Coast to Coast

Seat Sandal, Grisedale - Coast to Coast

More Articles in the Grasmere to Patterdale subsection

Col Between Seat Sandal and Dolltywaggon

High Crag and The Tongue from Nethermost Crag

Seat Sandal, Grisedale - Coast to Coast

Seat Sandal occupies a commanding position west of Grisedale Tarn, with its broad, rounded slopes extending further west and south west,
to the Pass of Dunmail Raise where the A591 cleaves the ridge. To the north the fell merges into Willie Wife Moor and the south flank of Dollywaggon Pike, while to the east it is flanked by Fairfield and Great Rigg. A classic 736 m Wainwright, Seat Sandal channels three notable watercourses down its western and southern faces: Raise  Beck, Little Tongue Gill and Tongue  Gill. After the two gills converge below its southern shoulder, Raise Beck becomes the headwaters of the River Rothay – an important tributary that flows through Grasmere and Rydal Water before reaching Windermere.

Seat Sandal South Aspect

From Dunmail Raise you can trace the course of Raise Beck in its steep valley, squeezed between Dollywaggon Pike and Seat Sandal . Beyond the broad southern shoulder lies Grisedale Tarn, although this is not the source of the beck; its springs rise near the Post just below Dollywaggon’s summit

Seat Sandal

Walking north along the Little Tongue section of the Coast to Coast path, Seat Sandal fills the horizon . The narrow land‑tongue itself begins at Hause Riggs and extends to the ford on Little Tongue Gill, offering a long, gentle rise towards Grisedale Hause

Gavel and Gavel Crag

The steep east face of Seat Sandal is known as Gavel. This crag is a massive stump of andesite lava forming the mountain’s upper ramparts, giving the fell a rugged, volcanic profile quite unlike its smoother western slopes.

Seat Sandal Summit Path

At Hause Gap a stony path branches west from the Coast to Coast trail and climbs directly to the 736 m summit of Seat Sandal. The first stretch can be hard to follow due to loose scree, while an easier alternative ascends from the north via the col linking Seat Sandal with Dollywaggon Pike

Seat Sandal Eastern Aspect

From the foot of the Dollywaggon Pike path, the whole east face of Seat Sandal rises in view, its rocky flank drops steeply towards Grisedale and presents a far harsher profile than the fell’s grassy slopes on other sides.

Seat Sandal Close-up

Seen from Dollywaggon Pike, Seat Sandal stands clear against the skyline with the silver ribbon of Windermere just visible beyond its ridge. From this angle the fell’s rounded summit and broad shoulders are framed by the broader Helvellyn range.

Hiking the Coast to Coast trail guide

Hiking the Coast to Coast is a digitally enhanced eBook designed to accompany you on your journey along the Coast to Coast path. Available on Apple Books for iPhone, iPad and Mac, the guide includes:
 • Mapping with interactive features
• Step-by-step route directions
• Hundreds of colour photographs
• Route conditions in different weather
• Historical and cultural points of interest

Whether you’re planning your trip or already on the trail, it’s a practical and beautifully illustrated resource to carry with you.

Coast to Coast Trail Guide
Raise Beck running between Seat Sandal and Dollywaggon Pike as seen from Dunmail Raise, with the steep valley pinched between the two fells. Seat Sandal rising beyond the narrow ridge of Little Tongue on the Coast to Coast path, its grassy slopes filling the northern skyline above Grisedale. Gavel Crag forming the steep andesite east face of Seat Sandal, a craggy volcanic block contrasting with the smoother western slopes of the fell. Rough scree path cutting west from Hause Gap across the flank of Seat Sandal, climbing toward the 736 m summit on a loose, stony trail. The full east face of Seat Sandal rising steeply above the western lakeside, its rocky ramparts dropping sharply toward Grisedale from the Dollywaggon Pike path. Seat Sandal viewed from Dollywaggon Pike, with the broad summit and ridge backed by a distant glimpse of Windermere beyond the Helvellyn range.