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885 m · Wainwright — Southern Fells · Birketts to bag nearby, parking, buses, my hikes and live summit weather.

Wainwright — Southern FellsAlso a Birkett

Esk Pike

Esk Pike at 885m (2,904ft) stands at the crossroads of the high Lakeland passes, above Esk Hause where the main routes to Scafell Pike, Bowfell and Great Gable all converge.

885 m
Height
~5.5–7 h
Typical time
+16
Bonus Birketts
See routes & download GPX →

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885 mWainwright — Southern Fells✓ summit is also a Birkett+16 bonus Birketts within 3 km Straightforward in cloud

Is it worth going? — Today’s conditions & 7-day summit forecast

Modelled guidance for the 885 m summit. Always check the Met Office mountain forecast and MWIS before you set off.

On the summit today (Tue 28 Jul): 13° to 12°C, gusts to 39 mph, 11.9 mm of rain forecast.

Tue 28 Jul
🌧️
13° / 12°
💨 39 mph
🌧 11.9 mm (99%)
Wed 29 Jul
🌧️
12° / 10°
💨 33 mph
🌧 11.9 mm (100%)
Thu 30 Jul
🌧️
10° / 4°
💨 29 mph
🌧 2.9 mm (87%)
Fri 31 Jul
🌤️
12° / 0°
💨 23 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (86%)
Sat 1 Aug
🌦️
12° / 3°
💨 15 mph
🌧 4.5 mm (82%)
Sun 2 Aug
☁️
13° / 5°
💨 19 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (35%)
Mon 3 Aug
🌦️
14° / 4°
💨 16 mph
🌧 0.2 mm (23%)

Forecast snapshot from 28 Jul 2026, 04:58 UTC — refreshed nightly and updated live in your browser. Temperatures and gusts adjusted to the 885 m summit altitude via Open-Meteo. Summit conditions are always harsher than the valley — check the professional mountain forecasts before you go.

Pro mountain forecasts: MWIS · Met Office mountain forecast

About the walk

Key information

Esk Pike

Esk Pike, a Lake District fell
Photo: mhx from London, United Kingdom, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Esk Pike at 885m (2,904ft) stands at the crossroads of the high Lakeland passes, above Esk Hause where the main routes to Scafell Pike, Bowfell and Great Gable all converge. Wainwright valued it as a summit with real presence and commanding views, particularly down the wild trench of upper Eskdale — arguably the finest valley panorama in all of Lakeland. The summit ridge is rocky and interesting, with good views across to Bowfell and back to the Scafell group. Most walkers combine it with Bowfell via the Ore Gap depression, one of the great linking ridges in the district.

Routes up Esk Pike

Hand-mapped, with GPX to download — full maps further down.

Esk Pike and Great End
17.7 km · ~5.4 hr
Rosett Pike, Allen Crags, Great End and more
17.7 km · ~5.5 hr
Classifications & hill data
Wainwright
Southern
Birkett
Fellranger
Synge
Nuttall
HuMP
885 m
Height
2,904 ft
In feet
NY 2364 0750
Grid ref

Map & nearby Birketts

Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap (switch layers top-right). Parking positions are approximate.

Nearest parking: Seathwaite Farm, Borrowdale (free verge), about 4.7 km from the summit (straight line). Full parking, toilets and bus details are below.

Birketts near Esk Pike (within 3 km)

These Birkett tops are not Wainwright summits — detour to them on this walk and they are pure profit. Distances are straight-line; allow extra for terrain.

