Slight Side
762m (2501ft)
The Southern Fells, The Lake District, Cumbria, England
You can find Slight Side & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps: (click/TAP to select)
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (the ones with orange/yellow covers):
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See Slight Side and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:
See Slight Side and the surrounding tops on our downloadable PDF Peak Bagging Maps:
*Walk & bag all 30 Wainwrights in The Southern Fells area of The Lake District in just 11 easy-to-follow circular walks.
*This version is marked with the walk routes you need to follow to Walk all 214 Wainwrights in just 59 walks. Click here for more information.
NB: Whether you print off a copy on to paper or download it to your phone, these PDF Peak Baggers Maps will prove incredibly useful when your are up there on the tops and you cannot get a phone signal!
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10ml (16km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,428ft (1,045m) |
| Time: | 7 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Eskdale - Wha House Farm - Hare Crag - Quagrigg Moss - Slight Side - Sca Fell - Symonds Knott - Foxes Tarn - Cam Spout Crag - River Esk - Great Moss - Lingcove Bridge - Brotherilkeld - Hardknott Pass - Eskdale
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10ml (16km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,401ft (1,037m) |
| Time: | 7 hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Eskdale - Wha House Farm - Hare Crag - Goat Crag - Dawsonground Crags - Cat Crag - Quagrigg Moss - Slight Side - Sca Fell - Symonds Knott - Hard Rigg - Burnmoor Tarn - Eel Tarn - Christcliff - Wha House Farm - Eskdale
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 11ml (17.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 5,409ft (1,648m) |
| Time: | 9½ hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Wasdale Head - (National Trust Campsite) - Wast Water - Lingmell - Corridor Route - Great End - Ill Crag - Broad Crag - Scafell Pike - Mickledore - Foxes Tarn - Symonds Knott - Sca Fell - Slight Side - Broad Tongue - Hardrigg Gill - Wasdale Head - Wast Water.
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 13.75ml (22km) |
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| Ascent: | 4,982ft (1,519m) |
| Time: | 10 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Very Hard) |
Route Summary:
Eskdale - Wha House Farm - Hare Crag - Quagrigg Moss - Slight Side - Sca Fell - Symonds Knott - Scafell Pike - Broad Crag - Ill Crag - Great End - Esk Hause - Lingcove Bridge - Great Moss - Eskdale
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 14ml (22.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 6,009ft (1,832m) |
| Time: | 9 hrs |
| Grade: | (Very Hard) |
Route Summary:
Eskdale - Wha House Farm - Hare Crag - Quagrigg Moss - Slight Side - Sca Fell - Symonds Knott - Mickledore - Scafell Pike - Broad Crag - Ill Crag - Great End - Esk Hause - Esk Pike - Ore Gap - Bow Fell (Bowfell) (North Top) - Bow Fell (Bowfell) - Bowfell Buttress - Cambridge Crag - Flat Crag - Climbers' Traverse (optional) - Three Tarns - Great Moss - Brotherikeld - Eskdale
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged Slight Side
Caroline Winter walked up Slight Side on October 7th, 2024 [from/via/route] Eskdale YHA, Wha house footpath, Goat crag, Cats Cove, Horn crag, Slightside [with] Graham [weather] Predicted heavy rain with VG views but turned out to be drizzle most of the day with strong winds & gusts. - Intended a rest day but fellow youth hosteller was to bag this Wainwright so Joined him, as my plan was to do tomorrrow with better weather. Others from YHA had struggled, coming off the route & we did the same, needing to get back on cause a few times & found ourselves hacking through bracken on way back. Winds ferocious on top, meaning we needed to cling to the roach face on the scramble up. Some aborted walk over to Scafell Pike & like us another had been knocked to the ground a few times passing over Scafell.
Ian Ashton climbed Slight Side on July 28th, 2024 [with] Solo - Ì
Christine Shepherd bagged Slight Side on May 10th, 2009 [from/via/route] I climbed this from Eskdale using walk c175 Climbed again 19.07.2021 from Wasdale Head after climbing Scafell via Lord's Rake. Made my third ascent on 9.5.24 just a lovely up & down from Wha House farm in perfect weather. [with] On my own [weather] Bright & clear - This was the last of the highest 100 Wainwrights which was my target before deciding to climb them all.
