hikes.guideLake District

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

Wainwright — Eastern FellsAlso a Birkett

High Pike (Scandale)

High Pike at 656m (2,152ft), above Scandale, is a broad grassy summit at the southern end of the ridge above Ambleside giving wide views south across Windermere and north to the Fairfield group.

657 m
Height
~3–4 h
Typical time
+1
Bonus Birkett
See routes & download GPX →

Home › Fells › High Pike (Scandale)

Written and walked by Lee McCoy · Last reviewed

657 mWainwright — Eastern Fells✓ summit is also a Birkett+1 bonus Birkett within 3 km Straightforward in cloud

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

Modelled guidance for the 657 m summit. Always check the Met Office mountain forecast and MWIS before you set off.

On the summit today (Tue 28 Jul): 15° to 13°C, gusts to 41 mph, 14.2 mm of rain forecast.

Tue 28 Jul
🌧️
15° / 13°
💨 41 mph
🌧 14.2 mm (100%)
Wed 29 Jul
🌧️
15° / 11°
💨 33 mph
🌧 3.9 mm (100%)
Thu 30 Jul
🌦️
13° / 4°
💨 27 mph
🌧 0.9 mm (78%)
Fri 31 Jul
🌤️
14° / 2°
💨 24 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (78%)
Sat 1 Aug
🌦️
14° / 3°
💨 15 mph
🌧 3.0 mm (54%)
Sun 2 Aug
☁️
16° / 4°
💨 18 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (24%)
Mon 3 Aug
🌦️
16° / 5°
💨 12 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 657 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

High Pike (Scandale)

High Pike (Scandale), a Lake District fell
Photo: Mick Knapton at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

High Pike at 656m (2,152ft), above Scandale, is a broad grassy summit at the southern end of the ridge above Ambleside giving wide views south across Windermere and north to the Fairfield group. Wainwright included it as the southernmost of the Eastern Fells, noting its pleasant, open summit and good views across the Ambleside valley. The ascent from Ambleside via Scandale is a steady climb through typical fell country. Often overlooked in favour of the more dramatic Eastern Fells, it rewards the unhurried walker with fine views of the southern Lake District.

Routes up High Pike (Scandale)

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

Fairfield Horseshoe
16.9 km · ~4.9 hr · Moderate
One of the classic Lakeland rounds and a fine first big horseshoe. From the car park at Rydal it's a steady, moderate climb with only a minor amount of scrambling — my kids, then 7 and 10, managed it, though they found it a long day. You can easily start from Ambleside instead: stock up at the shops on the way out and finish at the Royal Oak for a well-earned pint. The full round takes in eight tops, with Fairfield's broad summit the high point and Windermere laid out behind you on the descent.
Classifications & hill data
Wainwright
Eastern
Birkett
Fellranger
Synge
657 m
Height
2,156 ft
In feet
NY 3744 0883
Grid ref

Map & nearby Birketts

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

Nearest parking: Kirkstone Pass (laybys / inn), about 2.8 km from the summit (straight line). Full parking, toilets and bus details are below.

Birketts near High Pike (Scandale) (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.

1.7 km WHeron Pike North Top (Rydal Fell)621 m · Eastern

Routes over High Pike (Scandale)

Fairfield HorseshoeRevised
16.92 km · ~925 m ascent · loop · ~4.5–6.5 h · Clockwise · Moderate
Summits: Nab ScarHeron Pike (Rydal)Heron Pike North Top (Rydal Fell)Great RiggFairfieldHart CragDove CragHigh Pike (Scandale)Low Pike

⬇️ Download GPX

Best season: Any season in good conditions; save the broad, featureless summit for a clear day.

⚠️ Warnings: Fairfield's broad summit plateau is confusing in cloud — carry a map and compass and take a bearing before descending.; A little easy scrambling in places, but nothing obligatory.

