Walk 63 - Red Pike - 1st September 2021
 

Wainwright's Walking Guide to the Lake District Fells - Book 7 The Western Fells

 

#148 Red Pike 2710 ft
#149 Yewbarrow 2070 ft

 

 

Distance
6.1 miles
Time
7.5 hrs
Lowest Point
209 ft
Highest Point
2710 ft
Total Ascent
3197 ft
 
Walk Rating - tough
 

Mini Route Map
(larger map at the bottom)

Go to start on OS map

Go to start on Google

   
   
 
 
  13.16 Yewbarrow towering over the early part of the path.  
 
 
 

13.27 Our return route is visible between the two crags - Bell Rib on the right and the lower Dropping Crag on the left.

 
 
 
 

13.45 A map check at the second gate but we still managed to take the wrong path shortly after this and had to retrace our steps for 50m.

 
   
  13.53 Panorama 583 A rather distorted view showing Dropping Crag above us.  
 
 
  14.21 Red Pike at the end of the valley.  
 
 
  14.33 Ascending the path that runs along the side of Yewbarrow.  
 
 
  14.57 Drinks break.  
 
 
  15.11 Approaching Dore Head  
   
  15.21 Panorama 584 From Dore Head looking south west.  
   
  15.22 Panorama 585 From Dore Head looking north east.  
 
 
  15.23 At Dore Head  
 
 
  15.25 Stirrup Crag above us.  
   
  15.26 Amazing views from Dore Head.  
 
 
  15.29 Stirrup Crag with the Scafells in the distance.  
 
 
  15.29 Kirk Fell and Great Gable.  
 
 
  15.31 Looking down onto Wasdale Head  
 
 
  15.31 Dore Head  
 
 
  15.41 Looking down on Dore Head.  
 
 
 

15.51 The Scafells appear above Yewbarrow.

Note for walkers - On this picture you can just make out the line of the path that we later took up the side of Yewbarrow, on the scree to the right of centre.This path was difficult to spot from the main path we had used to walk from the car park. The path is not marked on the OS map or app. However it was clearly marked on my Lake District app and from Dore Head where it starts it was quite easy to find. The path was clear all the way and although it crosses that bit of scree at one point it was otherwise straight-forward to follow and took us to the saddle of Yewbarrow in about 20 minutes. Wainwright mentions this path with some disdain in Red Pike (W) Ridge Routes !

 
       
   

If there are no witnesses about to tell of their shame, timid walkers may avoid Stirrup Crag entirely by taking the Overbeck path from Dore Head then turning off left on a thin path
which - via a stony zigzag beneath a line of low cliffs - slants up to the depression on Yewbarrow.  

 
   
Alfred Wainwright - The Western Fells, Red Pike(W) 10.
 
       
 
 
  15.52 The balanced boulder on the side of Red Pike.  
 
 
  15.52 Great views in all directions today.  
 
 
  15.54 Ascending Red Pike  
 
 
  16.15 Lingmell in the background  
 
 
  16.29 Yewbarrow  
 
 
  16.30 Reaching the ridge on Red Pike.  
 
 
  16.51 Lunch on the summit of Red Pike.  
   
  16.51 Panorama 586 Red Pike summit (Wainwright #148 2710ft)  
 
 
  16.57 Looking back along the ridge of Red Pike with Illgill Head in the background.  
 
 
  17.00 Mike reaching the second, slightly lower, cairn on Red Pike.  
 
 
  17.01 Great Gable behind Kirk Fell  
   
  17.02 Panorama 587 Great Gable, Great End and the Scafells.  
 
 
  17.08 On the second cairn looking back at the summit.  
 
 
  17.09 Looking back at the summit from the second cairn.  
 
 
  17.10 Black Sail Pass and Kirk Fell.  
 
 
  17.13 Pillar  
 
 
  17.20 Walking back down the ridge.  
 
 
  17.29 The Chair . . . .  
       
   

A summit feature that often escapes attention nowadays is an outcrop of rock that has as been converted into a comfortable seat by the erection of a backrest and side arms of stones.
This is the chair and a century ago was so well known that people spoke of climbing to the chair as today they speak of climbing Red Pike. 

 
   
Alfred Wainwright - The Western Fells, Red Pike(W) 8.
 
       
 
 
  17.29 . . . and the view from The Chair including Low Tarn and Middle Fell.  
   
  17.30 Panorama 588 On The Chair at the end of the Red Pike ridge. The Chair was off the track and we spent a few minutes looking before we found it.  
 
 
  17.44 Descending Red Pike towards Dore Head again.  
 
 
  17.44 Lingmell Beck in the distance and Great End on the horizon.  
 
 
  18.50 We successfully made the path that traverses the side of Yewbarrow from Dore Head and now have reached the ridge in the middle of Yewbarrow.  
 
 
  18.52 Time is pressing on now so we don't go to Stirrup Crag at the northern head of Yewbarrow but head straight for the main summit.  
   
  18.57 Panorama 589 Yewbarrow summit (Wainwright #149 2060ft).  
       
   

It is a feather in Yewbarrow’s cap that all four of the Lakeland’s 3,000 footers can be seen from its modest summit, but this is a freak of its position and not an indication that the view is everywhere extensive. 

 
   
Alfred Wainwright - The Western Fells, Yewbarrow 8.
 
       
   
  19.00 Yewbarrow summit  
 
 
  19.06 Looking back at the summit  
 
 
  19.08  
 
 
  19.11 Burnmoor Tarn on the far side of Illgill Head  
   
  19.14 Panorama 590 Yewbarrow  
 
 
  19.20  
 
 
  19.20  
   
  19.21 Panorama 591 As we descend Yewbarrow the view of Wastwater opens up.  
 
 
  19.24  
 
 
  19.25  
   
  19.29 Panorama 592 The path starts to drop steeply here and I had to put my camera away as I scrambled down. On the last bump of Bell Rib we could see a red tent pitched and we met the two people who had pitched it as the climbed up to the summit.  
 
 
  19.43 Looking down at Wastwater as the sun goes down behind us.  
 
 
  19.43 The end of the drop down the spine of Yewbarrow. The path goes down to the right here and becomes a more normal mountain walk again although there was a litle bit of scrambling to do about half way down. It was an hour back to the car park from here.  

 
   
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