John Tippins hiked Slight Side on May 5th, 2023 [from/via/route] From Eskdale to Wasdale [with] Alone [weather] Warm & sunny in the valley, intermittent sun throughout the day.
Richard Marchant summited Slight Side on September 29th, 2022 [from/via/route] Parked at the Wha House Farm National Trust car park in Eskdale & basically this was a straight up & back walk from there. [with] On my Own [weather] Sunny clear day with no breeze.
Andrew Johnson conquered Slight Side on July 1st, 2021 [from/via/route] Wasdale [weather] Fair weather
Clare Tait scaled Slight Side on August 10th, 2021 [from/via/route] From pull in near Wha House Farm car park. Car park was full. [with] Charlie [weather] Dry & bright in the valleys; sadly cloud on the higher summits. - No. 72 Wainwright. Found this extremely hard. Took the route described as ' the easiest' through bog & over multiple streams. Slight Side had a horrible steep path of loose dirt & scree. Sca Fell itself looked huge & forbidding. More zigzag paths of scree. The top was covered in low cloud & there was no view over to Sca Fell Pike. Returned the same way although went wrong & stayed too high at the base of Slight Side. Glad it's done. Won't return.
Wayne Baxter walked up Slight Side on July 14th, 2021 [from/via/route] From Wha House farm car park (opposite the farm). Walked up to cats crag onto Slight Side. Onto Long Green leading to Sca Fell. Return same route. [with] Sue [weather] Cloudy with the odd sunny spell
Richard Marshall climbed Slight Side on July 31st, 2020 [from/via/route] From Boot. Fell off ScaFell [with] Bo [weather] Very Hot. Breezy on top
Paul Macey bagged Slight Side on July 14th, 2020 [from/via/route] On way too & back from Scar Fell from Eskdale Hard Knott passage [weather] Low cloud
Elaine Evans hiked Slight Side on September 23rd, 2019 [from/via/route] From Wasdale campsite carpark, via corpse road towards Burnmoor Tarn, ascended to Sca Fell then descended to Slight Side, back to corpse road & returned to car. [with] Sue [weather] Wonderful walking weather - fair, sunshine & cloud with a cooling breeze. Poor visibility on Sca Fell summit. - Very boggy ground on way up & on way down. Saw memorial to Polish pilots who crashed in 1941 - some wreckage still present at site.
Phillip Bulley summited Slight Side on September 8th, 2019 [from/via/route] Via Scafell. [with] Ruby. [weather] Sunny & warm.
Bay Wan conquered Slight Side on August 25th, 2019 [from/via/route] Slight Side to Scafell loop (avoided Scafell Pike like the plague because a) it was August Bank holiday weekend & b) I heard it was all bouldery so not really my bag) [with] Cocoa dog - 8 yrs old [weather] Sunny summers day. 25 degrees. Lovely with a breeze. Cooking without. - Path disappeared after about an hour on the way up to Slight Side at Whinscales & it's pretty boggy in most if the way, however, treading a lesser used path has its advantages being I saw no one until I neared Scafell! Didn't enjoy the scree descent down from Scafell & the boggy return, although the path was better here.
Michael Hope scaled Slight Side on June 10th, 2019 [from/via/route] Followed the route,except for Symonds Knott [with] Lou [weather] Fantastic day,scattered CU cloud,18'C at start,virtually calm - Called at the Woolpack Inn for a drink before returning to car. Lots of hens,a cock & a duck outside the pub fighting for our crisps. Also called at the King George IV Inn at Eskdale for a drink. There was a beautiful Border terrier in the bar,his name was Maltby.
Christina Lander walked up Slight Side on February 24th, 2019 [from/via/route] Dalgarth Station, Boot - Eskdale Moor - Burnmoor Tarn - Scafell - Slight Side - Eel Tarn - Boot [with] Dick & Meg [weather] A beautiful warm day, mostly sunny. Windy on the ascent of Scafell, but still on the ridge
Craig Steeland climbed Slight Side on June 26th, 2018 [from/via/route] Wha House Farm car park at bottom of Hardknott Pass [with] On my own [weather] Hot & sunny with no wind.
