Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge up High Crag: route map, distance and time
745 m · Cumbria
High Crag is a 745 m fell at the south-eastern end of the High Stile ridge, above Buttermere, reached from Scarth Gap up the scree of Gamlin End.
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Buttermere village National Trust car park.
The Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge starts at about 130 m and gains 814 m over 7.7 km to 716 m on the track. The first 2 km are the easy part, averaging -1%. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 4 km, which climbs 327 m at an average of 33%, with a 500 m stretch from 3.1 km at about 37%. The final 0.7 km eases to the top. About 26% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge at a glance
| Distance | 7.7 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Climb on the track | 814 m up, 224 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 100 m to 803 m (summit 745 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 37%, from 3.1 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 26% of the way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Buttermere village National Trust car park, CA13 9UZ |
| Start grid reference | NY 172 172 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 180 139 |
| Parking | Buttermere village National Trust car park |
Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge map
The track from the start (green) to the summit (blue), with a marker at each kilometre.
Height profile and getting to the start
Near the start
- The Buttermere Court Hotel0.4 km
- Syke Farm Tea Room0.4 km
- Croft House Farm Café0.4 km
- Public toilets0.4 km
- Syke Farm Campsite0.3 km
- Dalegarth Guest House Camp Site1.9 km
From OpenStreetMap, within 2 km. Check opening times before you rely on them.
Download the Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge GPX
Ascent only: plan your way down. A planning track, not checked on the ground; it doesn't show safe scrambling moves. Track data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), heights from a terrain model.
Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge kilometre by kilometre
Height, climb and average gradient for each kilometre of the track, with a grid reference at the end of each one to check your position on the map.
| At | Height | Climb | Gradient | Grid ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 110 m | -20 m | -2% | NY 173 169 |
| 2 km | 106 m | -4 m | 0% | NY 167 165 |
| 3 km | 302 m | +197 m | 20% steep | NY 162 164 |
| 4 km | 630 m | +327 m | 33% steep | NY 163 156 |
| 5 km | 712 m | +82 m | 8% | NY 162 151 |
| 6 km | 797 m | +85 m | 9% | NY 169 148 |
| 7 km | 692 m | -106 m | -11% | NY 175 142 |
| 7.7 km | 716 m | +25 m | 4% | NY 180 140 |
How long the Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 2h 20m | 3h 40m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 2h 55m | 4h 25m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 3h 35m | 5h 30m |
Times leave out stops. Coming down the same way, the table counts the ascent once; steep descents on rough ground can be as slow as the climb.
High Crag summit weather for this route
-
Marginal Today Monday 19 October
Overcast, up to 9°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -1°C, summit wind 34 mph gusting 42 mph, 29% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:06.
-
Marginal Tomorrow Tuesday 20 October
Dense drizzle, up to 8°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -2°C, summit wind 28 mph gusting 35 mph, 69% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:51, sunset 18:04.
Best day of the next seven for the Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge: Monday 19 October, with summit gusts around 42 mph and a 29% chance of rain.
Hour-by-hour High Crag forecast
Before you go, also check: MWIS Lake District forecast · Met Office mountain forecast · Weatherline fell top conditions.
What to take today
- An insulated jacket, hat and warm gloves: it feels like -1°C on top.
- A waterproof jacket. It can rain on the tops in any forecast.
- A windproof layer, and poles for balance in gusts to 42 mph.
- Map and compass, and the skills to use them. A phone is a backup, not a plan.
- A head torch, food, water, a charged phone and a small first aid kit.
About High Crag
High Crag is a 745 m fell at the south-eastern end of the High Stile ridge, above Buttermere, reached from Scarth Gap up the scree of Gamlin End. More about High Crag, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Hewitt, Nuttall, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- High Stile (807 m), 1.3 km north-west
- High Stile (806 m), 1.5 km north-west
- Haystacks (597 m), 1.5 km south-east
- Pillar Rock (780 m), 1.9 km south-west
- Pillar (892 m), 2.1 km south-west
- Looking Stead (628 m), 2.3 km south
Challenges that include High Crag
More walks from Buttermere village National Trust car park
Routes in Peakify's guides that start within 500 m of this one, for another day from the same car park.
- Buttermere via Whiteless Pike up Crag Hill
- Buttermere via Scarth Gap up Fleetwith Pike
- Buttermere via Whiteless Pike up Grasmoor
- Buttermere via Red Pike and the Ennerdale ridge up Great Borne
- Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge up High Stile
- Buttermere via Scarth Gap up High Stile
- Buttermere along the ridge up Rannerdale Knotts
- Buttermere via Bleaberry Tarn up Red Pike
- High Stile ridge up Red Pike
- Buttermere via Red Pike up Starling Dodd
- Buttermere via Whiteless Pike up Wandope
- Buttermere via Whiteless Breast up Whiteless Pike
Other routes up High Crag
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gatesgarth via Scarth Gap and Gamlin End | 3.4 km one way | 681 m | 1h 50m | Moderate |
| Buttermere ridge traverse | 2.9 km one way | 637 m | 1h 40m | Hard |
| Buttermere via Scarth Gap | 6.9 km one way | 690 m | 2h 30m | Hard |
In an emergency
Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at NY 172 172, the summit at NY 180 139), what happened and how many are in your group. If you have no signal for a call, a text to 999 works once you have registered your phone with emergencySMS: text "register" to 999 before you go.
Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge: questions and answers
How far is the Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge?
The Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge is 7.7 km one way to the summit of High Crag. There and back by the same way is about 15.4 km.
How steep is the Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge?
The steepest 500 m averages about 37%, starting 3.1 km from the start, and 26% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. The Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge climbs 814 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for the Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge?
The Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge starts from Buttermere village National Trust car park (postcode CA13 9UZ). The grid reference is NY 172 172. Buttermere village National Trust car park
Is the Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge suitable for beginners?
Not as a first mountain. Peakify grades it Hard: steep, rough ground where a slip matters. Build up on an easier route first, such as Gatesgarth via Scarth Gap and Gamlin End.
Is there a GPX for the Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge?
Yes. Download it from this page. It is an ascent-only planning track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths and not checked on the ground.