Full route guide ↗

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

The View from High Pike (Scandale)

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 High Pike (Scandale)32 labelled tops shown (6 distant behind the far-horizon toggle). Theoretical visibility in perfect clarity; computed from terrain, not photographed.eye levelNNEESESSWWNWScafell Pike · 16 kmGreat Gable · 16 kmFairfield · 3 kmCrinkle Crags · 13 kmGrasmoor · 23 kmHigh Stile · 22 kmHigh Raise · 9 kmThe Old Man of Coniston · 15 kmSwirl How · 13 kmThornthwaite Crag · 6 kmRed Screes · 2 kmCaudale Moor · 4 kmLittle Stand · 14 kmUllscarf · 9 kmBrandreth · 16 kmRed Crag · 10 kmLoadpot Hill · 12 kmHarter Fell · 18 kmGreat Rigg · 2 kmIngleborough · 50 km · clear daysWhernside · 46 km · clear daysWard's Stone · 55 km · clear daysAngletarn Pikes · 7 kmLow Pike · 1 kmBaystones · 5 kmHigh Wythow · 12 kmTop o' Selside · 18 kmGummer's How · 20 kmBeacon Fell · 20 kmWhite Hill · 58 km · clear daysWhitbarrow · 23 kmRaven's Barrow · 21 kmGreat End · 15 kmBowfell · 13 kmKidsty Pike · 8 kmGrey Friar · 14 kmStony Cove Pike · 4 kmWetherlam · 12 kmSlight Side · 17 kmCodale Head · 9 kmHindscarth · 18 kmWether Hill · 11 kmStainton Pike · 26 kmWrynose Fell · 11 kmSwarth Fell · 13 kmSour Howes · 8 kmHawk Rigg · 10 kmFair Snape Fell · 66 km · clear daysBlack Fell · 8 kmCarron Crag · 15 kmGrandsire · 13 kmScout Scar · 20 kmBigland Barrow · 25 kmSnowdon · 172 km · a handful of days a yearAran Fawddwy · 193 km · a handful of days a yearYr Eifl · 193 km · a handful of days a yearPendle Hill · 80 km · a rare clear dayMoel y Gamelin · 164 km · a handful of days a yearBillinge Hill · 108 km · a rare clear day
What you can see from High Pike (Scandale), by direction
  • North-east: Rampsgill Head (8 km), Kidsty Pike (8 km), High Raise (9 km)
  • East: Red Screes (2 km), Caudale Moor (4 km), Stony Cove Pike (4 km), Thornthwaite Crag (6 km)
  • South-west: Wetherlam (12 km), Great Carrs (13 km), Swirl How (13 km), Great How (14 km), Grey Friar (14 km), Brim Fell (15 km), The Old Man of Coniston (15 km)
  • West: High Raise (9 km), Shelter Crags (13 km), Glaramara (13 km), Crinkle Crags (13 km), Crinkle Crags (13 km), Crinkle Crags (13 km), Bowfell (13 km), Crinkle Crags (13 km), Crinkle Crags South Top (13 km), Esk Pike (14 km), Great End (15 km), Ill Crag (15 km), Broad Crag (16 km), Scafell Pike (16 km), Green Gable (16 km), Great Gable (16 km), Scafell (17 km), Slight Side (17 km), High Crag (20 km), Pillar (21 km), Pillar Rock (21 km), High Stile (21 km), High Stile (22 km), Red Pike (22 km)
  • North-west: Fairfield (3 km), Grasmoor (23 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Snowdon (172 km, Wales), Carnedd Llewelyn (160 km, Wales), Aran Fawddwy (193 km, Wales), Moel Siabod (168 km, Wales), Arenig Fawr (180 km, Wales), Yr Eifl (193 km, Wales), Craig Cwm Silyn (180 km, Wales), Pendle Hill (80 km, England).

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 High Pike (Scandale)

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.
67Wainwrights in view+8 marginal
172 kmFurthest sightlineSnowdon (Yr Wyddfa) · possible under favourable refraction
2Sea in viewIrish Sea, Morecambe Bay

On the clearest days the view reaches across to Wales.

Far horizons
  • Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) WalesSSW · 172 km clear
  • Carnedd Llewelyn WalesSSW · 157 km clear
  • Irish Sea open waterSW · 74 km in view
  • Ingleborough Yorkshire DalesSE · 51 km clear
  • Whernside Yorkshire DalesSE · 45 km clear
  • Morecambe Bay bay/estuaryS · 35 km in view
All 67 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

Low Pike, Little Hart Crag (Little Hart Crag - West Top), Heron Pike (Rydal), Red Screes, Great Rigg, Middle Dodd, Nab Scar, Fairfield, Stony Cove Pike (Caudale Moor), Loughrigg Fell, Baystones (Wansfell), Hartsop Dodd, Thornthwaite Crag, Gray Crag, Brock Crags (Wainwright), High Street, Angletarn Pikes (Angletarn Pikes North Top), Tarn Crag (Easedale), Blea Rigg, The Knott (High Street), Rest Dodd, Calf Crag, Sour Howes, Rampsgill Head, Black Fell, Kidsty Pike, Lingmoor Fell (Brown How), High Raise (High Street), The Nab, Sergeant Man, Ullscarf, Pavey Ark, High Raise (High White Stones), Harrison Stickle, Thunacar Knott, Loft Crag, Holme Fell, Pike of Blisco, Wether Hill, Wetherlam, Cold Pike, Loadpot Hill, Glaramara, Great Carrs, Swirl How, Bowfell, Crinkle Crags - Long Top (Second Crinkle), Allen Crags, Esk Pike, Grey Friar, Brim Fell, Great End, The Old Man of Coniston (Coniston Old Man), High Spy, Scafell Pike, Green Gable, Grey Knotts, Brandreth, Great Gable, Scafell, Slight Side, Hindscarth, Harter Fell (Eskdale), High Crag (Buttermere), Pillar, High Stile, Red Pike (Buttermere)

How High Pike (Scandale)’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 High Pike (Scandale)

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

Kirkstone Pass (laybys / inn) — 2.8 km from summit (straight line)
High start for Red Screes (30 min!), Caudale Moor and Middle Dodd.
Directions
Pelter Bridge, Rydal (paid) — 3.2 km from summit (straight line)
For Loughrigg and the Rydal side of the Fairfield Horseshoe.
Directions
🚺 Public toilets (254m) — Free🚺 White Moss (1555m) — Free☕ The Tea Room☕ The Old School Room Tea Shop🍺 Badger Bar & Restaurant

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 Fairfield Horseshoe route:

🚌 Church for Rydal Mount (146 m)⛺ map (432 m)⛺ Rydal Hall Youth Centre Bunkhouse (441 m)

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

Buses to High Pike (Scandale) from Penrith / Ambleside / Windermere

Stagecoach 508 “Ullswater Bus”
Penrith – Pooley Bridge – Aira Force – Glenridding – Patterdale (summer services continue over Kirkstone Pass to Troutbeck and Windermere)
Catch it from: Penrith · Windermere (summer only)
The key route from Penrith for the Eastern and Far Eastern fells: Helvellyn from Glenridding, Place Fell, the Hartsop fells. The summer Kirkstone extension drops you at the pass for Red Screes and Caudale Moor.
Stagecoach 555
Kendal – Staveley – Windermere – Ambleside – Rydal – Grasmere – Thirlmere (Wythburn & Swirls) – Keswick
Catch it from: Windermere · Ambleside
Year-round, roughly hourly. The backbone bus of the A591 — ideal for Helvellyn (Wythburn/Swirls), Fairfield, the Central fells and anything around Grasmere/Rydal. From Penrith, take the X4/X5 to Keswick and change.

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

My hikes over High Pike (Scandale) (Strava)

1 logged hike pass over this summit:

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

Navigating High Pike (Scandale) in cloud

Straightforward

A broad, gently-sloping top with little to steer by — easy to lose your bearings and hard to relocate in mist. 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 High Pike (Scandale) 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 High Pike (Scandale)

Maps & guidebooks for High Pike (Scandale)

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases — at no extra cost to you. How affiliate links work →