Height: 370 metres / 1214 feet Grid reference: SD 18639 93401 Category: The Outlying Fells

The Pike

‘The Grand National’ on The Pike summit.
Height: 370 metres / 1214 feet Grid reference: SD 18639 93401 Category: The Outlying Fells
The Pike
‘The Grand National’ on The Pike summit.
Walked on
Start point: Hole House (SD 181 930)
Hole House – Hesk Fell – The Pike – Hole House
Distance: 3 miles Total Ascent: 300 metres Time Taken: 1 hour 30 minutes
Weather: Rain. 12oC.
It was sunny and warm when I left the car this afternoon for a short walk up to Hesk Fell – that changed within 200 yards to heavy rain, which lasted for virtually the rest of the walk – so that meant we got a real soaking! A good walk for Casper’s steep learning curve to become a fell walking maestro this one – we encountered a stream crossing (not good, but he’ll learn), fences (not good, but he’ll learn), a ladder stile (you’ve guessed it) and sheep (okay on this one, thankfully!).
Walked on
Start point: Woodend Bridge on the Birker Fell road. (SD 179 963)
Woodend Bridge, Birker Fell road – Hesk Fell (OF) – The Pike (OF) – Woodend Bridge, Birker Fell road
Distance: 4.5 miles Total Ascent: 392 metres Time Taken: 1 hour 30 minutes
Weather: Hazy and overcast, 11oC.
Now that is BST, I had a late evening walk up to Hesk Fell, which is a featureless pudding basin between the Duddon and Esk valleys, and then to The Pike which is more interesting due to the views of the Duddon Valley lying steeply below.
This walk is the one described in Wainwright’s Hesk Fell chapter in his book ‘The Outlying Fells of Lakeland’, page 140 with the addition of lots of electric fences!
Walked on
Start point: Hole House (SD 181 930)
Hole House – The Pike (9) – Hesk Fell (10) – Seat How (Birker Moor) (11) – Rough Crag (Birker Moor) (12) – Water Crag (13) – The Knott on Stainton Fell (14) – White Pike on Birkby Fell (15) – Woodend Height (16) – Yoadcastle (17) – Stainton Pike (18) – Whitfell (19) – Burn Moor (20) – Kinmont Buck Barrow (21) – Great Paddy Crag (22) – Buck Barrow (23) – Plough Fell (24) – Bigert (25) – Hole House
Weather: Dull and overcast with hill fog and sunny spells.
Stainton Pike from The Knott - 'Seen from The Knott, Stainton Pike assumes the pyramidal shape of Bowfell..'. AW
Stainton Pike, White Pike, Woodend Height and Yoadcastle from the ascent of Whitfell. Holehouse Tarn is in the foreground.
The sun shines! The Coniston range from Plough Fell summit - Grey Friar and Swirl How to the left of the dip, then Brim Fell, Dow Crag, Coniston Old Man, Buck Pike and Brown Pike.