Date: | 15th June 2016 |
Start time: | 08:00 |
Time taken: | 8 hours |
Distance: | 22 km / 13.5 miles |
Weather: | Warm and sunny at the start and for most of the day, light rain at the end. |
Route: | Buttermere (village) – Buttermere (lake) – Fleetwith Pike – Haystacks – Seat – High Crag – High Stile – Red Pike (Buttermere) – Dodd (Buttermere) – Buttermere (village) |
Waking up in Buttermere Youth Hostel in its picturesque setting I could take in most of the fells this walk would cover in one sweeping panorama by simple looking out of the bedroom window. For this adventure I planned to take in several high fells including the final resting place of Alfred Wainwright’s ashes, Haystacks, and HIgh Stile, possessor of the highest summit on the south side of the valley.
Starting beside the lake
Setting of at a bright and breezy 8am I hoped to have finished my traverse and be eating an ice cream in Buttermere before forecast thunder storms arrived later in the afternoon. The early hour and calm weather meant that Buttermere lake was as smooth as a mirror when I passed and I couldn’t help but stop and admire the peaceful and picturesque scene.
Following a path along the wooded southern shore of the lake, the water kept making an appearance through the trees, giving glimpses of the fells on the other side mirrored in its smooth surface.
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 040 NY 1731 1631-003 Buttermere lake](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-040-NY-1731-1631-003-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 046 NY 1765 1599-004 2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 046 NY 1765 1599-004](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-046-NY-1765-1599-004-450x600.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 047 NY 1794 1572-005 Buttermere lake](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-047-NY-1794-1572-005-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 062 NY 1881 1485-006 Chaffinch on a fence](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-062-NY-1881-1485-006-704x528.jpg)
Fleetwith Pike
Once at the end of the lake my sights turned upwards. Rather than taking the direct route up the ridge of Fleetwith Pike which looked a little daunting when I was stood at the bottom of it, I opted for what looked like the slightly easier option of going up via Warnscale Bottom.
The path, sometimes stone pitched, and sometimes not, roughly follows the side of Warnscale Beck up towards the col at Dubs Bottom. Turning round to look back to Buttermere and to my right into the gully carved by the beck, the views got progressively more interesting, the higher I went.
Once at Dubs Bottom I turned left and took a more or less direct line of ascent to the summit of Fleetwith Pike and followed a rather vague path. Perched at the head of the valley, Buttermere and Crummock Water are laid out in front of you from the summit, so I could see the progress already made and could look across what lay ahead too.
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 066 NY 1896 1477-007 Warnscale Bottom](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-066-NY-1896-1477-007-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 070 NY 1958 1492-008 Footpath through Warnscale Bottom](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-070-NY-1958-1492-008-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 091 NY 2053 1340-009 Footpath climbing to Dubs Bottom](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-091-NY-2053-1340-009-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 096 NY 2059 1416-010 Fleetwith Pike summit](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-096-NY-2059-1416-010-704x528.jpg)
Haystacks
From Fleetwith Pike I found a slightly less vague path and followed it down to Dubs Quarry. Here I crossed Warnscale Beck and started my journey to the top of Haystacks. The terrain between the col and the summit was varied and interesting, the undulating craggy nature meant that around each corner and over each lump something else was revealed in front of me. Blackbeck Tarn and Innominate Tarn were passed en route, and after passing several more undulations I reached the top of the renowned Lakeland fell.
The summit consists of a couple of small rocky outcrops separated by a small depression containing a mini tarn. I wan’t sure which of the three competing cairns is the highest so visited them all, before settling down for a quick lunch break behind some rocks, sheltered from the breeze.
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 108 NY 2097 1340-011 Dubs Quarry bothy](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-108-NY-2097-1340-011-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 123 NY 2014 1296-014 Blackbeck Tarn](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-123-NY-2014-1296-014-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 129 NY 1998 1295-015 Rocky footpath, Haystacks](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-129-NY-1998-1295-015-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 132 NY 1979 1297-016 Innominate Tarn, Haystacks](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-132-NY-1979-1297-016-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 138 NY 1932 1313-017 Haystacks summit](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-138-NY-1932-1313-017-704x528.jpg)
The High Stile ridge Trio
From the top of Haystacks I somehow didn’t see the direct path down to Scarth Gap so I decided to follow a very dodgy and loose path and headed down the northern side of the fell. It may have been steep and loose under foot but it was quiet, which it turned out the popular route from Scarth Gap wasn’t.
