Red Pike (Wasdale)
Encyclopedia
Red Pike is a fell
in the English
Lake District
. It is 826 m or 2709 ft (825.7 m) high and lies due north of Wast Water
. It is often climbed as part of the Mosedale Horseshoe, a walk which also includes Pillar
.
The fell can be confused with Red Pike (Buttermere)
, not least because its namesake is only three miles away, so according to Alfred Wainwright
it is conventional to call it Wasdale Red Pike.
occupy a triangular sector of the Lake District, bordered by the River Cocker to the north east and Wasdale
to the south east. Westwards the hills diminish toward the coastal plain of Cumberland. At the central hub of the high country are Great Gable
and its satellites, while two principal ridges fan out on either flank of Ennerdale
, the western fells in effect being a great horseshoe around this long wild valley. Red Pike is an outlier of the southern arm.
The main watershed runs broadly westwards from Great Gable, dividing the headwaters of Ennerdale
and Wasdale
. Travelling in this direction the principal hills are Kirk Fell
, Pillar
, Scoat Fell
, Haycock and Caw Fell
. Scoat Fell throws out a long southern ridge terminating in Yewbarrow
and Red Pike stands part way along.
The Red Pike ridge occupies a broad area of high country between Nether Beck in the west and Mosedale in the east. The Mosedale face is steeper with considerable areas of Crag, whilst the western slopes descend slowly over a couple of miles. The ridge begins at an unnamed col
to the southeast of Scoat Fell. This narrow depression is squeezed between Black Comb, the birthplace of Mosedale Beck, and Scoat Tarn, the primary feeder of Nether Beck. From the depression it is only a short climb to the summit of Red Pike, the majority of the ridge lying beyond on the long south easterly descent to Dore Head. At this col the watershed turns south west, rising to the twin summits of Yewbarrow. Dore Head is the source of Over Beck, the stream separating Yewbarrow from the long western flanks of Red Pike.
Red Pike presents an almost continuous wall of crags above Mosedale, particularly above Black Comb. Bull and Black Crags meanwhile guard the southern section. To the west a long shoulder of land falls gradually between Nether Beck and Over Beck, narrowing as the converge toward the shore of Wastwater. In the middle of the plateau is Low Tarn, a large shallow waterbody lying in a flat basin. It drains via Brimfull Beck into Over Beck. This whole area is unfrequented with few paths amongst the grassy hillocks and low crags. Scoat Tarn at the head of Nether Beck is by contrast a corrie tarn, held in place by grassy moraine
s. Its depth is around 65 ft (19.8 m).
Red Pike has a subsidiary southern top with a height of 2627 ft (800.7 m).
-phyric andesite
lava
s of the Birker Fell Formation. There are also sills of lapilli
-tuff
and intrusions of rhyolite
.
perched on the brink of the Mosedale Crags. To the west is a gentle slope, carpeted with short turf. The southern top also bears a large cairn and, a hundred yards beyond, is The Chair. This is an armchair shaped windshelter built onto a rock outcrop, a few yards off the path. It provides a fine vantage point for views southward, and is so prominent on the climb from Dore Head that it once gave its name to the fell. Scoat Fell and Pillar obstruct the view northward. The Scafells
are well seen, as are the Wasdale Screes.
and Pillar
. Depending upon the strength of the walker Yewbarrow
and Kirk Fell
may also be added.
Fell
“Fell” is a word used to refer to mountains, or certain types of mountainous landscape, in Scandinavia, the Isle of Man, and parts of northern England.- Etymology :...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
. It is 826 m or 2709 ft (825.7 m) high and lies due north of Wast Water
Wast Water
Wast Water or Wastwater is a lake located in Wasdale, a valley in the western part of the Lake District National Park, England. The lake is approximately 4.6 kilometres long and 600 metres wide. It is the deepest lake in England at 79 metres , and is owned by the National Trust...
. It is often climbed as part of the Mosedale Horseshoe, a walk which also includes Pillar
Pillar (Lake District)
Pillar is a mountain in the western part of the English Lake District. Situated between the valleys of Ennerdale to the north and Wasdale to the south, it is the highest point of the Pillar group . At 892 metres it is the eighth highest mountain in the Lake District...
.
The fell can be confused with Red Pike (Buttermere)
Red Pike (Buttermere)
Red Pike is a fell in the High Stile range in the western English Lake District, which separates Ennerdale from the valley of Buttermere and Crummock Water. It is high...