0.7 km SPike de Bield810 m · Southern
1.3 km WIll Crag931 m · Southern
1.6 km EBuck Pike (Mickleden)606 m · Southern
1.7 km WSWPen762 m · Southern
1.8 km NHigh House Tarn Top (High House - Allen Crags)683 m · Southern
1.8 km WBroad Crag935 m · Southern
1.8 km SSWHigh Gait Crags572 m · Southern
2.0 km ENEBlack Crags (Mickleden)588 m · Southern
2.3 km NNERed Beck Top (Glaramara South Top) (Lincomb Head - Glaramara)720 m · Southern
2.4 km NNWSeathwaite Fell (Great Slack - Seathwaite Fell)631 m · Southern
2.5 km SSEShelter Crags815 m · Southern
2.7 km SSECrinkle Crags - Gunson Knott (Fifth Crinkle)822 m · Southern
2.8 km SSWScar Lathing439 m · Southern
2.8 km SSECrinkle Crags - Fourth Crinkle832 m · Southern
2.8 km ESEWhite Stones - The Band568 m · Southern
2.8 km NNELooking Steads (Glaramara)774 m · Southern

Routes over Esk Pike

Esk Pike and Great EndLive
17.69 km · ~1099 m ascent · loop · ~5–7 h
Summits: Esk PikeGreat End

⬇️ Download GPX

Full route guide ↗

A planned line is a suggestion, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate independently and carry a map & compass.

Rosett Pike, Allen Crags, Great End and moreLive
17.74 km · ~1176 m ascent · loop · ~5.5–7.5 h
Summits: Rossett PikeAllen CragsGreat EndEsk PikeBowfell

⬇️ Download GPX

Full route guide ↗

A planned line is a suggestion, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate independently and carry a map & compass.

The View from Esk Pike

A computed 360° skyline — every visible named top labelled by distance and bearing, from the terrain model in perfect clarity, not photographed. Drag to pan; reveal the far four-nations horizon.

