Get Lost Mountaineering

Fleetwith Pike from Gatesgarth Farm car park.

Start/Finish

Gatesgarth car park at the foot of Honister Pass on the Buttermere side.

Distance/Time

4 km      Approx 4 hours

Peaks

Fleetwith Pike, 648 m, NY 206 142     OL 4   The English Lakes   North Western Area

Introduction

This walk is worth saving for a clear day as there are excellent views in all directions including the Scafells, Skiddaw and Blencathra as well as Haystacks, the High Stile range, Pillar, the Robinson range, Grasmoor and the Grisedale Pike range not to mention Buttermere and Crummock Water.

Route

(1) From Gatesgarth Farm car park, walk back towards Honister Pass to reach a path aiming for the obvious nose of Fleetwith Pike. The path is grassy and faint to start with but soon improves and passes to the left of the obvious white cross on the lower slopes before winding its way on to the crest where a good path can be followed all the way, with a little very easy scrambling, to the large summit cairn of Fleetwith Pike, 648 m.

(2) Descend roughly S from the summit on a faint path towards the old quarry workings. You are aiming for the path on the N side of the beck (stream) flowing down to Warnscale Bottom. Be careful not to drift too far W as this will lead you into the steep and loose crags. Once on the path, follow it back to Gatesgarth Farm.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 24^th September, 2010.

(b) If starting at Buttermere village, there is a very pleasant walk around Buttermere on its S side with very good views of Fleetwith Pike.