Chris Sheard bagged Slight Side on April 10th, 2018 [from/via/route] Up from Boot past Eel tarn. Pleasant to start becoming persistent rain then hellish gusts which blew both of us off our feet. Wild & wonderful. [with] George [weather] Started cloudy turning to rain & finished with broken cloud & sun - Cloud caused some navigation problems in middle section. rain & strong winds pushed us off track but recovered well.
Iain Jones hiked Slight Side on August 26th, 2017 [from/via/route] The Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, Great Langdale (The Wainwright 60 - Day 6 (Scafell)) [with] Graeme High
John Walter summited Slight Side on July 14th, 2017 [with] Tricia [weather] Warm
Simon Boddy conquered Slight Side on June 25th, 2017 [from/via/route] Eskdale [with] HF Holidays [weather] Sunny & breezy
Anthony Scott scaled Slight Side on May 4th, 2017 [from/via/route] YHA Eskdale [with] me [weather] Glorious! Blue sky, some white cloud, 15 degrees. Just a bit windy, gales high up!
Graham Staples walked up Slight Side on April 22nd, 2017 [from/via/route] Eskdale [with] Jeremy Baines, Peter Tesar and John Winchcombe [weather] Glorious - Very hard walking, scramble up climbers traverse quite challenging
Steve Cookson has climbed Slight Side [from/via/route] Eskdale [with] Gillie [weather] Sunny
Mark Davidson bagged Slight Side on November 9th, 2002 [with] Anne S, Sally, Tony & the gang etc [weather] Clear for November
Dave Eyes hiked Slight Side on May 12th, 2016 [from/via/route] Walked up from NT Carpark near camp site in Wasdale Head [with] Christine Eyes [weather] Sunny
Charlie Housley summited Slight Side on June 25th, 2016 [from/via/route] Ridge route from Scafell. [with] Solo. [weather] Poor visibility above 2500ft.
Tony Rogerson conquered Slight Side on June 23rd, 2011 [from/via/route] Eskdale Symonds Knott Sca Fell & Slight Side [weather] Low cloud
Philip Layton scaled Slight Side on July 14th, 2006 [with] Karen, Karen & Steve
Harry Meijer walked up Slight Side on August 30th, 2015 [from/via/route] custom walk [with] The Lake District Walker
Jill Dean climbed Slight Side on September 19th, 2015 [from/via/route] Wool pack inn [with] Grezzy and Jill [weather] Lovely - Anniversary weekend
Kevin Parnham bagged Slight Side on August 23rd, 2015 [from/via/route] From Woolpack Inn,Eskdale & Wha House Farm [with] Jo and Charlotte [weather] lovely day but very gusty - cows in upper eskdale
Leon Harvey hiked Slight Side on July 26th, 2015 [from/via/route] Boot [with] Solo [weather] overcast - Long
David Noble summited Slight Side on June 21st, 2015 [from/via/route] Eskdale [with] April and Beefy [weather] Overcast no views - Karl & sue & beefys 214 n April 214 x 6
Christine Knowles conquered Slight Side on May 14th, 2015 [from/via/route] Wasdale Head Inn via Sca Fell [with] Graham [weather] Pleasant, but very windy
Clive Ward scaled Slight Side on April 5th, 2015 [from/via/route] Eskdale - Wha via Terrace route [with] Hazel [weather] Almost perfect. Some cloud inversion but mostly sunny. - Easter Sunday
Colin Egan walked up Slight Side on March 26th, 2015 [from/via/route] Ascent from Eskdale [with] My wife Faith ans son Peter [weather] Very windy
Mark Hartshorne climbed Slight Side on August 23rd, 2014 [from/via/route] From Boot Camp site, through the tiny village & past the Boot Inn (which I remember as the Burnmoor Inn - 'Josie's Place' - back in 1980. Up the old Coffin Road to Burnmoor Tarn & then across the bog - fortunately dry - towards Scafell. Up beside the stream & a steep clamber on a reasonable path through scree & rock to the summit. Then along the ridge down to Slight Side & then across the moor back down to Boot via Stony Tarn & Eel Tarn & the wonderfully named Peelplace Doddle. [with] Flash [weather] Hot & sunny for ascent. Cloudy & breezy on top of Scafell. Sunny patches through the afternoon. - Flash's first Lake District Walk - and, boy, was he tired afterwards. A delightful climb from Boot on the Old Coffin Road to Wasdale Head & then a springy moorland stroll to Burnmoor Tarn. Good thing it was dry, making crossing the bog to Long Gill quite easy. A steep slog over grass & then scree to the top. Only a dozen others on an August Bank Holiday Saturday. Lunch then an easy stroll above Cam Spout & Tom Fox's Crag to Slight Side. A steep descent from there to the moor below & a faint path back to Boot as noted above. Got slightly lost at the very end & followed a poor path above the in-bye wall back to Boot. Flash found a stick on top of Scafell - somehow. Delighted! He found the scree hard work but coped well with boulders on top. A great day.