drag to pan · arrow keys
Computed 360-degree skyline from Esk Pike36 labelled tops shown (18 distant behind the far-horizon toggle). Theoretical visibility in perfect clarity; computed from terrain, not photographed.eye levelNNEESESSWWNWScafell · 3 kmHelvellyn · 13 kmSkiddaw · 22 kmGreat Gable · 4 kmHigh Crag · 12 kmRaise · 14 kmFairfield · 13 kmBlencathra · 22 kmCrinkle Crags · 3 kmGreat Dodd · 17 kmGrasmoor · 14 kmScoat Fell · 9 kmCrag Hill · 14 kmHigh Street · 21 kmHaycock · 10 kmHarter Fell · 22 kmDow Crag · 10 kmClough Head · 18 kmLonscale Fell · 20 kmYoke · 20 kmScafell Pike · 2 kmBroad Crag · 2 kmGreat End · 1 kmBowfell · 1 kmBlack Combe · 24 kmShelter Crags · 2 kmPike de Bield · 1 kmGreen Gable · 4 kmAllen Crags · 1 kmHigh Raise · 5 kmSlight Side · 4 kmPen · 2 kmDale Head · 8 kmHarter Fell · 8 kmHigh Spy · 9 kmIngleborough · 60 km · clear daysHelvellyn Lower Man · 13 kmStybarrow Dodd · 16 kmBlack Crag · 8 kmRed Pike · 8 kmSkiddaw Lesser Man · 20 kmHart Crag · 14 kmSwirl How · 8 kmThe Old Man of Coniston · 10 kmGrisedale Pike · 16 kmThornthwaite Crag · 20 kmWandope · 13 kmIll Bell · 20 kmHigh Pike · 29 kmLooking Steads · 3 kmBlack Sails · 8 kmLoft Crag · 4 kmDovenest Top · 4 kmWalna Scar · 11 kmWhernside · 57 km · clear daysWhite Pike · 12 kmThe Calf · 44 km · clear daysWhitfell · 16 kmHigh Gait Crags · 2 kmWild Boar Fell · 53 km · clear daysBorder End · 6 kmHigh Tove · 10 kmWatendlath Fell · 9 kmStainton Pike · 16 kmSeat How · 18 kmLingmoor Fell · 7 kmPikes · 13 kmBirker Fell · 10 kmWhite Pike · 15 kmLad Hows · 13 kmBaugh Fell · 53 km · clear daysGreat Knoutberry Hill · 59 km · clear daysWater Crag · 13 kmWhitbarrow · 29 kmSnowdon · 166 km · a handful of days a yearAran Fawddwy · 189 km · a handful of days a yearCairnsmore of Carsphairn · 111 km · a rare clear dayThe Cheviot · 132 km · a handful of days a yearTinto · 130 km · a handful of days a yearYr Eifl · 185 km · a handful of days a yearGreen Lowther · 110 km · a rare clear dayMoel y Gamelin · 161 km · a handful of days a yearWhite Coomb · 108 km · a rare clear dayBoulsworth Hill · 100 km · a rare clear dayGreat Whernside · 84 km · a rare clear dayRoan Fell · 88 km · a rare clear dayFountains Fell · 72 km · a rare clear dayDun Rig · 124 km · a handful of days a yearFair Snape Fell · 70 km · a rare clear dayBogrie Hill · 90 km · a rare clear dayWinter Hill · 102 km · a rare clear dayBillinge Hill · 110 km · a rare clear day
What you can see from Esk Pike, by direction
  • North: Crag Hill (14 km), Grisedale Pike (16 km), Skiddaw Lesser Man (20 km), Skiddaw Little Man (20 km), Knowe Crags (21 km), Skiddaw South Top (21 km), Skiddaw Middle Top (22 km), Gategill Fell Top (22 km), Skiddaw (22 km), Skiddaw North Top (22 km)
  • North-east: High Crag (12 km), Dollywaggon Pike (12 km), Nethermost Pike (13 km), Helvellyn Lower Man (13 km), Helvellyn (13 km), White Side (14 km), Raise (14 km), St Sunday Crag (14 km), Stybarrow Dodd (16 km), Little Dodd (16 km), Great Dodd (17 km), Blencathra (22 km)
  • East: Fairfield (13 km), Cofa Pike (13 km), Hart Crag (14 km), Dove Crag (14 km), High Street (21 km), Rampsgill Head (21 km), High Raise (22 km)
  • South-east: Crinkle Crags (3 km), Swirl How (8 km)
  • South: Brim Fell (10 km), The Old Man of Coniston (10 km)
  • West: Scafell (3 km), Haycock (10 km)
  • North-west: Great Gable (4 km), Red Pike (8 km), Black Crag (8 km), Scoat Fell (9 km), Grasmoor (14 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Snowdon (166 km, Wales), Carnedd Llewelyn (153 km, Wales), Aran Fawddwy (189 km, Wales), Moel Siabod (162 km, Wales), Cairnsmore of Carsphairn (111 km, Scotland), The Cheviot (132 km, England), Arenig Fawr (175 km, Wales), Tinto (130 km, Scotland).

Computed from terrain in perfect clarity, not photographed · distances are straight-line.

Computed from Copernicus GLO-30 terrain; distant tops from the Database of British and Irish Hills (CC BY 4.0). See how we compute the view · and the summit intervisibility report below.

What you can see from Esk Pike

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.
111Wainwrights in view+14 marginal
165 kmFurthest sightlineSnowdon (Yr Wyddfa) · possible under favourable refraction
2Sea in viewIrish Sea, Morecambe Bay

On the clearest days the view reaches across to Wales and Scotland.

Far horizons
  • Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) WalesSSW · 165 km clear
  • Carnedd Llewelyn WalesSSW · 150 km clear
  • Criffel ScotlandNNW · 62 km clear
  • Ingleborough Yorkshire DalesSE · 61 km clear
  • Whernside Yorkshire DalesESE · 56 km clear
  • Great Dun Fell North PenninesENE · 53 km clear
  • Irish Sea open waterSW · 46 km in view
  • Morecambe Bay bay/estuaryS · 42 km in view
All 111 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

