Esk Pike

Esk Pike
Esk Pike
	Esk Pike at sunrise
Highest point
Elevation	885 m (2,904 ft)
Prominence	105 m (344 ft)
Parent peak	Bowfell
Listing	Hewitt, Nuttall, Wainwright
Coordinates	54°27′22″N3°10′48″W / 54.45622°N 3.17995°W
Geography
	Esk Pike Location in the Lake District National Park Esk Pike Location in Allerdale, Cumbria Esk Pike Location in Copeland, Cumbria
Location	Cumbria, England
Parent range	Lake District, Southern Fells
OS grid	NY236074
Topo map	OS Landrangers 89, 90, Explorer OL6

Last updated June 25, 2023

Esk Pike is a fell in the English Lake District, one of the cirque of hills forming the head of Eskdale.

Topography

The Southern Fells include the highest ground in England, a horseshoe which begins with Scafell and Scafell Pike in the west and then curves around the north of Upper Eskdale to take in Great End, Esk Pike, Bow Fell and Crinkle Crags. As the name suggests, Esk Pike stands at the head of the valley, although it is not the highest of these fells.

To the north-west of Esk Pike is the depression of Esk Hause, a broad saddle carrying a number of important paths. The ‘true’ Esk Hause—so named by Alfred Wainwright in his influential Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells —is the north–south route from Borrowdale to Eskdale. A lower path—the ‘false’ Hause—runs east–west from Langdale to Wasdale, passing a stone windshelter. There are also paths climbing to the summits of Esk Pike and Allen Crags, together with the popular Calf Cove route to Scafell Pike, all contributing to make Esk Hause a confusing place in mist. The source of the main branch of the Esk flows south from the Hause, while to the north the topography is more complex. Allen Crags stands adrift from the main ridge, with the valleys of Langstrath and Grains Gill falling on either side. These combine some miles downstream to form the River Derwent, flowing through Borrowdale to Derwentwater and Keswick.

South-east of the summit of Esk Pike is Ore Gap, the col separating it from Bow Fell. The soil here is red due to haematite, and climbing lore suggests that magnetic compasses cannot be trusted in this locality.^[1] North of the gap is Angle Tarn, a feeder of the Langstrath. This round tarn occupies a corrie beneath Hanging Knotts, small trout lurking in its 50 foot (15 m) depths.^[2]

Southward from the summit, Esk Pike throws out a long descending ridge into the uninhabited fastness of Upper Eskdale. This divides the Esk from its major upper tributary, Lingcove Beck, which has its beginnings at Ore Gap. Two miles (3.2 km) in length, this ridge falls over a series of craggy steps to the confluence of the two streams at Lingcove Bridge. An old Packhorse Bridge, this is a focal point for those approaching from the south, particularly when the Esk is in spate. The south ridge has a number of subsidiary tops which are recognised by some guidebooks,^[3] the principal summits being Pike de Bield 2,657 feet (810 m), Scar Lathing 1,440 feet (440 m) and Throstlehow Crag 1,325 feet (404 m). Scar Lathing is particularly impressive, presenting sheer cliffs above a bend in the Esk. Although of minor significance Pianet Knott on the eastern side of the ridge also has a very striking appearance from lower down the valley.

Geology

Laminated volcaniclastic claystones and siltstones of the Esk Pike Formation form the upper reaches, crossed by an intrusion of andesite and hybridized andesite porphyry.^[4]

Summit

The summit area is extremely stony, striking pale rocks being much in evidence.^[5] A series of steps rise up from Ore Gap whilst the approach from Esk Hause is rough and eroded. A small cairn on the highest craggy outcrop marks the highest point. Esk Pike's central position above Eskdale gives it glorious views of the Scafells, with the Eastern and Northern Fells also forming a fine panorama. Derwentwater and a section of Windermere complete the scene. A little to the south, Pike de Bield provides an intimate view of the upper Esk.^[5]

Ascents

Being far from any roads, all ascents of Esk Pike involve considerable distance by Cumbrian standards. From Brotherilkeld on the Eskdale road the climber can choose between Ore Gap, Esk Hause and the south ridge, all of these options being around five and a half miles (9 km). Borrowdale gives a choice of starting points, either making for Esk Hause from Seathwaite, or Ore Gap from Stonethwaite. Access is also possible from Great Langdale, ascending Rossett Gill from the Old Hotel. Many walkers will reach the summit indirectly having climbed Bow Fell first via the Band, or perhaps climbed from Borrowdale over Glaramara and Allen Crags.

