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| Red Pike (Lake District) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Red Pike (Lake District) |
| Elevation m | 826 |
| Prominence m | 61 |
| Location | Cumbria, England |
| Range | Lake District National Park, Western Fells |
| Grid ref | NY136128 |
Red Pike (Lake District) is a fell in the Western Fells of the Lake District National Park in Cumbria, England. It lies between the valleys of Ennerdale and Buttermere and is noted for its red-tinted stone pavements and classic mountain views toward Buttermere Moss and Crummock Water. The summit and ridges link to nearby peaks such as Pillar, High Stile, and Ruddy Gill, making it a popular objective for walkers from Buttermere Village, Ennerdale Bridge, and the Coledale approaches.
Red Pike sits within the Western Fells subgroup of the Lake District and occupies a ridge between Buttermere and Ennerdale. The fell forms part of a horseshoe containing Haystacks and Steeple and connects via narrow cols to High Stile and High Crag-adjacent summits. Drainage from its flanks feeds into River Cocker via Crummock Water and into River Ehen via Ennerdale Water, linking to wider Irish Sea catchments. Prominent topographical features include a grassy summit, steep crags above Scale Force and deep gullies such as Rannerdale Knotts, with late-glacial corrie remnants and patterned ground evident on upper slopes.
Common ascents begin at Buttermere Village or the Ennerdale Bridge car park, following old miners' tracks, stone-built paths, and natural ridges used historically by shepherds from Keswick and Cockermouth. Popular lines include the ridge walk from Pillar or the direct climb from Buttermere Tarn via Rannerdale and the well-scribed path from Lanthwaite Green. The fell forms part of long-distance routes connecting to Wasdale and Mosedale and features on itineraries with Great Gable, Scafell Pike, and Helvellyn for ridge-bagging enthusiasts. Mountaineers often combine Red Pike with Haystacks for circuit walks noted in Alfred Wainwright guides and modern guidebooks by authors linked with the British Mountaineering Council.
Red Pike's lithology reflects the complex Ordovician and Devonian history of the Lake District; the fell exhibits outcrops of skiddaw slate, andesite, and tuff from ancient volcanic episodes associated with the Borrowdale Volcanic Group. Glacial sculpting during the Last Glacial Maximum carved the corries and U-shaped valleys such as Rannerdale and the basin now occupied by Crummock Water. Mineralization in the area historically attracted small-scale extraction documented in regional surveys alongside exposures similar to those at Honister Pass and Coniston. The red hue on some scree slopes arises from iron-rich weathering analogous to deposits recorded in Cumbria mining records and demonstrated in nearby Kirkstone Pass exposures.
The fell supports upland heath and montane grassland habitats typical of the Lake District fells, with vegetation mosaics of heather, bilberry, and acid-tolerant grasses. Faunal assemblages include upland birds associated with BirdLife International priority habitats such as curlew, red grouse, and occasional peregrine falcon activity recorded on crag faces. Mammals such as red deer, mountain hare, and stoat frequent the slopes, while peatland and flush areas support sphagnum bog communities similar to conservation sites designated under Site of Special Scientific Interest frameworks in Cumbria. Grazing regimes by Cumbrian sheep and historical drove routes have shaped the vegetation patterns, intersecting modern conservation initiatives by organizations like the National Trust.
Human use of the Red Pike area traces from prehistoric transhumance through medieval sheep farming to 18th–19th century industrial activity linked to Keswick and Cockermouth markets. The fell features in the writings of William Wordsworth-era contemporaries and in pictorial landscapes by artists associated with the Romanticism movement and the Pictorialism tradition in British landscape art. Alfred Wainwright's A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells popularized routes here, while local lore ties the ridge to shepherding families documented in parish records of Buttermere, Lorton, and Ennerdale. Modern conservation and outdoor recreation policy affecting Red Pike has involved agencies such as the Lake District National Park Authority and stewardship schemes run in partnership with the Environment Agency and the National Trust.
Red Pike is a frequented destination for hillwalkers, photographers, and naturalists visiting the Lake District National Park, with mountain rescue incidents attended by teams from Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team and neighboring volunteer units. Walkers should prepare with maps such as those by Ordnance Survey and be aware of rapidly changing weather influenced by Atlantic systems tracked by the Met Office. Hazards include steep, eroded paths, loose scree above crags, and mist-induced disorientation noted in accident reports archived by the Mountain Rescue Committee. Responsible recreation aligns with Countryside Code principles and local Access to the Countryside agreements administered by the Lake District National Park Authority and landowners.
Category:Fells of the Lake District Category:Mountains and hills of Cumbria