, not least because its namesake is only three miles away, so according to Alfred Wainwright
Alfred Wainwright
Alfred Wainwright MBE was a British fellwalker, guidebook author and illustrator. His seven-volume Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, published between 1955 and 1966 and consisting entirely of reproductions of his manuscript, has become the standard reference work to 214 of the fells of the...
it is conventional to call it Wasdale Red Pike.
Topography
The Western FellsWestern Fells
The Western Fells are a group of hills in the English Lake District. Centred on Great Gable they occupy a triangular area between Buttermere and Wasdale...
occupy a triangular sector of the Lake District, bordered by the River Cocker to the north east and Wasdale
Wasdale
Wasdale is a valley and civil parish in the western part of the Lake District National Park in Cumbria, England. The River Irt flows through the valley to its estuary at Ravenglass. A large part of the main valley floor is occupied by Wastwater, the deepest lake in England...
to the south east. Westwards the hills diminish toward the coastal plain of Cumberland. At the central hub of the high country are Great Gable
Great Gable
Great Gable is a mountain lying at the very heart of the English Lake District, appearing as a pyramid from Wasdale , but as a dome from most other directions. It is one of the most popular of the Lakeland fells, and there are many different routes to the summit...
and its satellites, while two principal ridges fan out on either flank of Ennerdale
Ennerdale
Ennerdale may refer to:* Ennerdale, Gauteng, a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa* Ennerdale Water, a lake in the Lake District in England**Ennerdale Bridge, a nearby settlement...
, the western fells in effect being a great horseshoe around this long wild valley. Red Pike is an outlier of the southern arm.
The main watershed runs broadly westwards from Great Gable, dividing the headwaters of Ennerdale
Ennerdale
Ennerdale may refer to:* Ennerdale, Gauteng, a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa* Ennerdale Water, a lake in the Lake District in England**Ennerdale Bridge, a nearby settlement...
and Wasdale
Wasdale
Wasdale is a valley and civil parish in the western part of the Lake District National Park in Cumbria, England. The River Irt flows through the valley to its estuary at Ravenglass. A large part of the main valley floor is occupied by Wastwater, the deepest lake in England...
. Travelling in this direction the principal hills are Kirk Fell
Kirk Fell
Kirk Fell is a fell in the Western part of the English Lake District. It is situated between Great Gable and Pillar on the long ring of fells surrounding the valley of Ennerdale, and also stands over Wasdale to the south...
, Pillar
Pillar (Lake District)
Pillar is a mountain in the western part of the English Lake District. Situated between the valleys of Ennerdale to the north and Wasdale to the south, it is the highest point of the Pillar group . At 892 metres it is the eighth highest mountain in the Lake District...
, Scoat Fell
Scoat Fell
Scoat Fell is a fell in the western part of the English Lake District. It stands at the head of the Mosedale Horseshoe with its back to Ennerdale...
, Haycock and Caw Fell
Caw Fell
Caw Fell is a fell in the English Lake District, standing between Haycock the Lank Rigg group. It occupies a wide upland area with Ennerdale to the north and Blengdale to the south...
. Scoat Fell throws out a long southern ridge terminating in Yewbarrow
Yewbarrow
Yewbarrow is a fell in the English Lake District which lies immediately north of the head of Wast Water. It is 628 metres high and in shape resembles the upturned hull of a boat or a barrow. Yewbarrow is on the left in the classic view of Great Gable and Wast Water.The top of Stirrup Crag...
and Red Pike stands part way along.
The Red Pike ridge occupies a broad area of high country between Nether Beck in the west and Mosedale in the east. The Mosedale face is steeper with considerable areas of Crag, whilst the western slopes descend slowly over a couple of miles. The ridge begins at an unnamed col
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
to the southeast of Scoat Fell. This narrow depression is squeezed between Black Comb, the birthplace of Mosedale Beck, and Scoat Tarn, the primary feeder of Nether Beck. From the depression it is only a short climb to the summit of Red Pike, the majority of the ridge lying beyond on the long south easterly descent to Dore Head. At this col the watershed turns south west, rising to the twin summits of Yewbarrow. Dore Head is the source of Over Beck, the stream separating Yewbarrow from the long western flanks of Red Pike.
Red Pike presents an almost continuous wall of crags above Mosedale, particularly above Black Comb. Bull and Black Crags meanwhile guard the southern section. To the west a long shoulder of land falls gradually between Nether Beck and Over Beck, narrowing as the converge toward the shore of Wastwater. In the middle of the plateau is Low Tarn, a large shallow waterbody lying in a flat basin. It drains via Brimfull Beck into Over Beck. This whole area is unfrequented with few paths amongst the grassy hillocks and low crags. Scoat Tarn at the head of Nether Beck is by contrast a corrie tarn, held in place by grassy moraine
Moraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
s. Its depth is around 65 ft (19.8 m).
