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12.97 km · ~836 m ascent · ~4–5.5 h · loop · 5 summits

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High Stile, Seat via Buttermere

12.97 km
Distance
~4–5.5 h
Typical time
~836 m
Ascent
5
Summits
Download GPX →Maps & guidebooks

Key facts

Distance 12.97 km
Ascent ~836 m
Descent ~835 m
Time ~4–5.5 h
Type Loop
A planned line is a suggestion, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate independently and carry a map & compass.

Difficulty profile

LengthModerate12.97 km round.
SteepnessSevereSteepest sustained pull about 49% around the 3.0 km mark.
TerrainModerateMostly good mountain path. desk assessment — not field-verified
NavigationModerateClear line, hard to stray. desk assessment — not field-verified
ExposureNot assessedExposure (drops, scrambling, how bad a slip would be) can’t be judged from gradient data alone, so we don’t guess. A rating appears once the route is editorially assessed or walked.

Five independent axes, not one score. “Desk” ratings come from maps and guidebooks, not yet walked — treat them as a guide, not a survey.

Conditions on this route

We score every Lakeland Wainwright each morning on cloud, wind, rain and underfoot, and this route crosses 3 of them. The worst summit governs the verdict — a route is only as kind as its roughest top.

Modelled guidance — not a substitute for the mountain forecast or your own judgement. See how every fell ranks today →

☀️ Daylight & turnaround

Daylight is short from October to February — check today’s sunrise and sunset before you set off, and carry a head-torch and spare batteries. On short days, decide your turn-back time before you start.

Why this matters: 78% of Mountain Rescue call-outs come after midday — the day runs out on the way home, not on the way up. See also walking in bad weather and today’s conditions.

OpenTopoMap
Elevation profile
Elevation profile Rises from about 91 m to 807 m over 13.0 km, with the summits marked in order. 807 m 91 m 0 km 13.0 km 12345

1 Red Pike (Buttermere)2 High Stile3 High Stile (Grey Crag - High Stile)4 High Crag (Buttermere)5 Seat

~836 m
Total ascent
807 m
High point
119 m
Start height

Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap (switch layers top-right).

This walk covers about 12.97 km with around 836 m of ascent, taking in 5 summits. The map above shows the line; the elevation profile and stage notes are below.

Access & barriers

Can a dog, a buggy or dodgy knees manage this route? A quick read from the gates and stiles mapped along the way.

Dog
Gates only
Buggy
Not buggy-able
Knees
Tough descent
  • Dog: Gates and kissing gates only — a dog can do the whole route.
  • Buggy: Stiles or rough going on the route.
  • Knees: A long, steep ~46% drop around the 6.4 km mark — hard on the knees.

On the line: 23 gates · 6 kissing gates

These are mapped barriers, from OpenStreetMap — coverage in the Lakes is good but not guaranteed complete. Spotted a stile or gate we’ve missed? Tell us and we’ll fix it. Barrier data as of 2026-07-26. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).

Pacing

SummitCumulativeAscentTime (fast–steady)
Red Pike (Buttermere)3.3 km649 m1:44–2:18
High Stile4.4 km737 m2:06–2:48
High Stile (Grey Crag - High Stile)4.7 km753 m2:11–2:54
High Crag (Buttermere)6.2 km788 m2:34–3:24
Seat7.1 km788 m2:44–3:38
Finish13.0 km836 m3:59–5:18

Naismith-based estimate — a fast/steady range. Your pace will vary.

The walk, stage by stage

Start → Red Pike (Buttermere) (3.3 km, 649 m)

Climb of about 649 m over 3.3 km (around 20% average).

Red Pike (Buttermere) → High Stile (1.1 km, 88 m)

Climb of about 88 m over 1.1 km (around 8% average).

High Stile → High Stile (Grey Crag - High Stile) (0.3 km, 16 m)

Undulating section of about 0.3 km.

High Stile (Grey Crag - High Stile) → High Crag (Buttermere) (1.6 km, 36 m)

Descent of about 83 m over 1.6 km.

High Crag (Buttermere) → Seat (0.9 km, 0 m)

Descent of about 190 m over 0.9 km.

Seat → Finish (5.9 km, 48 m)

About 5.9 km with 48 m of ascent.

Stage-by-stage field notes coming soon.

Summits bagged (5)

🅿️ Getting there & parking

Buttermere village (NT, paid) — 0.1 km from the start (straight line)
For Red Pike, High Stile, Robinson, Rannerdale Knotts.
Directions
Gatesgarth Farm, Buttermere (paid) — 2.9 km from the start (straight line)
Farm car park at the foot of Haystacks, Fleetwith Pike and the High Stile ridge.
Directions

Positions are approximate. Lakeland car parks fill before 9am on fine weekends.

💧 Water, shelter & getting away

🚌 Bridge Hotel (6 m)🚌 The Fish Hotel (62 m)🚌 Mountain Road junction (153 m)🚌 Buttermere Youth Hostel (N bound) (312 m)⛺ Syke Farm Campsite (217 m)

On-route facilities © OpenStreetMap contributors — an absent marker does not mean the facility isn’t there.

🚌 Buses

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 or Traveline before travelling.

⚠️ Safety & conditions

Check live conditions in the “From the fells” panel, on MWIS and the Met Office mountain forecast before you set off.

Make it easier or harder

Short version: turn back at about 7.1 km (drop to Start) — roughly half the distance.

⬇️ Download

Download GPX

GPX track for your GPS or phone.

📚 Maps & guidebooks for High Stile, Seat via Buttermere

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