Val & I had started this walk before back in 2016, as detailed here, but it was clearly too much for Val and so we cut it short. So upon returning to the Lakes in May 2018, I set off by myself.
Again catching the bus to Honister Mines, I set off to climb Hay Stacks and Buttermere Edge, which included High Crag, High Stile and Red Pike.
This was a "glad I've done it, but never again" walk! All the loose scree along Buttermere edge made ascent hard and descent positively scary. If anyone asked by advice - I'd say take walking poles to help balance and move on the scree.
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| My route, as recorded in Viewranger |
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| Off the walkers bus |
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| The way ahead |
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| Climbing the Tramway |
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| Dubs Hut |
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| Some of the peaks I'm about to climb, Hay Stacks to the right and High Stile to the left |
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| Follow that path |
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| First view of Buttermere |
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| A Tarn |
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| A well trodden path |
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| First (of many) selfies, as I climb Hay Stacks |
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| Innominate Tarn - the final resting place of Alfred Wainwright |
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| Innominate Tarn from another direction |
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| That's enough of rest. Onwards ! |
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| There are plenty more peaks around to climb another day. Is that Grey Gable ? |
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| Not far now (to my first peak anyway) |
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| The view from Hay Stacks, with High Stile in the center |
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| Selfie atop Haystacks (1,960 ft) with High Crag in the background and Buttermere to the right |
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| Another view from Hay Stacks |
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| Looking back at Hay Stacks |
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| Starting to climb High Crag |
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| Looking back at Hay Stacks, you can see how steep the descent was |
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| Looking up at High Crag |
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What ! I've just climbed for ages - there's more !
Little did I know that it was the scree field near the top that was to be the really hard part. |
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| Selfie atop High Crag (2,441 ft) with Haystacks in the background to the right |
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| Next, we go along a relatively flat ridge - which is very welcome after climbing all that scree. |
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| First view of Ennerdale Water |
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| Hay Stacks (center left with path) seems quite small now |
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| Next up - High Stile |
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| Still seems a long way off |
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| Not there yet - but good views to Crummock Water below |
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| View from High Stile - Ennerdale to the left, Red Pike ahead and Crummock to the right |
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| Selfie atop High Stile (2,664 ft). Red Pike is hidden behind my head, but Bleaberry Tarn and Crummock Water are both visible. |
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| View from High Stile, with Red Pike to the left |
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| Looking down to Buttermere Village |
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| My walk to Red Pike |
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| View from Red Pike, with The Saddle in the center of the two lakes. |
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| Selfie atop Red Pike (2,476 ft) with Crummock Water to the right and Scotland visible in the far background. |
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| Looking back up the scramble I've just descended - the worst part of the walk |
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| Bleaberry Tarn, from which Sourmilk Gill flows |
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| Descending to Buttermere Village |
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| Catching up with other walkers, as I near the valley floor |
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| At the 'bottom' at last! Buttermere Dubs - which flows from Buttermere to Crummock Water |
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| Buttermere from water level |
... and from there, I had to run to catch my walkers bus home !
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| Route and Stats |
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| Viewranger reckons I got to 2,610 feet. I think it was higher ! |
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