Seat Sandal walk from Dunmail Raise.

Wednesday 15th October 2025

Walking Diary (All Walks) Lakeland Wainwrights Eastern

Seat Sandal walk from Dunmail Raise.

Day three of Ste and Rob’s Lakeland adventure was set aside for a single fell before returning home. The plan was straightforward: Robert needed to climb either Seat Sandal or Stone Arthur, as both were required to complete his Wainwright collection.

After weighing up his options, Robert decided on Seat Sandal. His reasoning was practical—he felt that Stone Arthur would be easier to tackle alone, at a later date, making Seat Sandal the preferable choice for this final outing together.

The information contained in the material on this Website is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice.
Distance: 3.4 miles
Duration: 2:45 hours
Ascent: 1781 ft
Difficulty: Hard
Accompanied By: Ste & Rob
Weather: Mild & Dry

Wainwrights Visited

Seat Sandal

3D outline of route

Parking

Parking at Dunmail Raise - the layby with the AA Phone Box

Why alcoholics need a phone box is beyond me though?

Over the stile and onto the fellside with the path running parallel to the busy A591.

Looking back in the direction of Grasmere where Helm Crag can be seen standing guard.

The left path takes you up the lovely path alongside Raise Gill. The right takes you straight up Seat Sandal.

I took the right, and with hindsight, especially for Ste, I should have gone left and done an 'out and back' - but we did come back down that way.

This was a bit steep! - after two big days of walking, tired legs meant grumpy friends.

Gradually reaching the cloud line, we could just see Thirlmere in the distance.

It was here that we said cheerio to Ste and gave him a 2 hour start to get back to the car before us.

It certainly was a slog up to the top, and not really much to enjoy along the way. I should have stuck with my original plan - Up to the top of Seat Sandal via Tongue Gill and back down via Raise Gill. That would have been much more pleasant, but would have taken an extra couple of hours I guess.

No cloud inversions up here, like we had yesterday! as we reach the top of Seat Sandal.

As we walk down the north side of Seat Sandal, I look back up to the top.

Would have liked to have taken a photo of Grisedale Tarn, but it just wasn't visible in this soup.

The gradual meandering path as we descend alongside Raise Gill.

Robert pleased to be down to only needing 32 more saw him strike a speedy pace as we headed downwards.

Plenty of lovely waterfalls on the way down

Steel Fell cab be seen directly ahead at the bottom of the valley.

And now to head back to the car - No night out tonight, but a coffee stop at Rheged services on the way back will do.