Buttermere via Red Pike up Starling Dodd: route map, distance and time
633 m · Cumbria
Starling Dodd is a 633m grassy fell on the High Stile ridge between Red Pike and Great Borne, overlooking Ennerdale Water and Loweswater.
Climb through Burtness Wood to Bleaberry Tarn and up to Red Pike, then follow the grassy ridge west.
Buttermere via Red Pike starts at about 130 m and gains 700 m over 6.2 km to 617 m on the track. The first 2 km are the easy part, averaging 1%. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 3 km, which climbs 275 m at an average of 28%, with a 500 m stretch from 3.7 km at about 41%. It keeps climbing at 14% to the top. About 30% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Buttermere via Red Pike at a glance
| Distance | 6.2 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Climb on the track | 700 m up, 213 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 101 m to 750 m (summit 633 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 41%, from 3.7 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 30% of the way |
| Grade | Moderate |
| Start | Buttermere village National Trust car park, CA13 9UZ |
| Start grid reference | NY 172 172 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 142 157 |
| Parking | Buttermere village National Trust car park |
Buttermere via Red Pike 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 Red Pike 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 Red Pike 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 | 146 m | +36 m | 4% | NY 172 161 |
| 3 km | 421 m | +275 m | 28% steep | NY 169 158 |
| 4 km | 660 m | +239 m | 24% steep | NY 162 155 |
| 5 km | 590 m | -70 m | -7% | NY 153 156 |
| 6 km | 589 m | -1 m | 0% | NY 143 157 |
| 6.2 km | 617 m | +29 m | 14% | NY 142 157 |
How long Buttermere via Red Pike 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 25m | 3h 40m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 2h 55m | 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.
Starling Dodd summit weather for this route
There is no recent summit forecast cached for Starling Dodd right now. The main Starling Dodd page loads the live forecast when you open it. Open the live Starling Dodd forecast.
Before you go, also check: MWIS Lake District forecast · Met Office mountain forecast · Weatherline fell top conditions.
About Starling Dodd
Starling Dodd is a 633m grassy fell on the High Stile ridge between Red Pike and Great Borne, overlooking Ennerdale Water and Loweswater. More about Starling Dodd, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Hewitt, Nuttall, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- Red Pike (755 m), 1.9 km east
- Great Borne (616 m), 1.9 km west
- Dodd (641 m), 2.2 km east
- Hen Comb (506 m), 2.6 km north-west
- High Stile (806 m), 2.7 km east
- High Stile (807 m), 2.9 km east
Challenges that include Starling Dodd
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 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 Whiteless Pike up Wandope
Other routes up Starling Dodd
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd | 4.6 km one way | 610 m | 1h 55m | 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 142 157), 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 Red Pike: questions and answers
How far is Buttermere via Red Pike?
Buttermere via Red Pike is 6.2 km one way to the summit of Starling Dodd. There and back by the same way is about 12.4 km.
How steep is Buttermere via Red Pike?
The steepest 500 m averages about 41%, starting 3.7 km from the start, and 30% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Buttermere via Red Pike climbs 700 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Buttermere via Red Pike?
Buttermere via Red Pike 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 Buttermere via Red Pike suitable for beginners?
Yes, for fit walkers on a clear day. Peakify grades it Moderate: a long climb on a made path, but the top is high, exposed and colder than the start. Turn back if the cloud comes down and you can't navigate.
Is there a GPX for Buttermere via Red Pike?
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.