Red Pike, High Stile and High Crag from Buttermere

The walk starts from the National Park car park in Buttermere village. It follows the lakeshore path through Burtness Wood and climbs to Scarth Gap, then turns west up the steep ridge of Seat and Gamlin End to High Crag. The ridge continues along the rim of the combes over High Stile to Red Pike. From Red Pike the path drops to Bleaberry Tarn and down the steep pitched path beside Sourmilk Gill, which falls nearly 400 m to the lake.

It is 12.5 km with 899 m of ascent; allow about 6½ hours. The grade is Hard: steep, loose ground on Gamlin End and Red Pike.

Gamlin End and the descent from Red Pike are steep, with loose scree, and the ridge runs close to sheer crags, so take care in wind and mist. The pitched stones beside Sourmilk Gill are very slippery when wet. In winter the ridge can hold snow and ice.

The car park charges a fee; there is a National Trust car park nearby too. The 77 and 77A buses run from Keswick from March to November.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.