Red Pike has a subsidiary southern top with a height of 2627 ft (800.7 m).
Geology
The fell is mainly composed of the plagioclasePlagioclase
Plagioclase is an important series of tectosilicate minerals within the feldspar family. Rather than referring to a particular mineral with a specific chemical composition, plagioclase is a solid solution series, more properly known as the plagioclase feldspar series...
-phyric andesite
Andesite
Andesite is an extrusive igneous, volcanic rock, of intermediate composition, with aphanitic to porphyritic texture. In a general sense, it is the intermediate type between basalt and dacite. The mineral assemblage is typically dominated by plagioclase plus pyroxene and/or hornblende. Magnetite,...
lava
Lava
Lava refers both to molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption and the resulting rock after solidification and cooling. This molten rock is formed in the interior of some planets, including Earth, and some of their satellites. When first erupted from a volcanic vent, lava is a liquid at...
s of the Birker Fell Formation. There are also sills of lapilli
Lapilli
Lapilli is a size classification term for tephra, which is material that falls out of the air during a volcanic eruption or during some meteorite impacts. Lapilli means "little stones" in Latin. They are in some senses similar to ooids or pisoids in calcareous sediments.By definition lapilli range...
-tuff
Tuff
Tuff is a type of rock consisting of consolidated volcanic ash ejected from vents during a volcanic eruption. Tuff is sometimes called tufa, particularly when used as construction material, although tufa also refers to a quite different rock. Rock that contains greater than 50% tuff is considered...
and intrusions of rhyolite
Rhyolite
This page is about a volcanic rock. For the ghost town see Rhyolite, Nevada, and for the satellite system, see Rhyolite/Aquacade.Rhyolite is an igneous, volcanic rock, of felsic composition . It may have any texture from glassy to aphanitic to porphyritic...
.
Summit and View
The main summit bears a cairnCairn
Cairn is a term used mainly in the English-speaking world for a man-made pile of stones. It comes from the or . Cairns are found all over the world in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops, near waterways and on sea cliffs, and also in barren desert and tundra areas...
perched on the brink of the Mosedale Crags. To the west is a gentle slope, carpeted with short turf. The southern top also bears a large cairn and, a hundred yards beyond, is The Chair. This is an armchair shaped windshelter built onto a rock outcrop, a few yards off the path. It provides a fine vantage point for views southward, and is so prominent on the climb from Dore Head that it once gave its name to the fell. Scoat Fell and Pillar obstruct the view northward. The Scafells
Scafells
Image:Annotated Scafell range.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Scafell range as seen looking west from Crinkle Crags. rect 23 372 252 419 Slight Side rect 173 794 560 834 Scafell East Buttress...
are well seen, as are the Wasdale Screes.
Ascents
From Overbeck Bridge on the Wastwater road a way can be found up to Low Tarn, gaining the summit via the long western slopes. Alternatively Over Beck can be followed to its source at Dore Head, before making up the south ridge. Dore Head can also be reached from Mosedale if starting from Wasdale Head, although a long climb up scree is involved. It is possible instead to ascend Black Comb on easier slopes and then return to the summit. Red Pike is often the start of the Mosedale Horseshoe, a ridgewalk also visiting Scoat FellScoat Fell
Scoat Fell is a fell in the western part of the English Lake District. It stands at the head of the Mosedale Horseshoe with its back to Ennerdale...
and Pillar
Pillar (Lake District)
Pillar is a mountain in the western part of the English Lake District. Situated between the valleys of Ennerdale to the north and Wasdale to the south, it is the highest point of the Pillar group . At 892 metres it is the eighth highest mountain in the Lake District...
. Depending upon the strength of the walker Yewbarrow
Yewbarrow
Yewbarrow is a fell in the English Lake District which lies immediately north of the head of Wast Water. It is 628 metres high and in shape resembles the upturned hull of a boat or a barrow. Yewbarrow is on the left in the classic view of Great Gable and Wast Water.The top of Stirrup Crag...
and Kirk Fell
Kirk Fell
Kirk Fell is a fell in the Western part of the English Lake District. It is situated between Great Gable and Pillar on the long ring of fells surrounding the valley of Ennerdale, and also stands over Wasdale to the south...
may also be added.