Lake District Sky Trails Pinnacle Ridge Extreme

The course

What you’re in for

Twenty-eight kilometres and 2,700m of ascent from Patterdale, and the only race here that Lake District Sky Trails themselves grade as extreme: five graded scrambles — Pinnacle Ridge on St Sunday Crag, the stepped ridge of Brown Cove Crags — knife-edge ridge-lines and scree descents, with long runnable climbs through the Glenridding mines between. A hundred metres of climb per kilometre. Half past seven in mid-July, ten hours. Entries are strictly vetted: you need to show Grade 2 scrambling, or lead, winter, alpine or solo climbing experience, before they will take your money.

Terrain and trail

Rock, and a lot of it with your hands on: Pinnacle Ridge is a Grade 3 scramble, Brown Cove Crags a Grade 2, and the ridge-lines are narrow and exposed. Between them, scree, loose steep descents, mine track and technical single-track. Fully marked, which does not make it any less exposed. Full mountain kit, and a shoe that grips wet rock.

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Train for it: routes near the start

Routes starting within 20 km of Patterdale, Cumbria, nearest first. Each one has a free GPX file and a TRP grade, so you can rehearse the ground before race day.

VERY HARD

Helvellyn via Striding Edge and Swirral Edge from Patterdale

12.7km · 824m climb · Loop · 1.0km away

This is the postcard round of Helvellyn: up the knife-edge of Striding Edge, across the 950m summit, and down Swirral with Red Tarn below the whole way.

Checked Jul 2026

VERY HARD

Helvellyn Range and St Sunday Crag from Glenridding

20.6km · 1,300m climb · Loop · 1.0km away

Seven summits of the Eastern Fells in one continuous high-level horseshoe, finishing over St Sunday Crag with Ullswater filling the view ahead.

Checked Jul 2026

VERY HARD

Helvellyn from Thirlmere

10.7km · 812m climb · Loop · 6.8km away

You gain the summit of a 950m Wainwright in well under an hour of climbing, then drop back to the car on grass you can really open up on.

Checked Jul 2026

VERY HARD

Helvellyn via Swirral Edge and Striding Edge from Thirlmere

11.3km · 998m climb · Loop · 6.8km away

You get the two most famous ridges on the fell, Swirral and Striding Edge, on a route that still starts and finishes on the quiet Thirlmere side.

Checked Jul 2026

EXPERT

Bob Graham Round Leg 3: Dunmail Raise to Wasdale Head

25.5km · 1,906m climb · Point to point · 7.2km away

This is the heart and the crux of the Bob Graham: the Langdale Pikes, the highest ground in England over the Scafells, and the notorious Broad Stand step onto Scafell.

Checked Jul 2026

HARD

Helm Crag, Calf Crag and Steel fell from Grasmere

13.4km · 639m climb · Loop · 9.7km away

Helm Crag gives you the Lion and the Lamb, the most recognisable summit rocks in the Lakes, and the ridge beyond turns a short outing into a proper little horseshoe above Grasmere.

Checked Jul 2026

All routes near Ambleside →All Lake District routes →

How to enter

Common questions

How far is the Pinnacle Ridge Extreme?

The Pinnacle Ridge Extreme is one distance: 28km (17.4 miles).

How much climbing is in the Pinnacle Ridge Extreme?

The 28km has 2,700 m of ascent.

How hard is the Pinnacle Ridge Extreme?

Not graded yet. A TRP grade is worked out from distance and climb measured off the course file, and there isn't one for the Pinnacle Ridge Extreme yet.

Is the Pinnacle Ridge Extreme course marked?

Yes, the course is marked. Navigation skills are not required.

What kit do I need for the Pinnacle Ridge Extreme?

We don't hold a compulsory kit list for the Pinnacle Ridge Extreme. Lake District Sky Trails confirm mandatory kit in their race information, usually in the final instructions.

What are the cut-offs for the Pinnacle Ridge Extreme?

We don't hold published time limits for the Pinnacle Ridge Extreme. If Lake District Sky Trails set cut-offs, they'll be in the race information.

What is at the checkpoints on the Pinnacle Ridge Extreme?

We don't hold a checkpoint list for the Pinnacle Ridge Extreme. What's on the table varies a lot between races, so check the Lake District Sky Trails race information rather than turning up expecting food.

Can I download the Pinnacle Ridge Extreme route?

Not yet — we don't hold a course file for the Pinnacle Ridge Extreme. Some organisers only send the GPX to entrants. If we get one, it goes up free, with no sign-up.

When is the next Pinnacle Ridge Extreme?

Sat, 17 Jul 2027, 07:30. Entries open.