Steel Fell rises to the west of the Dunmail Raise road and can be climbed from the summit, or from Grasmere and Wythburn.

The northern ridge drops quickly to the head of Thirlmere at Steel End, while that to the south-east falls gradually toward Grasmere village, beginning down Cotra Breast.

The eastern ridge connects to Calf Crag, the next fell in the popular circuit of the Greenburn valley, crossing a narrow depression with a scattering of small tarns.

The southern face of Steel Fell falls over Blakerigg Crag to Greenburn, a feeder of the lake of Grasmere.

[2][3] The fell is most commonly climbed via the south east ridge, beginning at Gill Foot where the lane from Grasmere crosses Green Burn.