Swirl How
802m (2633ft)
Swirl How is in The Southern Fells, The Lake District, Cumbria, England
You can walk to the top of Swirl How by using any of these 7 route maps:
Walk c303 Swirl How and Wetherlam from Little Langdale
A quieter alternative to the Coniston crowds.
   |
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 8ml (12km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 3,042ft (927m) |
| Time: | 5.75hrs |
| Grade: |  (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Fell Foot Bridge - Little Langdale - Hollin Crag - Wet Side Edge - Little Carrs - Great Carrs - Swirl How - Swirl Hawse - Keld Gill Head - Black Sails - Red Dell Head Moss - Wetherlam - Wetherlam Edge - Birk Fell - Greenburn Beck - Fell Foot Bridge
Walk c123 The Old Man of Coniston and Swirl How from Walna Scar Road, Coniston
Lakeland's easiest 'big' mountain
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 8.25ml (13km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 2,778ft (847m) |
| Time: | 5.75hrs |
| Grade: | (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Coniston - Walna Scar Road - Goat's Water - The Old Man of Coniston - Brim Fell - Levers Hawse - Swirl Band - Swirl How - Prison Band - Levers Water - Walna Scar Road - Coniston
Walk c167 Wetherlam and Swirl How from Low Tilberthwaite
A quiet alternative to the usual honey pots
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 8.75ml (14km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 3,584ft (1,092m) |
| Time: | 6.75hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Low Tilberthwaite - Above Beck Fells - Hole Rake - Red Gill Head Moss - Steel Edge - Lad Stones - Wetherlam - Red Dell Head Moss - Black Sails - Keld Gill Head - Swirl Hawse - Prison Band - Swirl How - Great Carrs - Little Carrs - Hell Gill Pike - Wet Side Edge - High End - Greenburn Beck - Low Tilberthwaite
Walk c179 The Seathwaite Round from Seathwaite (Duddon Valley)
Quiet and lonely (except for the Old Man!)
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 9.5ml (15km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 3,523ft (1,074m) |
| Time: | 7 hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Walna Scar Road (nr Seathwaite (Duddon Valley) - Long Houses - Brown Pike - Dow Crag - Goat's Hawse - The Old Man of Coniston - Brim Fell - Levers Hawse - Swirl Band - Swirl How - Great Carrs - Grey Friar - Seathwaite Tarn - Walna Scar Road.
Walk c306 The Old Man of Coniston and Wetherlam from Coniston
Superb views of Coniston Water
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 9.75ml (15.5km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 3,664ft (1,117m) |
| Time: | 7.25hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Coniston - Church Beck - Levers Water Beck - Crowberry Haws - Low Water - The Old Man of Coniston - Brim Fell - Levers Hawse - Swirl Band - Swirl How - Prison Band - Swirl Hawse - Keld Gill Head - Black Sails - Red Dell Head Moss - Wetherlam - Furness Fells - Coniston
Walk c222 Swirl How and Wetherlam from Coniston
The Consiton fells without the crowds
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10ml (16km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 3,584ft (1,092m) |
| Time: | 7 hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Coniston - Church Beck - Levers Water Beck - Crowberry Haws - Low Water - Brim Fell - Levers Hawse - Swirl Band - Swirl How - Prison Band - Swirl Hawse - Keld Gill Head - Black Sails - Red Dell Head Moss - Wetherlam - Furness Fells - Coniston
Walk c420 The Coniston Fells from Walna Scar Road, Coniston
Superb high level route
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 12.75ml (20.5km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 4,191ft (1,277m) |
| Time: | 8.75hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Coniston - Walna Scar Road - Boo Tarn - Torver Beck - Cove Bridge - Goat's Water - Goat's Hawse - Dow Crag - Goat's Hawse - The Old Man of Coniston - Brim Fell - Levers Hawse - Grey Friar - Great Carrs - Swirl How - Prison Band - Keld Gill Head - Black Sails - Wetherlam - Swirl Hawse - Levers Water - Crowberry Haws - Walna Scar Road - Coniston
Interactive Walking Maps
See Swirl How and the surrounding tops on our unique, downloadable, PDF Peak Bagging Maps:
NB: Whether you print off a copy or download it to your phone, these PDF Peak Baggers' Maps might prove incredibly useful when your are up there on the tops and you cannot get a phone signal.
*This version is marked with the walk routes you need to follow to Walk all 214 Wainwrights in just 59 walks.
See Swirl How and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:
The Southern Fells of The Lake District National Park
Less data - quicker to download
The Whole of The Lake District National Park
More data - might take a little longer to download
You can find Swirl How & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps:
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Maps (pink/magenta covers):
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, scaled, summited, hiked & bagged Swirl How
Richard Holmes walked up Swirl How on April 2nd, 2026 [from/via/route] Little Langdale [with] Hicks [weather] Perfect, no clouds, little wind, no rain. - Tricky up the edge with a dog.
Nick Tippins climbed it on September 26th, 2025 [from/via/route] c306: The Old Man of Coniston & Wetherlam from Coniston [with] Fran
Richard Fulcher bagged it on September 8th, 2025 [from/via/route] Parked near the Three Shires stone & set off up the path that joins up with the Wet Side Edge. We followed that path until it splits into two at the base of Great Carrs. We then headed off & up to Grey Friar. From there we turned around & headed up to Swirl How & back to Great Carrs. From there we descended back down Wet Side Edge & back to the car. [with] Jen [weather] Heavy rain at the start & then a sunny / cloudy day with blustery strong winds. - Great views all around, from Scafell, Bowfell, Crinkle Crags, the Langdale Pikes through to the Hellvellyn range & the Old Man of Coniston.
Sarah Gunn hiked Swirl How on July 27th, 2025 [with] Martin Gunn
John Ramsbottom summited on September 22nd, 2024 [from/via/route] Dow Cragg, The Old Man of Coniston,Brim Fell,Swirl How, Great Carrs & Grey Friar [with] Lola [weather] Mainly warm & Sunny - Good day with & Lola, went to Wilson Inn Tover, for a quick pint
To add (or remove) your name and experiences on this page - Log On and edit your Personal Mountain Bagging Record
. . . [see more walk reports]
Photographs & Pictures of views from, on, or of, Swirl How
High Light Haw (Top o' Selside) summit cairn with the Coniston Fells: White Maiden, Walna Scar, Dow Crag, The Old Man of Coniston, Brim Fell, Swirl How and Wetherlam in the background
The S for Sugar Aircraft Crash Memorial between Swirl How, Great Carrs and Grey Friar
The Old Man of Coniston (left) and Swirl How (right) from Wetherlam summit
Top o' Selside summit cairn with the Coniston Fells: White Maiden, Walna Scar, Dow Crag, The Old Man of Coniston, Brim Fell, Swirl How and Wetherlam as a backdrop
. . . see all 34 walk photographs & pictures of views from, on, or of, Swirl How
Send us your photographs and pictures on, of, or from Swirl How
If you would like to add your walk photographs and pictures to this page, please send them as email attachments (configured for any computer) along with your name to:
and we shall do our best to publish them.
(Guide Resolution = 300dpi. At least = 660pixels (wide) x 440 pixels (high).)
You can also submit photos via our Facebook Page.
NB. Please indicate where each photo was taken and whether you wish us to credit your photos with a Username or your First Name/Last Name.
Not familiar with this top?
