Loading...
Name:Great How (Thirlmere)
Hill number:3861
Height:333.1m / 1093ft
Parent (Ma):2515  Helvellyn
RHB Section:34B: Lake District - Central & Western Fells
Nuttall/Wainwright area:Lake District - Eastern Fells
County/UA:Cumberland
Catchment:Derwent (Workington)
Class:Hump, Tump (300-399m), Birkett, Synge, Submarilyn,
Clem
(Hu,Tu,3,B,Sy,sMa,Cm)
Grid ref:NY 31379 18719
Summit feature:outcrop
Drop:140.7m
Col:192.4m  NY 3148 1779  
OS map sheet(s):(1:50k) 90
(1:25k) OL5S
Observations:cairn 70m NNW at NY 31347 18778 is lower
Survey:Abney level/Leica RX1250
Change log:show changes for this hill entry
GPS data:show GPS entries for this hill

Show Map

View on: Geograph  OS Maps  Streetmap  Magic  NLS  OTM

Full screen map

Show/hide GPS File for mountains/markers shown

Show/hide GPX File for mountains shown

Photos
Hill summit photo
(where available)
Hill portrait photo
(where available)

Click on a photo link to view photo on the hillsummits website

To contribute a summit or portrait photo for a hill
please contact the hillsummits website

N.B. Some hill summits are on private property or on land where there is no public right of way.  Permission should be sought from the landowner where access to a hill summit is through private land.
Please report via the contact page any logs you see below which describe or encourage acts of trespass.  Please quote the hill number and hill name.

