Height: 780 metres / 2559 feet Grid reference: NY 44738 12577 Category: The Far Eastern Fells
Lying above Riggindale, Kidsty Pike is a regular perch for the Lake District’s only Golden Eagles.

Kidsty Pike from Twopenny Crag
Height: 780 metres / 2559 feet Grid reference: NY 44738 12577 Category: The Far Eastern Fells
Lying above Riggindale, Kidsty Pike is a regular perch for the Lake District’s only Golden Eagles.
Kidsty Pike from Twopenny Crag
Walked on
Start point: Mardale Head (NY 469 107)
Mardale Head – Rough Crag (Riggindale) – Caspel Gate – Long Stile – High Street – Straits of Riggindale – The Knott – Rampsgill Head – Kidsty Pike –High Raise – Low Raise – Castle Crag (Mardale) – The Rigg – Mardale Head
Distance: 8.5 miles Total Ascent: 888m metres Time Taken: 4 hours 30 minutes Start Time: 07:00
Weather: Sunny spells. 11oC.
It was beautiful this morning, very still and sunny and it was pleasantly warm climbing Rough Crag but as soon as I got to the High Street plateau it was covered with cloud which made it feel a lot cooler. It was a great day for it though and we were in total solitude throughout with just deer and sheep for company.
Walked on
Start point: Mardale Head (NY 469 107)
Mardale Head – Blea Water – Caspel Gate – Long Stile – High Street – Straits of Riggindale – Rampsgill Head – Kidsty Pike – Kidsty Howes – The Rigg – Mardale Head
Distance: 6.2 miles Total Ascent: 735 metres Time Taken: 3 hours Start Time: 07:00
Weather: Overcast and cold. 11C
The sunshine and optimism of an early start soon disappeared this morning with the bulk of fells being covered in cloud. I walked a round of Riggindale waiting for the summer to make a reappearance but was disappointed that it never happened, I was ready for it too with my shorts on…and of course my hat and gloves! No sign of the Golden Eagle today either although I did have a good look.
This is shown as a footbridge on the map although I wouldn't fancy chancing it when the beck is in spate!
Dougal seems to know where we are climbing to, up to Long Stile which has just appeared from the mist.
Rough Crag and Caspel Gate, Haweswater in view with the cloud lifting and then coming back again instantly.
Walked on
Start point: Martindale Old Church (NY 434 184)
Martindale Old Church – Beda Fell – Angletarn Pikes – Angle Tarn – Brock Crags – Satura Crag – Rest Dodd – The Knott – Rampsgill Head – Kidsty Pike – High Raise – Red Crag – Martindale Old Church
Distance: 10.6 miles Total Ascent: 1048 metres Time Taken: 5 hours 40 minutes
Weather: Long sunny spells. 13C.
Today I was joined by StridingEdge stalwarts Andy Lang and Gary Jones for a circuit of Martindale. The occasion was to take in my final two Wainwrights to complete my third time round them, namely Beda Fell and High Raise. After the early mist lifted, the sun shone making it a great end to the walk and of course to completion of the 642!
As we climb higher the mist completely circles Hallin Fell, here with Winter Crag in the foreground.
Bannerdale just before the mist started pouring over the tops from the south and obliterated everything for a while.
Angle Tarn in sunshine but Angletarn Pikes in mist again, showing how quickly conditions were changing.
Walked on
Start point: Mardale Head (NY 469 107)
Mardale Head – The Rigg – Rough Crag (Riggindale) – Caspel Gate – Long Stile – High Street – Straits of Riggindale – Rampsgill Head – Kidsty Pike – High Raise (497) – Low Raise (498) – Castle Crag (Mardale) (499) – The Rigg – Mardale Head
Distance: 10.2 miles Total Ascent: 1085 metres Time Taken: 4 hours 15 minutes
Weather: Sunny, a glorious Autumn day. 16oC.
I nearly never bothered today, it was wet and miserable first thing this morning but a chance hearing of the weather report on the radio made me get out as it was supposedly brightening during the day. I could hardly believe my luck as I reached Mardale, for the sun was shining and the skies were blue. This was a really enjoyable round (helped by the weather of course!) taking the direct route to High Street via Rough Crag, walking along the Roman Road, trying and failing to spot the Riggindale Golden Eagles and finishing off on the ancient British Fort on Castle Crag above Haweswater.
Looking across Haweswater to Lady's Seat and Castle Crag, the route used in descent from Low Raise later.
Mardale Waters from the Rough Crag ridge - Small Water is in the cirque to the left, Blea Water in the one to the right.
Haweswater Reservoir and Mardale from Rough Crag - Golden Eagles nest on the crags here, the only pair in England. The valley was flooded in the 1930's to create a reservoir for Manchester and the village of Mardale was lost under the water forever.
Looking south-west to the Coniston fells in the distance, Red Screes and the Fairfield group in the middle distance.
We could hear the bellowing of the stags in Martindale Deer Forest below - they certainly caught the attention of Angus.
Helvellyn from High Raise. Striding Edge is the ridge in the centre with Swirral Edge and Catstycam to the right.
Walked on
Start point: Mardale Head (NY 469 127)
Mardale Head – Gatescarth Pass – Adam Seat (1) – Little Harter Fell (2) – Harter Fell (Mardale) (3) – Nan Bield Pass – Mardale Ill Bell (4) – High Street (5) – Rough Crag (Riggindale) (6) – Rampsgill Head (7) – Kidsty Pike (8) – Mardale Head
Weather: Sunny with snow and hail showers.
This is the start of my quest to climb the 541 Birkett Fells!