Allen Crags, Great End, Bowfell, Rossett Pike, Scafell Pike, Seathwaite Fell (Wainwright summit), Crinkle Crags - Long Top (Second Crinkle), Scafell, Glaramara, Slight Side, Great Gable, Pike of Stickle, Green Gable, Loft Crag, Base Brown, Thunacar Knott, Harrison Stickle, Pavey Ark, High Raise (High White Stones), Brandreth, Hard Knott, Sergeant Man, Grey Knotts, Sergeant's Crag, Eagle Crag, Ullscarf, Lingmoor Fell (Brown How), Fleetwith Pike, Great Carrs, Grey Friar, Red Pike (Wasdale), Swirl How, Dale Head, Great Crag (Stonethwaite), Harter Fell (Eskdale), Castle Crag, Scoat Fell (Little Scoat Fell), High Spy, Steeple, Hindscarth, Haycock, Green Crag, Robinson, Dow Crag, The Old Man of Coniston (Coniston Old Man), High Tove, Stone Arthur, Loughrigg Fell, Seat Sandal, High Seat, Heron Pike (Rydal), Dollywaggon Pike, Great Rigg, Cat Bells (Catbells), Nethermost Pike, Whiteless Pike, Fairfield, Helvellyn, Bleaberry Fell, Wandope, Raven Crag, Sail, Scar Crags, Causey Pike, Crag Hill (Eel Crag), White Side, Hart Crag, Low Pike, High Pike (Scandale), Dove Crag, Grasmoor, Barrow, Walla Crag, Raise, St Sunday Crag, Grisedale Pike, Watson's Dodd, Red Screes, Middle Dodd, Great Dodd, Baystones (Wansfell), Latrigg, Clough Head, Stony Cove Pike (Caudale Moor), Barf, Sour Howes, Thornthwaite Crag, Fellbarrow - Mosser Fell, Froswick, Dodd (Skiddaw), Ill Bell, Yoke, Lonscale Fell, Sallows, Skiddaw Little Man, Carl Side, The Knott (High Street), Long Side, Ullock Pike, Rampsgill Head, Skiddaw, Kidsty Pike, Blencathra - Hallsfell Top, High Raise (High Street), Wether Hill, Branstree, Great Calva, Souther Fell, Knott, Binsey, High Pike (Caldbeck)

How Esk Pike’s view compares with all 214 — the View Report: every Wainwright ranked by what you can see from the top.

Sightlines from a bare-earth terrain model (forests and buildings not included), corrected for the Earth’s curvature and average atmospheric refraction. “Distant” sightlines and any over 100 km depend on exceptionally clear air. Modelled from Copernicus GLO-30 open elevation data — a guide to the view, not a guarantee of any single one.

Best parking to hike Esk Pike

Where we have the data, each parking spot also shows the nearest public toilets and facilities (cafés, pubs, shops).

Seathwaite Farm, Borrowdale (free verge) — 4.7 km from summit (straight line)
Free verge parking on the Seathwaite lane — the honeypot start for the Scafells, Great Gable and Glaramara. Arrive very early.
Directions
🚺 Public toilets (1002m) — Free
Old Dungeon Ghyll (NT, paid) — 5.2 km from summit (straight line)
Head of Great Langdale — Bowfell, Crinkle Crags, Pike o' Blisco, the Langdale Pikes.
Directions
🚺 Public toilets (510m) — Free🚺 Public toilets (649m) — Free🍺 Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel🍺 Sticklebarn

Positions are approximate — zoom the map to confirm. Lakeland car parks fill before 9am on fine weekends.

Tip: pan and zoom the interactive map at the top of this page to spot other potential parking near your route.

Water & shelter on the way up

On the Esk Pike and Great End route:

🚌 Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel (135 m)🚌 Great Langdale Campsite (255 m)⛺ Great Langdale Campsite (297 m)

On the Rosett Pike, Allen Crags, Great End and more route:

🚌 Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel (102 m)🚌 Great Langdale Campsite (228 m)⛺ Great Langdale Campsite (251 m)

On-route facilities © OpenStreetMap contributors, per route — an absent marker doesn’t mean none.

