Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge up High Stile: route map, distance and time
807 m · Cumbria
High Stile is the highest point of the ridge between Buttermere and Ennerdale, a rocky summit above Bleaberry Tarn with crags falling to the north.
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 770 m over 6.0 km to 797 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 kilometre eases to the top. About 33% 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 | 6.0 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 760 m |
| Climb on the track | 770 m up, 96 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 100 m to 803 m (summit 807 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 37%, from 3.1 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 33% of the way |
| Time up | 2h 30m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 3h 40m, down the same way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Buttermere village National Trust car park, CA13 9UZ |
| Start grid reference | NY 172 172 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 170 148 |
| 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 |
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 0m | 3h 0m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 2h 30m | 3h 40m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 3h 0m | 4h 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.
- Today: sunrise 07:47, sunset 18:08. Start by 13:28 to be down before dark, allowing 3h 40m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:06. Start by 13:26 to be down before dark, allowing 3h 40m for the walk and an hour for stops.
High Stile summit weather for this route
There is no recent summit forecast cached for High Stile right now. The main High Stile page loads the live forecast when you open it. Open the live High Stile forecast.
Before you go, also check: MWIS Lake District forecast · Met Office mountain forecast · Weatherline fell top conditions.
About High Stile
High Stile is the highest point of the ridge between Buttermere and Ennerdale, a rocky summit above Bleaberry Tarn with crags falling to the north. More about High Stile, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Hewitt, Nuttall, Marilyn, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- High Stile (806 m), 0.3 km west
- Red Pike (755 m), 1.1 km north-west
- Dodd (641 m), 1.1 km north-west
- High Crag (745 m), 1.3 km south-east
- Pillar Rock (780 m), 2.4 km south
- Pillar (892 m), 2.7 km south
Challenges that include High Stile
- Lake District 24 Peaks Challenge · 24
- Ennerdale Horseshoe · 14
- Hewitts · 523
- Nuttalls · 442
- Marilyns · 1,555
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 Crag
- Buttermere via Scarth Gap up High Crag
- 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 Stile
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buttermere via Bleaberry Tarn and Red Pike | 5.0 km one way | 757 m | 2h 15m | Moderate |
| Gatesgarth via Scarth Gap and High Crag | 5.0 km one way | 776 m | 2h 20m | Hard |
| Buttermere via Scarth Gap | 8.5 km one way | 790 m | 3h 0m | 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 170 148), 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 6.0 km one way to the summit of High Stile, with 760 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 12.0 km.
How long does the Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge take?
About 2h 30m to the summit of High Stile and 3h 40m there and back by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops. A relaxed group takes nearer 4h 30m for the round trip.
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 33% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. The Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge climbs 770 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 Buttermere via Bleaberry Tarn and Red Pike.
What time should I start the Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge today?
By 13:28 at the latest. Sunset on High Stile today is 18:08, The Buttermere via Dodd and Red Pike ridge takes about 3h 40m there and back, and that leaves an hour for stops. Start earlier in winter or if the forecast turns.
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.