Related Research Articles

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Scafell is a mountain in the English Lake District, part of the Southern Fells. Its height of 964 metres makes it the second-highest mountain in England after its neighbour Scafell Pike, from which it is separated by Mickledore col.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bowfell</span> Mountain in the English Lake District, Cumbria, England

Bowfell is a pyramid-shaped mountain lying at the heart of the English Lake District, in the Southern Fells area. It is the sixth-highest mountain in the Lake District and one of the most popular of the Lake District fells for walkers. It is listed in Alfred Wainwright's 'best half dozen' Lake District fells.

Great End is the most northerly mountain in the Scafell chain, in the English Lake District. From the south it is simply a lump continuing this chain. From the north, however, it appears as an immense mountain, with an imposing north face rising above Sprinkling Tarn (lake). This is a popular location for wild camping, and the north face attracts many climbers.

Crinkle Crags is a fell in the English Lake District in the county of Cumbria. It forms part of two major rings of mountains, surrounding the valleys of Great Langdale and Upper Eskdale. The name reflects the fell's physical appearance as its summit ridge is a series of five rises and depressions (crinkles) that are very distinctive from the valley floor. In Old English, cringol means twisted or wrinkled.

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Esk Hause is a mountain pass in the English Lake District, England. It is where the paths from Eskdale, Borrowdale, Langdale and Wasdale all meet. Esk Hause is a first step to reaching higher summits, such as Scafell Pike, Great End, Esk Pike and Allen Crags, which are all nearby. This can be a confusing place for walkers, especially in mist. This is because two paths cross at right angles on a tilted grass plateau, but not at the summit of the plateau. The popular Great Langdale-Wasdale path crosses at an elevation of 727 m (2,386 ft) at the wall shelter; this is the lower of the two passes known as Esk Hause, but is, in fact, not the true pass, which is 30 m (100 ft) higher and 270 m (300 yd) distant, a less-used pass between Eskdale and Borrowdale that occupies the depression between Great End and Esk Pike. The 'true' Esk Hause is the highest pass in the Lake District, but Sticks Pass is commonly named as Lakeland's highest pass, most probably because fellwalkers equate "Esk Hause" with the lower of the two passes.

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Calf Crag is a fell in the English Lake District, on the eastern side of the High Raise massif.

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Slight Side is a fell in the English Lake District it stands 25 kilometres east southeast of the town of Whitehaven and reaches a height of 762 m (2,499 ft). Slight Side lies at the south western edge of the Scafell Massif, a four-kilometre-long crescent of high ground which includes the highest ground in England. The fells names derives from the Old Norse language and means "The mountain shieling with the level pastures", it is a combination of the Norse words "sletta" and "saetr". With a shieling meaning a shepherds hut or a mountain pasture used in the summer.

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References

↑ Alfred Wainwright: A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells , Book 4: ISBN 0-7112-2457-9
↑ Blair, Don: Exploring Lakeland Tarns: Lakeland Manor Press (2003): ISBN 0-9543904-1-5
↑ Birkett, Bill: Complete Lakeland Fells: Collins Willow (1994): ISBN 0-00-218406-0
↑ British Geological Survey: 1:50,000 series maps, England & Wales Sheet 38: BGS (1998)
1 2 Richards, Mark: Mid-Western Fells: Collins (2004): ISBN 0-00-711368-4

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[wainwright-1] Alfred Wainwright: A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells , Book 4: ISBN 0-7112-2457-9

[blair-2] Blair, Don: Exploring Lakeland Tarns: Lakeland Manor Press (2003): ISBN 0-9543904-1-5

[birkett-3] Birkett, Bill: Complete Lakeland Fells: Collins Willow (1994): ISBN 0-00-218406-0

[BGS-4] British Geological Survey: 1:50,000 series maps, England & Wales Sheet 38: BGS (1998)

[richards-5] 1 2 Richards, Mark: Mid-Western Fells: Collins (2004): ISBN 0-00-711368-4

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v t e Wainwright's Southern Fells
Allen Crags Black Fell Bowfell Brim Fell Cold Pike Coniston Old Man (Old Man of Coniston) Crinkle Crags Dow Crag Esk Pike Glaramara Great Carrs Great End Green Crag Grey Friar Hard Knott Harter Fell (Eskdale) Holme Fell Illgill Head Lingmell Lingmoor Fell Pike O'Blisco (Pike of Blisco) Rossett Pike Rosthwaite Fell Scafell Scafell Pike Seathwaite Fell Slight Side Swirl How Wetherlam Whin Rigg
Full list of Wainwrights by area