ft) cliff, Hobcarton Crag, on the peak’s north east side. Here, the crags drop steeply down to Hobcarton Gill. Conditions are not suitable for climbing due to loose-lying, crumbly slate, but in winter the area is popular for ice climbing. The cliffs are owned by the National Trust and are the only known English home of the red alpine catchfly.

There are plenty of routes up to Hopegill Head’s summit – some will involve a bit of scrambling and paths with loose coverings may be slippery when wet. Many people approach along the ridge from Grisedale Pike or Whiteside, but there are routes from the Vale of Lorton and the Whinlatter Pass road along the north-west ridge and visiting Ladyside Pike first. Otherwise, Hopegill Head is often climbed as part of the Coledale Horseshoe, along with Grisedale Pike, Eel Crag, Sail, Scar Crags and Causey Pike.