Buses to Esk Pike from Penrith / Ambleside / Windermere

Stagecoach 78 “Borrowdale Rambler”
Keswick – Lodore – Grange – Rosthwaite – Seatoller
Catch it from: Keswick (connect via 555 or X4/X5)
Year-round, frequent in season. Serves all the Borrowdale starts — Glaramara, the Scafells and Great Gable via Seathwaite (alight Seatoller, 20 min walk up the lane).
Stagecoach 516 “Langdale Rambler”
Ambleside – Skelwith Bridge – Elterwater – New Dungeon Ghyll – Old Dungeon Ghyll
Catch it from: Ambleside · Windermere (change at Ambleside)
The Langdale bus — Pikes, Bowfell, Crinkle Crags, Pike o' Blisco all walkable from the Dungeon Ghyll stops. Seasonal frequency varies; check before relying on the last bus back.

Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com or Traveline before relying on a last bus.

Hazard & Incident Information for Esk Pike

Hazard: Moderate

Esk Pike is rarely the destination but often part of a long ridge day taking in Bowfell, Scafell Pike and Great End. Its principal hazard is one of position: it sits at the head of upper Eskdale and above Esk Hause, one of the busiest and most confusing path junctions in the Lake District. Walkers in poor visibility have followed the wrong path off Esk Hause in multiple documented incidents, sometimes ending up on Esk Pike when they intended Scafell Pike, or vice versa. The fell itself is steep and rocky on all sides, with limited options for a safe unplanned descent.

  • Esk Hause path junction: Esk Hause is a major crossroads where paths to Wasdale, Great Langdale, Eskdale and Borrowdale all converge. In cloud it is one of the most frequently misnavigated points in the fells — two walkers were rescued in May 2025 after becoming lost in mist here believing they were descending from Scafell Pike. Always identify the correct path by compass bearing before descending.
  • Steep flanks above upper Eskdale: The western slopes dropping into upper Eskdale are serious ground — remote, steep, and rocky. An unplanned descent in poor visibility could lead onto crags. Stick to the established ridge paths.
  • Remoteness and long return: Any incident on Esk Pike requires a substantial rescue operation. The nearest accessible valley — Langdale to the north or Eskdale to the west — involves a long carry. Self-sufficiency is essential: enough food, warm layers, and a torch for the hours any delay will add.
Who should attempt this fell: Esk Pike is a fell for confident navigators. It is most often done as part of a high-level round and that context — long distance, significant height gain, remote position — demands a full kit: map, compass, adequate food and waterproofs. Do not rely on GPS alone on the Esk Hause junction; a bearing takes ten seconds and removes the most common single cause of incidents in this area.

Most common causes: Navigation errors at Esk Hause in cloud · Descending the wrong path off the summit plateau · Exhaustion on a long multi-fell day · Caught out by deteriorating weather on remote ground

Local Mountain Rescue: Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team · Wasdale MRT — Esk Pike incident May 2025 · Wasdale MRT — accident black spots · Reviewed 13 Jun 2026

Safety: Hazard guidance compiled from published Mountain Rescue reports and well-documented accident history - editorial background, not a live feed of callouts. Always check current conditions, carry proper navigation equipment, and seek qualified instruction before heading onto the fells. In an emergency, call 999, ask for Police, then Mountain Rescue.

Report incorrect information

Navigating Esk Pike in cloud

Straightforward

A rough, rocky summit ringed by crags, with no single obvious way off in poor visibility. Navigation here is relatively straightforward even in cloud — but carry map and compass and know how to use them; a low score never means “safe”.

In winter — snow, whiteout, cornices, buried features — every top demands full winter navigation skills whatever its band, and a broad, gentle summit can be the worst place of all. See walking in bad weather and the navigation guide.

How Esk Pike compares with all 214 — the Clag Index: navigating in cloud. A relative, deliberately cautious guide; the site can’t navigate for you.

Other fells near Esk Pike

Maps & guidebooks for Esk Pike

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