Western Fells · Book 7

Red Pike [Buttermere]

Red Pike [Buttermere] is a Wainwright, one of the 214 Lake District fells in Alfred Wainwright’s Pictorial Guides. At 755 m (2,477 ft) it is the 62nd highest of the 214 and the 10th highest in the Western Fells.

Height: 755 m; 2,477 ft
Rank: 62; of 214
In area: 10; of 33
Difficulty: Difficult

Red Pike [Buttermere] in the Western Fells of the Lake District — Photo: Michael Graham via Geograph, CC BY-SA 2.0

About Red Pike [Buttermere]

A fiery-streaked summit on the Buttermere ridge with steep flanks and punchy traverses. Views over Crummock and into Ennerdale are vast. Best in settled weather.

From Buttermere village the favourite line runs up beside Sourmilk Gill. Park in the National Trust car park on the Lorton road or the National Park car park behind the Bridge Hotel; both fill early at weekends. The Honister Rambler (77) runs from Keswick between April and October. Go through the fields by the Bridge Hotel and up a stone-pitched path through the woods, then zigzag up beside the gill to Bleaberry Tarn in its corrie. More pitching leads to the col between Red Pike and Dodd, and from there it is loose stone to the top, finishing with a short, easy gully.

That loose stone is the tricky part. The eroded path is covered in small stones that roll like marbles, and coming down it feels more like kicking steps in snow than walking. The pitched steps by the gill are slippery even in dry weather. Walk Lakes' there-and-back, with a detour to Dodd, is 7.2 km with 725 m of ascent.

Other routes leave the Scale Force path and go up Far Ruddy Beck into Ling Comb, or come along the ridge from High Stile, and many people link Red Pike with High Stile and High Crag. On the Ennerdale side the only way up is by Gillflinter Beck.

Red rock

The colour comes from syenite in the rock and soil, part of the granophyre of the Ennerdale intrusion, and the eroded path shows it best. The top is sheer on three sides but grassy, with a large cairn and wind shelters. Few summits show so many lakes: Buttermere, Crummock Water, Loweswater, Ennerdale Water and Derwentwater are all in sight, along with Pillar Rock, Grasmoor and the nearby cliffs of Chapel Crags.

In winter

The small loose stones on the final climb from the Dodd col are awkward when frozen and worse under snow, and the old pitched steps beside Sourmilk Gill are slippery in any weather. The top is sheer on three sides, so take care finding the way off in mist.

Ridge Walk
Great Views
Potentially Dangerous
Waterfall Route
Dog Friendly

Sources: Wikipedia: Red Pike (Buttermere), Walk Lakes: Bleaberry Tarn, Red Pike, and Dodd, Walk Lakes: The Buttermere Edge. Updated 22 September 2026.

Summit

OS grid ref: NY 160 154
Latitude: 54.52742° N
Longitude: 3.29852° W
Area: Western Fells

Walking up Red Pike [Buttermere]

The nearest car park on foot is Gatesgarth Farm, 4.3 km (2.7 miles) from the summit along mapped paths. Directions to the car park

Route from Gatesgarth Farm

Distance: 4.3 km; 2.7 miles, one way
Ascent: 676 m; Total climb to the summit
Time up: 1 h 55 min; Allow 1 to 3 hours

Height in metres along the path from Gatesgarth Farm to the summit.

Times use Naismith’s rule, 5 km/h on the flat plus extra time for the climb, with Langmuir’s corrections. It’s a rule of thumb for the way up only, so add stops, weather and the walk back down.

The route follows paths mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors and isn’t a guided line. Check the mountain forecast before you go and carry a map and compass.

Red Pike [Buttermere] questions

Is Red Pike [Buttermere] a Wainwright?

Yes. Red Pike [Buttermere] is one of the 214 fells Alfred Wainwright described in his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, in Book 7, The Western Fells.

How high is Red Pike [Buttermere]?

Red Pike [Buttermere] is 755 metres (2,477 feet) high. That makes it the 62nd highest of the 214 Wainwrights and the 10th highest in the Western Fells.

Where do you park for Red Pike [Buttermere]?

The nearest car park on foot is Gatesgarth Farm, 4.3 km (2.7 miles) from the summit along mapped paths.

How long does it take to climb Red Pike [Buttermere]?

From Gatesgarth Farm it is 4.3 km with 676 m of ascent. Naismith's rule, with Langmuir's corrections, puts the climb at about 1 h 55 min, so allow 1 to 3 hours to reach the summit at your own pace, plus the walk back down.

How hard is Red Pike [Buttermere]?

Upfell rates Red Pike [Buttermere] as difficult, and parts of it can be dangerous in poor weather or visibility. Check the mountain weather forecast before you set out and carry a map and compass.

Which Wainwrights are near Red Pike [Buttermere]?

The closest are High Stile (806 m, 1.0 km SE), Starling Dodd (633 m, 1.9 km W) and High Crag (744 m, 2.5 km SE).

What is the grid reference for the summit of Red Pike [Buttermere]?

The summit is at OS grid reference NY 160 154, or 54.52742, -3.29852 in latitude and longitude.