Route: Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks
Area: Western Lake District
Date of walk: 8th January 2014
Walkers: Andrew
Distance: 7.1 miles
Ascent: 2,500 feet
I parked at Gatesgarth Farm. The climb up the nose of Fleetwith Pike started immediately, and there was no respite until I reached the summit. The views back along Buttermere and Crummock Water were as fabulous as ever
Having reached the top, my intention had been to return via Warnscale Beck, but there was some blue sky around for a change so I decided to extend the walk and continue to Haystacks
After admiring more wonderful views from the top of Haystacks, I descended to Scarth Gap, then down to Peggy’s Bridge and back to the car – what a great walk, and a fitting one to bring up the century of lake district walks since I started this site a year ago
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
The start of the walk - Gatesgarth, which is at the foot of both the Honister Pass and Fleetwith Pike
Fleetwith Pike
Looking back to Gatesgarth Farm and Buttermere
Fanny Mercer’s cross - she died in 1887 aged 18 while descending here
The Honister Pass
The only way is up
Looking across to Haystacks
Buttermere and Crummock Water
Gatesgarthdale Beck and the Honister Pass below
Warnscale Beck and Haystacks
Summit of Fleetwith Pike. At this point I decided to extend the walk by including Haystacks
Looking towards the Honister quarries from the summit
Another view down to the Honister Pass
Unnamed tarn (not to be confused with Innominate Tarn which features shortly)
Slate quarry
Hut in need of renovation!
I walk along a mining road in the direction of Borrowdale, but only for a short distance
Now heading towards Haystacks
Dubs Hut, once a quarryman’s shelter but now a bothy
Buttermere and Crummock Water come into view again
Looking back to Fleetwith Pike
The contradiction in terms named Innominate Tarn
Ennerdale from Haystacks
Summit of Haystacks
Descending to Scarth Gap
Looking across to Gatesgarth Farm
Looking back to Haystacks
Buttermere
Nearly back to the start - taken from the bridge over Warnscale Beck and looking towards Buttermere………
………and looking the other way from the bridge, Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks
