hikes.guideLake District

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

Fleetwith Pike - the whole of Buttermere seen from the summit rocks, with Crummock Water beyond and the High Stile ridge to the left, the walker's shadow in the foreground
Wainwright — Western FellsAlso a Birkett

Fleetwith Pike

Fleetwith Pike at 648m (2,126ft) stands above Honister Pass, its northern face falling in the famous Honister Crags that Wainwright described as giving one of the most dramatic fell profiles in the Western Fells.

649 m
Height
~2.5–3 h
Typical time
+2
Bonus Birketts
See routes & download GPX → Parking & buses →
649 mWainwright — Western Fells✓ summit is also a Birkett+2 bonus Birketts within 3 km Serious in Clag

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

Modelled guidance for the 649 m summit. Always check the Met Office mountain forecast and MWIS before you set off.

On the summit today (Fri 11 Sep): 12° to 8°C, gusts to 30 mph, 2.5 mm of rain forecast.

Fri 11 Sep
🌧️
12° / 8°
💨 30 mph
🌧 2.5 mm (100%)
Sat 12 Sep
🌧️
14° / 8°
💨 51 mph
🌧 22.9 mm (100%)
Sun 13 Sep
🌦️
12° / 7°
💨 18 mph
🌧 0.1 mm (74%)
Mon 14 Sep
🌧️
14° / 7°
💨 33 mph
🌧 12.7 mm (96%)
Tue 15 Sep
🌦️
12° / 8°
💨 32 mph
🌧 13.2 mm (100%)
Wed 16 Sep
🌦️
10° / 8°
💨 33 mph
🌧 5.4 mm (96%)
Thu 17 Sep
🌦️
10° / 8°
💨 37 mph
🌧 8.8 mm (98%)

Forecast snapshot from 11 Sep 2026, 08:30 UTC — refreshed nightly and updated live in your browser. Temperatures and gusts adjusted to the 649 m summit altitude via Open-Meteo. Summit conditions are always harsher than the valley — check the professional mountain forecasts before you go.

Fleetwith Pike at a glance

Fleetwith Pike

Fleetwith Pike - the whole of Buttermere seen from the summit rocks, with Crummock Water beyond and the High Stile ridge to the left, the walker's shadow in the foreground
© Lee McCoy

Fleetwith Pike at 648m (2,126ft) stands above Honister Pass, its northern face falling in the famous Honister Crags that Wainwright described as giving one of the most dramatic fell profiles in the Western Fells. The cross of white quartz on the northern face is a memorial to a Victorian climbing accident. The summit gives outstanding views of Buttermere, Crummock Water and the Grasmoor group from its elevated position. The ascent from Buttermere via the Honister path is excellent, with the lake views improving dramatically on the approach.

Routes up Fleetwith Pike

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

Classifications & hill data

Wainwright
Western
Birkett
Fellranger
Synge
Nuttall
HuMP
649 m
Height
2,129 ft
In feet
NY 2059 1416
Grid ref

The short answers

Is Fleetwith Pike a Wainwright?

Fleetwith Pike is a Wainwright. It is also on the Birkett list, the Synge list, the Nuttall list, the Fellranger list and the HuMP list.

My hikes over Fleetwith Pike (Strava)

1 logged hike pass over this summit:

Interactive route maps and photos load here for visitors with JavaScript. Data from Strava.

Parking & buses for Fleetwith Pike

Best parking to hike Fleetwith Pike

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

Honister Crag (layby) — 0.8 km from summit (straight line)
Nearest fells: Honister Crag (Black Star) (0.7 km), Fleetwith Pike (0.8 km), Dale Head (1.4 km). Free (OSM-tagged). Unpaved surface (OSM-tagged).
Directions (opens in new tab)Something changed here?
Fleetwith Pike (layby) — 0.9 km from summit (straight line)
Nearest fells: Fleetwith Pike (0.9 km), Honister Crag (Black Star) (1.4 km), Haystacks (Buttermere) (1.9 km). Free (OSM-tagged). Unpaved surface (OSM-tagged).
Directions (opens in new tab)Something changed here?
Gatesgarth Farm, Buttermere (paid) — 1.4 km from summit (straight line)
Farm car park at the foot of Haystacks, Fleetwith Pike and the High Stile ridge.
Directions (opens in new tab)Something changed here?
Honister Pass (paid, slate mine) — 1.9 km from summit (straight line)
Pay & display at the top of the pass — Dale Head, Fleetwith Pike, Grey Knotts with minimal ascent. This is the slate mine's own car park, the WESTERN one; the National Trust car park 170 m east is a separate one. Fees: Day parking GBP 5 per day for visitors; free for all Honister activity guests (honister.com/your-visit/). Overnight parking GBP 15 a night in the large bottom car park, open to campervans, motorhomes and vans, no tent camping, no facilities, no electric hook-ups; book online or pay by QR code on arrival and display confirmation on the dashboard (honister.com/your-visit/overnight-parking) (operator, checked Aug 2026). You pay by card, inside the building, not at a machine in the car park. The posted opening is 9am but it is often later; the mine is content for you to arrive before it and pay on the way out, and the car park is covered by cameras (Lee McCoy, local observation, recorded 12 Aug 2026). Pay and display (LDNPA, checked Aug 2026).
🕑 Typically full before 10:00 on fine weekends, Apr-Oct — Lee McCoy, local observation, 2026-08-09.
Directions (opens in new tab)Something changed here?
If it is full: Seatoller (NT, paid) (2.3 km)
🚺 Public toilets (opens in new tab) (~136 m straight line) — Free🚺 Public toilets (opens in new tab) (~1825 m straight line) — FreeSky Hi Cafe (opens in new tab)
Honister (NT, paid) — 2.1 km from summit (straight line)
Walking base for Great Gable, Green Gable, Brandreth and Grey Knotts — the 'Great Gable from Honister Slate Mine' route starts 61 m away. Also serves 'Haystacks'. Paid National Trust car park - the prices we used to show here came from an aggregator rather than the Trust, so we no longer publish a figure; check the machine on arrival, and members should bring their card (National Trust car-park list, checked Aug 2026). The machine takes cards, and National Trust members park free on production of their membership card (Lee McCoy, local observation, recorded 12 Aug 2026).
Directions (opens in new tab)Something changed here?

Positions are approximate — zoom the map to confirm.

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

Vehicles are left entirely at their owner’s risk. We list places people park; we cannot vouch for any of them. Judge it on the day: take valuables with you, leave nothing on show, and if a spot feels wrong when you get there, park somewhere else.

Getting to Fleetwith Pike by bus

The 77 stops at Honister Youth Hostel (near), 160 m from the start of Haystacks. Seasonal: the 77 does not run all year. 1 November 2026 is its last day, and it is not daily before then — a bus on 31 of the 56 days from 7 September. We don’t know when it returns. Confirmed with the operator, 29 August 2026. The last bus is 18:33 towards Keswick (77), every day. Checked against the operator’s timetable, 7 September 2026. Times here are a guide, not a promise — leave yourself more than the minute.

Stagecoach 77 / 77A “Honister Rambler”
Keswick – Portinscale – Hawse End (Catbells) – Grange – Seatoller – Honister Pass – Buttermere – Lorton – Whinlatter – Keswick (circular)
Catch it from: Keswick (connect via 555 from Windermere/Ambleside or X4/X5 from Penrith)
Seasonal (roughly Easter–October). Brilliant for the North Western fells: Catbells, Dale Head from Honister, the Buttermere fells and Whinlatter.

Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com (opens in new tab) or Traveline before relying on a last bus.

Hazards on Fleetwith Pike

Hazard & Incident Information for Fleetwith Pike

Hazard: Moderate

A bold, steep-nosed fell standing over Buttermere and the head of Honister, hugely popular and instantly recognisable. Its north-west ridge, Fleetwith Edge, rises straight from Gatesgarth in a steep, airy line that needs confidence with exposure — a white memorial cross on its lower slopes marks where a young woman, Fanny Mercer, fell to her death in 1887. The Buttermere face is steep and crag-broken, and old quarry workings lie on the Honister side. Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team covers this ground.

  • Fleetwith Edge (the nose): The direct ascent up the nose is steep and airy with exposed steps — exhilarating but unforgiving of a slip, as the Fanny Mercer memorial cross on the lower edge attests. Take it carefully, and it is a poor and more dangerous way down; if unsure of the exposure, use a gentler route. Avoid it in strong wind, wet or ice.
  • Steep crag-broken Buttermere face: The Buttermere side is steep and broken with crags (Low Raven Crag and others). Keep to the path and well back from the edges near the top, especially in cloud or wind.
  • Honister quarry workings & navigation: Old slate-quarry workings scar the Honister side — keep clear of spoil and openings. The summit area needs a compass bearing in mist to leave on the right line toward Honister or Gatesgarth.
Who should attempt this fell: Fleetwith Pike is a magnificent, much-loved fell, but Fleetwith Edge is a genuinely steep, airy line with a fatal history — take it carefully, don't use it as a descent if you're unsure, and avoid it in wind, wet or ice. Keep back from the Buttermere crags and the quarry workings, navigate by compass off the top in cloud, and treat the nose as full winter terrain when iced.

Most common causes: Slips and falls on the steep, exposed Fleetwith Edge (a historic fatal-fall site) · Walkers straying onto the crag-broken Buttermere face in poor visibility · Mishaps around the old Honister quarry workings · Navigation errors off the summit in cloud; winter ice on the steep nose

Local Mountain Rescue: Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team (opens in new tab) · Reviewed 14 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 (opens in new tab)

Navigating Fleetwith Pike in cloud

Serious in cloud

Walkable ground sits close to a lethal drop — in cloud it’s easy to walk straight onto steep ground. A serious place to be caught in cloud: carry map and compass (or GPS) and know how to use them, or save it for a clear day.

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

Map & nearby Birketts

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

Nearest parking: Honister Crag (layby), about 0.8 km from the summit (straight line). Full parking, toilets and bus details are below.

Birketts near Fleetwith 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 EHonister Crag (Black Star)634 m · Western
2.2 km WSWSeat561 m · Western

Routes over Fleetwith Pike

9.18 km · ~597 m ascent · loop · ~2.5–3.5 h

⬇️ Download GPX

Full route guide ↗

🥾 Walked in part — Lee walked this ground in April 2026; km 0.9–1.7, km 4.7–5.5 of this line are from the map.

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

HaystacksRevised
11.37 km · ~738 m ascent · loop · ~3.5–4.5 h
Summits: Fleetwith PikeHaystacks (Buttermere)

⬇️ Download GPX

Full route guide ↗

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

On the hill: terrain and water on Fleetwith Pike

Water & shelter on the way up

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

The view from Fleetwith Pike

The 360° skyline from Fleetwith 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 Fleetwith Pike36 labelled tops shown (5 distant behind the far-horizon toggle). Theoretical visibility in perfect clarity; computed from terrain, not photographed.eye levelNNEESESSWWNWScafell · 8 kmHelvellyn · 14 kmSkiddaw · 16 kmGreat End · 6 kmBowfell · 9 kmGreat Gable · 4 kmPillar · 4 kmHigh Crag · 14 kmRaise · 14 kmFairfield · 16 kmGrasmoor · 7 kmStybarrow Dodd · 14 kmCrag Hill · 6 kmRed Pike · 5 kmHigh Stile · 4 kmKirk Fell · 4 kmGreen Gable · 4 kmKirk Fell East Top · 4 kmGlaramara · 6 kmRed Screes · 20 kmWandope · 6 kmHigh Raise · 9 kmRed Pike · 5 kmDale Head · 2 kmLonscale Fell · 15 kmUllock Pike · 15 kmScar Crags · 6 kmIron Crag · 9 kmYewbarrow · 7 kmBlake Fell · 11 kmHigh Crag · 2 kmGrey Knotts · 2 kmLooking Stead · 3 kmRosthwaite Fell · 6 kmHigh Snockrigg · 3 kmLoweswater End · 11 kmWhite Side · 13 kmRobinson · 3 kmCombe Head · 5 kmLow White Stones · 9 kmUllscarf · 9 kmDodd · 4 kmCausey Pike · 7 kmHeron Pike North Top · 16 kmGavel Fell · 10 kmPillar Rock · 4 kmThirdgill Head Man · 6 kmLow Saddle · 8 kmSeat · 2 kmBell Crags · 9 kmBengairn · 59 km · clear daysMellbreak North Top · 8 kmShivery Knott · 8 kmLow Fell · 11 kmDarling Fell · 11 kmScale Knott · 7 kmMerrick · 106 km · a rare clear dayCairnsmore of Carsphairn · 104 km · a rare clear dayCairnsmore of Fleet · 88 km · a rare clear dayWisp Hill · 87 km · a rare clear dayCalkin Rig · 74 km · a rare clear day
What you can see from Fleetwith Pike, by direction
  • North: Hindscarth (2 km), Robinson (3 km), Wandope (6 km), Crag Hill (6 km), Long Side (15 km), Skiddaw (16 km)
  • North-east: Dale Head (2 km)
  • East: Ullscarf (9 km), Helvellyn Lower Man (13 km), White Side (13 km), Helvellyn (14 km), Nethermost Pike (14 km), High Crag (14 km), Raise (14 km), Dollywaggon Pike (14 km), Stybarrow Dodd (14 km), Cofa Pike (15 km), Green Side (15 km), Fairfield (16 km), Great Rigg (16 km), Red Screes (20 km)
  • South-east: Combe Head (5 km), Glaramara (6 km), Looking Steads (6 km), Allen Crags (6 km), Esk Pike (7 km), Bowfell (9 km), Low White Stones (9 km), High Raise (9 km)
  • South: Kirk Fell East Top (4 km), Green Gable (4 km), Kirk Fell (4 km), Great Gable (4 km), Great End (6 km), Scafell (8 km)
  • South-west: Pillar (4 km), Red Pike (5 km)
  • West: High Stile (4 km), Red Pike (5 km)
  • North-west: Grasmoor (7 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Merrick (106 km, Scotland), Cairnsmore of Carsphairn (104 km, Scotland), Cairnsmore of Fleet (88 km, Scotland), Corserine (102 km, Scotland), Lamachan Hill (99 km, Scotland), Cairnharrow (79 km, Scotland), Cairnsmore [Black Craig of Dee] (88 km, Scotland), Wisp Hill (87 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 (opens in new tab) (CC BY 4.0). See how we compute the view · and the summit intervisibility report below.

Sunrise and sunset on Fleetwith Pike

Fleetwith Pike waits for the sun. Its longest wait of the modelled year falls on 1 June, when the sun is up for 27 minutes before it clears this skyline — first light 05:12 against an almanac sunrise of 04:45. You are standing in shadow while the valley below is already lit. The sun comes up to the north-east from here (53.7°), and the skyline on that bearing stands at 2.68°.

30°40°50°60°70°05:02
Midsummer. The filled shape is the skyline as seen from the summit; the line is the sun’s path. Where they meet is first light — everything left of that point is the wait.
Times for 2026, in Lakeland clock time (GMT in winter, BST in summer) — and model outputs rather than observations.
First lightAlmanac sunriseDifference
Midsummer05:02 BST ±5.0 min04:37+25 min
Equinox06:23 GMT ±5.0 min06:16+7 min
Midwinter08:45 GMT ±5.0 min08:33+12 min

The northern horizon stands at about 0.63° from here.

Last light — when the sun leaves Fleetwith Pike

Fleetwith Pike loses the sun early. Its earliest evening of the modelled year falls on 1 November, when last light is 29 minutes before almanac sunset — 16:09 against 16:38. The sun goes down to the west-south-west from here (239.8°), and the skyline on that bearing stands at 3.39°.

The evening of the same three days. A negative difference means a ridge takes the sun before the valley loses it.
Last lightAlmanac sunsetDifference
Midsummer21:57 BST ±5.0 min21:53+4 min
Equinox18:12 GMT ±5.0 min18:27-15 min
Midwinter15:34 GMT ±5.0 min15:50-16 min

Computed, not photographed. First light is the first minute the sun’s upper limb clears this summit’s own skyline and last light the last minute it is still clear of it, both solved against the 360° horizon profile behind The View from Fleetwith Pike. Almanac sunrise and sunset are the flat-horizon convention. Every time carries a ± band from the 30 m elevation model — it smooths arêtes and cornices, so nothing here claims better than five minutes. These are daylight figures, not a descent plan: the light goes on fading for a good while after the sun leaves, and going down in it is a decision about your own ground and party, not about this table.

What you can see from Fleetwith Pike

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.
52Wainwrights in view+10 marginal
107 kmFurthest sightlineMerrick · possible under favourable refraction
1Sea in viewIrish Sea

On the clearest days the view reaches across to Scotland.

Far horizons
  • Merrick ScotlandNW · 107 km clear
  • Irish Sea open waterSW · 50 km in view
All 52 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

How Fleetwith 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.

Places to stay near this fell

Seatoller House (opens in new tab) guest house

about 2.0 km from the start, in a straight line

The nearest serviced bed to the top of Honister with a kitchen behind it. It is the only property inside 3 km whose own page answers evening meal, breakfast time, parking, dogs and a family room together - and two of its ten rooms are downstairs, which matters to a walker who has just come off Haystacks on wrecked knees.

Worth knowing: “Well behaved dogs are allowed, they are not allowed in the dining room at any time,Please clean and dry all dogs on entering Seatoller via the back door.”

The house is 400 years old, has taken guests for more than a century, and is the biggest building in the hamlet of Seatoller.

  • Dogs “Well behaved dogs are allowed, they are not allowed in the dining room at any time,Please clean and dry all dogs on entering Seatoller via the back door.”
  • Family rooms “Rabbit Large Family room, Private bathroom directly opposite, great views of garden & Fells”
  • Evening meal “The dining room has two large traditional oak tables creating a friendly atmosphere where guests are served a set meal at 7 pm (excluding Wednesdays).”
  • Parking “There are 10 bedrooms all with private bathrooms, a large award winning garden surrounding the house and ample private car parking.”

YHA Borrowdale (opens in new tab) hostel

about 3.1 km from the start, in a straight line

The only bed in the cluster whose own page states a cot, a highchair, ground-floor rooms, wheelchair access, a drying room, a self-catering kitchen and a 07:30 breakfast. For a family where one adult walks Great Gable and the rest do not, nothing else in the radius answers as many of their questions - which is why it earns a row despite not being independent.

Worth knowing: “Dogs: Pets are not permitted at YHA Borrowdale, except in our Camping & Cabins accommodation. Assistance dogs are welcome - please notify us at the time of booking.”

There has been a youth hostel in this valley since before the war - the present one opened at Longthwaite at Easter 1939, after an earlier hostel at Grange-in-Borrowdale closed in 1937.

  • Drying room “Self-catering kitchen Shared drying room Shared lounge Sole use available Unlimited breakfast Water refill station Wheelchair accessible WiFi”
  • Family rooms “YHA Borrowdale offers a variety of accommodation options including rooms of varying sizes, camping pods and camping pitches.”
  • Evening meal “With tasty breakfasts, packed lunches and evening meals, groups are sure to find something delicious to eat at YHA Borrowdale (see sample menu ).”
  • Packed lunch “With tasty breakfasts, packed lunches and evening meals, groups are sure to find something delicious to eat at YHA Borrowdale (see sample menu ).”
  • Parking “Parking: This hostel has on-site parking (subject to availability). Charges apply though overnight guests benefit from a discounted rate of £5 per vehicle for 24 hours.”
  • Children “Accessible rooms available Bed linen Central heating Cot available Ground floor rooms available Heating Hot water Lock on doors Smoke alarm”

What each place says about itself, quoted from their own site. We have not stayed at any of them, and there are no prices, no booking and no affiliate links. Distances are straight lines from each route start, never walking times. Properties found via OpenStreetMap (opens in new tab).

Frequently asked questions about Fleetwith Pike

Is Fleetwith Pike hard to climb?

It depends entirely on the route. Fleetwith Pike (648 m / 2,126 ft) stands at the head of Buttermere, and the famous Fleetwith Edge ridge from Gatesgarth is a steep, relentless, airy climb with some hands-on scrambling and real exposure — exhilarating but not for nervous walkers.

By contrast, the approach from the top of Honister Pass is far gentler. So it can be a tough little mountain or a modest one, depending on which way you go up.

What is the easiest route up Fleetwith Pike?

The easiest way is from the top of Honister Pass (Honister Slate Mine), which already starts you high at around 350 m. It's a fairly direct walk of just over 3 miles round trip on good tracks, with no scrambling — by far the gentlest line to the summit.

The dramatic Fleetwith Edge from Gatesgarth at the foot of Buttermere is the classic ascent, but it's steep, airy and much harder.

Sources: Honister Slate Mine — Fleetwith Pike walk (opens in new tab)

How long does it take to climb Fleetwith Pike?

From the top of Honister Pass allow about 1.5–2 hours for the round trip. The steeper Fleetwith Edge route from Gatesgarth, usually done as a circuit returning past Warnscale or Haystacks, is a bigger day of around 3.5–5 hours depending on how far you extend it.

How dangerous is Fleetwith Edge?

Fleetwith Edge is steep, rocky and exposed, with a little easy scrambling and big drops to either side near the bottom of the ridge above Buttermere. A white cross at its foot marks where a young walker, Fanny Mercer, fell to her death in 1887 — a sobering reminder to take it seriously.

It's a wonderful route for confident, sure-footed walkers in good conditions, but avoid it in wind, wet or low cloud, and don't take it on if exposure unnerves you — use the Honister approach instead. Coming down it is harder than going up.

Sources: Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team (opens in new tab)

Do you have to scramble on Fleetwith Pike?

No — only if you choose Fleetwith Edge. That ridge involves some easy hands-on scrambling and exposure. If you'd rather avoid it entirely, the route from the top of Honister Pass reaches the same summit on good paths with no scrambling at all.

So you can enjoy this fine little peak whether or not you want the airy ridge — there's a safe walking option.

Sources: Honister Slate Mine — Fleetwith Pike walk (opens in new tab)

Where do you park for Fleetwith Pike?

For the steep Fleetwith Edge route, park at Gatesgarth Farm at the head of Buttermere (a paid honesty/farm car park). For the easier route, use the car park at the top of Honister Pass by the Honister Slate Mine.

Both fill quickly on fine days. The Honister Pass road is very steep and narrow, and can be tricky in winter.

Sources: All Things Lake District — Fleetwith Pike (opens in new tab)

What should I wear and take up Fleetwith Pike?

Wear proper walking boots with good grip — both routes are rough and rocky, and Fleetwith Edge is steep and slippery when wet. Carry warm and waterproof layers, as the summit above Buttermere is exposed and windy.

Take a map and compass, water, food and a charged phone, and check the mountain forecast. If you're on Fleetwith Edge, keep clear of the drops and treat it as a serious route in wind, wet or winter conditions.

Sources: MWIS — Lake District forecast (opens in new tab)

Questions drawn from real Google “People also ask” searches; answers written and fact-checked by us. · Reviewed 2026-06-14 · Suggest a question or correction (opens in new tab)

Other fells near Fleetwith Pike