Fleetwith Pike & Haystacks

[made in Scotland]

The weather forecast fooled us into thinking it wasn't going to be windy so we parked at Gatesgarth Farm parking and decided on the direct route up Fleetwith Pike. It looks steep from the bottom - and indeed it was! Head directly towards the white cross and you will find the path. It was quite well hidden by the bracken at the beginning.
Fleetwith Pike from just beside the car park.

Stopping for a break and a picture of Buttermere behind us.

Looking across to Haystacks - where we went to later on.

There are some smooth grassy bits and some quite rocky bits on the way up but easy to follow the path and the views are good.

After the final steep section, and thinking we were at at the top about 3 times before we actually were, we reached the summit.

Then it was off towards Honister and down through the quarry. We met a guy hiding in the quarry with a what seemed to be a gun but he quickly re-assured us that it was a game of laser tag or some such thing that was going on. Any way after meeting about 10 more similarly equipped people we got out of their way pretty quickly! So - onwards past the two Tarns, which were looking pretty today.

Then it was up to the top of Haystacks where the wind was howling like we'd entered another world. Made it to the cairns but couldn't stand up properly! We didn't hang around and moved down to the tarn area - still pretty breezy but at least we could stand upright.

After slowly making our way down the rocky section at the top we dropped down out of the wind and back down to the edge of Buttermere.

Last time I walked down here some of these fields were covered in bluebells, but today it's thick bracken. Too windy to stop and eat on Haystacks so having carried the food all the way around most of it was eaten in the car! Enjoyed the walk - the route up Fleetwith Pike is quite steep - I wouldn't fancy coming down that way - would be pretty harsh on the knees!

[thefallwalker]

interesting report as i am thinking of doing the same kind of route with my daughter in a couple of weeks, is it a suitable way up for a 14 yr old? she has done a couple of walks but now wants to get started on some of the bigger 1's!
cheers

[ChrisW]

Great report MIS, I laughed when you said you thought you were at the top 3 times.....I really hate that....it's so damn sickening to make a top only to look ahead and see another

having carried the food all the way around most of it was eaten in the car!

I know this feeling well after my last hike Lovely shots of the heather in the foreground too

[dav2930]

Nice walk that with very fine views. The ascent up the NW ridge of Fleetwith is steep but satisfying isn't it? The false summits are the downside of the level bits, which at least provide welcome respite from the uphill effort which would otherwise be unrelenting! Hard to think of it like that at the time though.

Shame it was too windy to eat your packed lunches on Haystacks; I think I'd have been inclined to bin them and go in the Bridge Inn for a proper lunch!

[made in Scotland]

interesting report as i am thinking of doing the same kind of route with my daughter in a couple of weeks, is it a suitable way up for a 14 yr old? she has done a couple of walks but now wants to get started on some of the bigger 1's!
cheers

Yes, I think it would be fine for a 14 year old, it's quite steep but there's nowhere where you actually feel as though you would fall off it! It actually has quite a bit of variety which makes it more fun. You really feel as though you're on top of something when you reach the summit due to the view straight down to Buttermere, you can see what you've climbed.


Thanks ChrisW - Ah yes - I see you carried your food a long way looking for somewhere to eat it too. Your pictures from Canada always look amazing - it just looks so crisp and clean somehow! Just like to get a bit of heather in the foreground to prove to the rest of my family in Scotland that we have heather down here too! They think the Lake District is full of "little knolls" when they see my pictures, which I suppose they are, compared to Scotland and certainly to Canada!

Shame it was too windy to eat your packed lunches on Haystacks; I think I'd have been inclined to bin them and go in the Bridge Inn for a proper lunch!

Yes, you're right about the ridge, there's just enough easy bits to make up for the steep bits and the fact that you can't see the top ahead of you makes it less daunting - straight up would be a bit of a slog!

You're probably right about the squashed sarnies as well! Why didn't I think of that? I'll bear your advice in mind for next time though.