Trail Running Planet · Lake District · Ambleside
Fairfield Horseshoe Extended
You get the full Fairfield ridge plus a there-and-back tag of Helvellyn thrown in, so a route runners already know becomes a proper full-day mountain outing without ever leaving a path.
Distance
33.1 km
Ascent
2,287 m
Descent
2,285 m
Max elevation
945 m
Route type
Loop
Est. time
5h 35m – 7h 35m
Grade
Expert
Navigation
map_skills
Parking
LA22 9AY
Dogs
Welcome
Best seasons
spring, summer, autumn
About this route
A big-day extension of the classic Fairfield Horseshoe from Ambleside, taking in Nab Scar, Heron Pike, Great Rigg and Fairfield before pushing on to Helvellyn and back. 33.1km and 2,287m of climbing.
Hazards & notes
Fairfield's summit plateau is flat, featureless and easy to get turned around on in cloud, with unguarded drops close to the path on the north and west sides. The Grisedale Hause link to Helvellyn is loose underfoot and adds a serious amount of remote, high ground with no easy bail-out once you're committed to it.
Emergency
Call 999 or 112 → ask for Police → request Mountain Rescue. Register Emergency SMS: text "register" to 999.
Full route, GPX download & live conditions:
https://trailrunningplanet.com/routes/england/lake-district/ambleside/fairfield-horseshoe-extended
trailrunningplanet.com