Heron Pike facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Heron Pike |
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Heron Pike seen from Great Rigg, two kilometres to the north. Windermere is seen in the distance.
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 612 m (2,008 ft) |
| Prominence | 21 m (69 ft) |
| Parent peak | Great Rigg |
| Listing | Nuttall, Wainwright |
| Geography | |
 Heron Pike
Location in Lake District
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| Location | Cumbria, England |
| Parent range | Lake District Eastern Fells |
| OS grid | NY355082 |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 90 OS Explorer 7 |
| Listed summits of Heron Pike | ||||
| Name | Grid ref | Height | Status | |
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| Heron Pike North Top | NY357086 | 621 m (2,037 ft) | Nuttall | |
Heron Pike is a small mountain, also called a fell, located in the beautiful Lake District in England. It sits about two kilometers east of the village of Grasmere. Heron Pike is part of a group of mountains known as the Fairfield group, found in the eastern part of the Lake District.
It's interesting to note that there's another mountain also called Heron Pike, which is part of Sheffield Pike. By chance, both mountains are exactly the same height!
Contents
About Heron Pike
Heron Pike is not one of the biggest or most famous fells. It's a gentle, grassy slope on the long southern ridge of its larger parent mountain, Fairfield. Heron Pike just barely reaches over 600 meters (2,000 feet) high, at 612 meters (2,008 feet).
Most people who climb Heron Pike do so as part of a longer hike called the "Fairfield horseshoe" walk. It is located between two other fells, Nab Scar and Great Rigg.
Eastern Side Features
The eastern side of Heron Pike drops steeply towards Rydal Beck. Here you can find areas called Erne Crag and Blind Cove. At the bottom of Erne Crag, there's an old quarry. You can easily spot the entrance to a cavern there.
Western Side and Alcock Tarn
The western side of the fell slopes down towards Grasmere. On its lower parts, you'll find a small mountain lake called Alcock Tarn. It sits at a height of 360 meters (1,180 feet).
Alcock Tarn was originally known as Butter Crags Tarn. In the 1800s, it was made bigger by building a stone and earth dam. This made the tarn about six feet deep. The owner at the time, a Mr. Alcock from Grasmere, then filled it with brown trout fish.
Heron Pike's North Top
Heron Pike has a "subsidiary" or smaller top. This higher point is recognized as a Nuttall mountain. It is officially called Heron Pike North Top on the Nuttall lists. Some guidebooks also refer to it as Rydal Fell.
This North Top is about 400 meters north of the main summit. It sits at the top of Erne Crag and is taller than the main summit, reaching 621 meters (2,039 feet).
Wainwright's Choice
Alfred Wainwright was a famous British fell walker and guidebook author. He deliberately chose the lower, main summit of Heron Pike as the official "Wainwright" in his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells. This was one of his many unique choices that make the Wainwrights different from other mountain lists like Nuttalls or Hewitts.
Climbing Heron Pike
You can start your climb of Heron Pike from either Rydal or Grasmere. If you start from Grasmere, you can take a short detour to visit Alcock Tarn. The route from Rydal first involves climbing Nab Scar.
However, most people who visit Heron Pike do so as part of a longer journey. They usually pass over it on their way to or from the main fell of Fairfield.
The Summit Views
The main summit (the southern one) has shiny bits of quartz rock at the very top. It also offers a much better view than the northern top. From here, you can see a wonderful view of Windermere lake. You can also see the Coniston and Central Fells mountain ranges.
The higher northern top has the remains of an old stone wall. Some parts of this wall have been made into a small cairn, which is a pile of stones often used as a marker on mountains.