From Scarth Gap a long and direct ascent lay in front of me, up the ridge to High Crag via Seat. The path climbing Seat has received the Fix The Fells treatment and was pitched in large portions as it climbed in zig zag fashion up towards the subsidiary summit. Once there a final, scree laden section lay ahead before I reached the 744m high peak.
The route from here to the high point of this walk, High Stile, involves following a path close to the top of Eagle Crag, this provides stunning scenery and views towards Buttermere and a very interesting section of the walk.
Leaving High Stile it was almost downhill back to Buttermere, but first the path leads to the unmistakable top of Red Pike. Unmistakeable, because seen from a distance the bare earth of the fell is red.
The path this time follows the edge of Bleaberry Comb, a large corrie carved into the fell side. After a comparatively easy walk the summit of Red Pike is arrived at. The highest point is marked by a loose cairn formed of lumps of red stone, a similarly made shelter sits nearby. The top provides a place to view the length of Crummuck Water and a view as far as the west Cumbrian coast and beyond, as well as across the valley to the fells on the northern side of Buttermere.
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 142 NY 1920 1313-018 Ennerdale viewed from Haystacks](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-142-NY-1920-1313-018-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 144 NY 1893 1332-019 Path from Scarth Gap to Haystacks](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-144-NY-1893-1332-019-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 151 NY 1851 1347-020 HIgh Crag viewed from Seat](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-151-NY-1851-1347-020-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 155 NY 1822 1380-021 stone pitched path](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-155-NY-1822-1380-021-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 163 NY 1790 1405-022 Footpath on High Crag](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-163-NY-1790-1405-022-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 170 NY 1699 1453-023 High Stile summit cairn](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-170-NY-1699-1453-023-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 181 NY 1656 1480-024 Path from High Stile to Red Pike](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-181-NY-1656-1480-024-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 191 NY 1625 1510-025 Dodd viewed from Red Pike](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-191-NY-1625-1510-025-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 195 NY 1605 1544-026 Red Pike summit](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-195-NY-1605-1544-026-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 201 NY 1606 1544-027 Crummock Water](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-201-NY-1606-1544-027-704x528.jpg)
Returning to the village
The start of the descent from Red Pike is particularly tricky, it’s one of the many paths in Lakeland which is much easier (and safer) to go up then down! In this instance the fell has suffered badly from erosion leaving a steep, direct ascent on tonnes of loose red stone and earth. Much care and slowness was needed but I safely navigated it, and reached the top of Dodd, a subsidiary pimple on the ridge which descends from Red Pike down to the valley floor.
From here I descended a little further and reached the shore of Bleaberry tarn, nestled between Red Pike and High Stile which rise precipitously above. From the tarn, the path follows steeply falling ground down to valley level. For much of the descent the path is made from pitched stone, which when it’s dry, makes for a relatively quick and simple way to loose height quickly.
After leaving the open fell behind a short section of descending between the trees of Burtness Woods ensues before reaching valley level beside Buttermere where I’d been 7 and a half hours earlier in the day. Ahead lay just a short section of path before I reached Buttermere and a waiting ice cream at Syke Farm Tearoom.
Fortunately I reached walks end and got my ice cream before it started raining. Unfortunately it started raining no more than one minute after I’d left the tea room, ice cream in hand, so had to make do with enjoying my post walk refreshment under the shelter of a nearby tree.
At the end of the walk, returning to the Youth Hostel, I could reflect on a fulfilling and interesting days fell walking and could look out across the valley surveying where I’d been earlier in the day. I could also, with a limited amount of satisfaction, be happy that I’d made the right decision in setting off early, as I walked the final yards of the day with rain dripping off my waterproof jacket!
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 206 NY 1625 1553-028 Footpath ascending Red Pike from Buttermere](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-206-NY-1625-1553-028-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 207 NY 1639 1572-029 The top of Dodd](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-207-NY-1639-1572-029-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 211 NY 1645 1576-030 Birds eye view of Buttemere village](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-211-NY-1645-1576-030-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 010 NY 1725 1565-001 stone pitched path](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-010-NY-1725-1565-001-704x528.jpg)
![2016-06-15 High Stile Ridge 016 NY 1728 1613-002 Path through Butness Wood](http://www.thepathlesswalked.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-06-15-High-Stile-Ridge-016-NY-1728-1613-002-450x600.jpg)