Buttermere Edge: Red Pike, High Stile & High Crag

Walk date - Saturday 15 August 2026
Distance - 8.4 miles
Time - 3h55 (moving time) / 5h10 (total)
Weather - mix of clouds and sun, great visibility, little breeze 
3 Wainwrights - Red Pike (755m), High Stile (807m), High Crag (744m)

Difficulty ●●●●○  Rating ●●●●● 

A perfect day walking the Buttermere Edge ⛰️

This amazing walk along the edge, which includes high fells standing above Buttermere and Ennerdale Water, has become my number one favourite walk in the Lake District!

Buttermere is a place my partner, Matt, and I know well, as it's where we got engaged nearly 2 years ago! But I was getting a bit tired of doing the same walk around the lake each time, however lovely it is. So, as part of our Wainwright challenge, we thought it would be a good idea to walk along the edge we had seen so many times. And no regrets! We both loved it.

We got incredibly lucky with the weather - it wasn't too warm, there was a gentle breeze, and we had a perfect mix of sun and clouds, giving us good visibility and views stretching as far as Scotland.

We passed lots of other hikers along the way, which was understandable considering the season and the school holidays. Red Pike was the busiest; we were mostly alone as we continued towards High Stile and High Crag. It got busy again as we reached the cairn before Haystacks.

Our cocker spaniel, Crunch, was also with us. I was worried the scrambling sections might be difficult for him, but not at all (it was more us who struggled 😆). He managed really well, although I made sure to bring plenty of water (and treats).

We parked at the Buttermere Court Hotel, where we started our walk at around 11am. 

From there, we made our way to the shore of Buttermere before reaching the bridge. Once we passed the gate, we headed up through the forest, following the steps. The beginning was quite steep, so we took regular breaks, especially as Matt had also come down with a bad cold.

Once out of the forest, we could already see great views over Buttermere! 

After a few photo breaks, we reached Bleaberry Tarn, which was an ideal stop before climbing Red Pike. The blue of the tarn was so beautiful, and I loved the contrast with all the purple flowers.

 Hour 1 - 12pm 

Then, the steepest part started. We followed the steps up until they disappeared, giving way to red rocks and loose stones. The struggle was real for me - I was on all fours for most of the way up to the summit, as I kept slipping down, and I had to wash my hands at the top as they were completely red from the rocks (note to self: bring wipes next time). But Matt and Crunch were fine!

There were multiple ways up; we took the gully zigzagging up on the right. 

And here we were, at the top of Red Pike. The views over Crummock Water and the Grasmoor fells were amazing - stretching as far as Scotland and the Isle of Man! 

Thankfully, it wasn't too windy, so we found a little spot to eat our lunch: sandwiches, crisps, and treats for Crunch.

 Hour 2 - 1pm 

Once we had finished, we continued along the ridge, walking up and down along the way - although the worst of the climb was behind us once we had reached Red Pike. The path wasn't very clear from there, so we followed the occasional old iron fence posts, and it was quite flat and easy.

We made it to High Stile! The summit wasn't very obvious, so we walked around and kept to the left, just in case.

We continued along the ridge, admiring the dramatic views as we walked.

 Hour 3 - 2pm 

We arrived at our third and final Wainwright - High Crag! We stopped to enjoy the views and eat some snacks. I was so amazed at how quiet and peaceful it was up there - I was prepared for lots of wind after the experience we had on Coniston Old Man, but this was completely different. 

It felt so good to sit there and enjoy the stillness. I could have stayed there forever... But it was time to head down. 

The way down from High Crag wasn't easy, starting with loose stones and then steep steps. I felt bad for those who were climbing up, aha. Although I had to be very careful myself as, once again, I kept slipping.

We then passed the rocky summit of Seat. We were hesitating about whether to continue to Haystacks, but my legs felt like jelly 😅 I thought it would be best to stop there after such a great day, rather than force it and end up feeling unwell... So we'll keep Haystacks and Fleetwith Pike for another time!

 Hour 4 - 3pm 

We turned left at the cairn and made our way down Scarth Gap Pass. The views were still beautiful from there, but my body needed coffee, so I was eager to be back to the car.

Our tired legs enjoyed the flatness of the path along Buttermere's shore, which was incredibly busy. We followed the path until we reached the bridge where we had started.

 Hour 5 - 4pm 

And here we were, back at the car park! 

But as I mentioned, my body needed coffee, so we made a quick stop at Croft House Farm Café before driving back to Manchester. 

This walk was a big highlight for me - I loved everything about it. It was also our longest and highest hike up to date, crossing off 3 Wainwrights from our list, and I think we did pretty well (although I can say now that my thighs were sore the next day). 

Yet I couldn't recommend it enough 🤎