High Stile (806m), High Crag (744m) - 28/07/2019
Distance: 12km; Ascent: 750m; Time: 6h
We parked in Buttermere and found all the hills swathed in cloud. Fortunately, the cloud lifted as we ascended, the sun came out intermittently and we stayed dry all day. Having climbed Red Pike fairly recently we opted to follow the less well-trodden and much fainter path 'direct' to High Stile. It would almost certainly be quicker and easier to follow the usual route via Red Pike, but the current route has great views and more wildlife interest. The path through Burtness Wood was easy enough to follow; once across a stile into the open fell we were walking through wet bracken and the path was much less easy to find. Eventually the bracken was left behind as we ascended steeply through a mossy carpet of heather and bilberry. A bit of easy scrambling is involved higher up. Once on the ridge the route to High Crag is pleasant and easy. The initial descent from High Crag is steep and down a scree slope. At the bottom of this slope the short-cut to the Scarth Gap track (avoiding re-ascent over Seat) is easy to miss (we missed it and had to do some off piste to gain it). Once on the Scarth Gap track rapid progress is made back to Buttermere. We opted to walk on the north-east side of the lake, but the south-west side would be just as good.
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