Keith Eastman bagged Slight Side on July 23rd, 2014 [from/via/route] c175
Bella Wella hiked Slight Side on June 15th, 2014 [with] Rosemary & Paul
Steve Frank summited Slight Side on April 18th, 2014 [from/via/route] Boot
Martin Leighfield conquered Slight Side on July 19th, 2008 [from/via/route] Boot - Boot
Derek Parkin scaled Slight Side on July 16th, 2013 [with] lynn parkin
Brian Laverty walked up Slight Side on July 27th, 2010 [from/via/route] boot [with] wendy [weather] rubbish
Darren Mortimer climbed Slight Side on December 2nd, 2012 [from/via/route] Eskdale [with] Dermot Palmer - Sunny with no wind & ice on the tops
Iain Taylor bagged Slight Side on October 18th, 2009 [from/via/route] Hardknott Pass (NY 20868 01018)
Mr Davison hiked Slight Side during July, 2012 [from/via/route] wha house farm to sca fell [with] jenny davison [weather] sunny
Colin Pomfret summited Slight Side on July 28th, 1991 [from/via/route] Brotherikeld
Patrick Rogozinski, Jenny Godfrey, Jane Wilkinson, Leon Potts, Louis Smith, Jonathan Tobin, Louise Sandwith, Linda Mckeogh, Trevor Longman, Claire Rigg, David Hughes, Simon Duerden, Peter Clark, Paul Booth, Jeanette Coward, David Hickin, Paul Henderson, Trevor Williams, John Kendall, John Cuthbert, Victoria Bates, Stephen Millington, Rob Barklamb, Martyn Rouse, Sam Mercer and Ray O'hara have all walked, climbed & bagged Slight Side.
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More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on or of Slight Side
From left to right: Slight Side and Sca Fell, Mickledore, Scafell Pike, Ill Crag and Great End, Esk Hause, Esk Pike, Bow Fell (Bowfell), Crinkle Crags (Long Top), Cold Pike, Little Stand and finally the shoulder of Grey Friar from the summit of Hard Knott
The Scafell Massif - Slight Side, Sca Fell, Symonds Knott, Mickledore, Scafell Pike, Ill Crag and Great End - from the summit of Little Stand
Slight Side and Sca Fell, Mickledore, Scafell Pike, Ill Crag, Great End and Esk Hause from Lingcove Bridge
Little Stand (foreground), Pike of Blisco (Pike o' Blisco) (left), Wetherlam and The Old Man of Coniston (right) from Slight Side
Harter Fell (Eskdale) (centre left), Cam Spout Crag and Slight Side (centre right) with Eskdale below from Ill Crag summit
The Scafell Massif - Slight Side, Sca Fell, Symonds Knott, Mickledore, Scafell Pike and Ill Crag - from the summit of Bow Fell (Bowfell)
The Scafell Massif - Slight Side, Sca Fell, Symonds Knott, Mickledore, Scafell Pike, Ill Crag and Great End - from the summit cairn on Crinkle Crags (South Top)
The Scafell Massif - Slight Side, Sca Fell, Symonds Knott, Mickledore, Scafell Pike, Ill Crag and Great End from Crinkle Crags (Long Top)
Send us your photographs and pictures on, of, or from Slight Side
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