Logged Descriptions  (logged by 309 users, only the latest 50 shown - Show all)ByDate of Ascent
started from jcn of A591 and Thirlmere dam road, used path along E side of hill and up to top from S. Return same way. With SCM.IanHHill15/03/2024
Parked on A591 near bus stop. Along to Dam head via path above Thirlmere then track to pointy cairn/Bench then a thash to the summit crag top brambles! Back via the track to the east side. Night, clear and cold with almost full moon lighting the way.N.Morters24/11/2023
Visited at 3am whilst on an overnight walk from Keswick to Grasmere. The path up to the cairn and bench easy enough to follow, but then the other summit outcrop did take some finding in the dark though I did make it across over there okay in the end after a bit of a long explore. Experiencing the calm after Storm Babet, so it was a good night to be out on a long walk.Alex C21/10/2023
Parked on the dam road, up the slightly concealed steps up into the woods along near the lake round to the south side and worked my way up on the paths. The summit is not the cairn. It is further south.clivevilla08/10/2023
From the path to the north just east of the dam wall. This was narrow and there’s easier access from the path to the south, which I used on my way out. Very unusual to climb a hill in the Lakes and not see another walker at any point.Richard21/09/2023
From A591 Rough How Bridge. 11 km, 540 m asc. Up by Shoulthwaite Farm and the forest track above Shoulthwaite Gill to The Benn. S to regain the track to Castle Crag. Down E to the dam and by the permissive path to Great How. Back by Bridge End and Smaithwaite. https://www.flickr.com/photos/samandjo/albums/72177720310334239SalmonJoe05/08/2023
Parked on A591 by junction with road to the Dam. Followed path on A591 side of hill until path junction with path to summit from the south. Returned via same route. With Nathaniel & LottyDave19/06/2023
Parked at road junction. Having ascended Smaithwaite Hill, I took the permissive path on the Thirlmere side of the hill and ascended from the south. There is a large cairn on the summit and a bench to sit on. Returned on the path on the east side, which is much easier and quicker than the one on the west side,JohnW08/06/2023
Bob & Duke Friday 12th/5/2023 Z 1328 hrs.DukeNukem12/05/2023
Great How, Smaithwaite Hill, High Rigg SE Top, High Rigg, High Rigg, Clough Head, White Pikekeithouk19/03/2023
perfect conditions in the lakes.holtsd12/02/2023
Parked at junction of dam road with A591. Walked to dam, then permissive path along E side of hill to S end. Followed track N, where blocked by fallen tree a path ascends to col between tops. N top s lower, and has a cairn and bench. S top is the summit.Minto01/01/2023
Rainy walk from Raven Crag with Richard Tony G Andy H . Tourist path around lake from dam wall ( no cars allowed on dam road)Denise 28/12/2022
Start from Layby. also The Swirls and Brown Crag.smocks and denims25/08/2022
Nipped up Great Howe from Thirlmere on Lakes, Meres and Waters backpack. According to GPS summit not at end of path with seat but through thick vegetation and fallen branches some way to the south.BURGESS09/08/2022
Start from road near the dam. Rain. Very quiet. No other walkers met.Rhialto31/05/2022
Parked in mudfest at NY 315194, immediately N of bus stop pull-in on E side of A591 (is not a lay-by). Walked SW along closed road to N dam then permissive path S along W flank and up from junction at NY 313184 (no waymarker until committed, some 200m up the track). 1 x squirrel seen (grey invader). Path R fork is easily missed where a tree blocks the track at a pile of logs. On reaching T-junction near top, the lesser path to the R, S, leads easily to S summit and great vista. The major path, L, N, leads to N summit, no view and an awful traverse to S summit over piles of slippery logs. Back to junction and then N along permissive path on E flank, which climbs a little at times.Isbjorn30/12/2021
Followed permissive path to Great How from lay-by (near Little How) on A591.RobB16/12/2021
Path half way along west side by lake then cut up hillside to meet track. False summit to the north then on 70 metres south to real summitvegibagger25/11/2021
Parked to the NNE at crossroads on A591. South top definately higher and better view. With J.David Evans22/10/2021
Enjoyable walk around the hill on permissive path and then to toptrimarc212/05/2021
A nice stroll up using permissive path from dam. Good views. With B and R.jenx05/02/2021
RRDPTH v wet. Lunch nr top Richard Tait05/07/2020
Parked near the dam and used permissive path along west side of hill to join summit path from south end. Nice views.PGCE12/06/2020
Legburthwaite > Raven Crag > Castle Crag > The Benn > Great How > Legburthwaite Just Me and H, Cold and Calm day with ground mostly frozen but actually felt quite spring like by late morning.johnkaysleftleg19/01/2020
parked on A591 walked back to a gate opposite Fisher place bridge over river and good path to summitcolinfielding08/01/2020
Couple of lower Birkenstock’s to get rid of cold. From A591 by LegburthwaiteAjm031018/12/2019
From Thirlmere Station Coppice car park to the south to give a slightly longer walk. Good path to summit which is a nice viewpoint.benalder28418/10/2019
Weather rather damp so decide to climb this little hill. It seems to have two cairns fighting to be the top. Seat near the top. Nice surprisejohnjennison11/08/2019
Last minute decision on a warm dayM6KIO04/08/2019
Bob & Duke Wednesday 1st/5/2019 Z 1955 hrs.DukeNukem01/05/2019
Trails and roads to the west still closed. Used the path from Bridge End farm and the ascent from the south on small paths.Moorponder02/04/2019
Parking to NNE near bus stop. Along track around to south of hill and then up. Following track and then path to HPPeterD29/12/2018
with Poppy & SezLittledave19/10/2018
Castle Rock and Great Howtomd418/09/2018
With K and RM from crossroads to NE. OS 1:25k map is not very accurate but access is no problem. Hill is rich in ticks and cleggflies.Ashley12/06/2018
Permissive path through the cottage currently closed due to severe storm damage. However, access still available a bit further south along the road. When reaching the path divergence almost at the top, turn right to reach the true summit. 3.9 km return. 1 hour.moorsman11/05/2018
Revisit of Raven Crag then onto previously bypassed summits. Road over Thirlmere dam was closed so parked on verge on A591 & walked across dam. Raven Crag-Castle Crag-The Benn-Great How. On own.MorecambeMonkey26/02/2018
very snowy then wet dayraymondwilkes14/02/2018
From The Green car park. 8/8 cloud, good vis. Solo.CJM25/11/2017
Via lovely permitted path alongside Thirlmere.Wycombe Wanderer05/11/2017
From Legburthwaite car park. United Utilities land, permissive path to 'their' top, which isn't quite the hill summit. Short thrash over the brash. Took a more direct and definitely more interesting descent route.jonglew31/10/2017
With U3A from Legburthwaiteian499312/10/2017
Nice walk round this hill from Legburthwaite (Bridge End), with the highlight the lovely woodland above the head of Thirlmere. With brother, Pete: followed an uphill track, leading to signposted paths, to the charming summit just above the trees- very good views, sunlit silver curtains of rain. This 2h or so saved a wet 2 days in Keswick and abandoning Dodd in the morning where the E side was closed due to forestry work. Excellent coffee (Italian high roast, Pete's favourite) and cakes just down the St Johns in the Vale road.pwheeler02/10/2017
Great Howe,Castle Crag and The Benn in the wind and rain.Path to The Benn not obvious.From gates on track at junction with paths to Castle Crag and Raven Crag follow wide forest track for 2/300 yards North to a forest track on your right.This track terminates after 400yds appprox half way along very feint path goes north into the trees soon becomes obvious.jocks113/07/2017
Parked by crossroads on A591 at 316194 (Space for at least 8 cars) – SW along road & just before dam, headed S. along path above reservoir – Shortly after LH bend a good track heads N. & at 313187 an old wooden signpost directs you to the right & up a good path to the summit. Returned along path on E. side of wood. (PM)gerrybowes12/07/2017
Good parking on the road junction at 315195. Walked east side of Thirlmere to south side of Great How and then up path to summit. Returned with GB on east side of hill. 80 minute walk.bolton12/07/2017
From P at NY306189. Visited both tops to make sure.summitsup09/04/2017
SR with Raven CragFrank27/02/2017
Easy approach from the south, two summits to choose from! Excellent view of ThirlmereArdensBold30/12/2016