High Pike facts for kids
Quick facts for kids High Pike |
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High Pike seen across the Caldew valley from Bowscale Fell, 5 km to the SE.
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 658 m (2,159 ft) |
| Prominence | 69 m (226 ft) |
| Parent peak | Knott |
| Listing | Hewitt, Nuttall, Wainwright |
| Geography | |
 High Pike
Location in Lake District
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| Location | Cumbria, England |
| Parent range | Lake District, Northern Fells |
| OS grid | NY318350 |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 90 OS Explorer 5 |
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High Pike is a fell (which is a type of mountain or hill) located in the northern part of England's beautiful Lake District. It stands about 4.5 kilometers south of a village called Caldbeck. This fell is 658 meters (or 2,159 feet) tall. It's the most northerly fell in the Lake District that is over 2,000 feet high.
High Pike is a large hill. Its northern slopes gently go down towards the flatter land between Caldbeck and Carlisle. Just like its neighbor, Carrock Fell, High Pike has been a very important mining area for a long time. So many different minerals were found here that people used to say, "Caldbeck fells are worth all England else"! This means the minerals found on these fells were considered more valuable than anything else in England.
It's good to know that there's another fell called High Pike in the Lake District, near Ambleside. But this article is about the High Pike near Caldbeck.
Contents
What's at the Top of High Pike?
The very top of High Pike is a special place. People from Caldbeck use it as a beacon. They light a fire there to celebrate important events, like the Millennium (the year 2000) or when a new king or queen is crowned.
There's also a huge pile of stones, called a cairn, at the summit. This cairn was once a small cottage where shepherds lived, but now it's a ruin. You'll also find a trig point there. A trig point is a special marker used by mapmakers. This one has a plaque that says, “To Celebrate Caldbeck Parish’s Millennium Celebrations”.
Close by, there's a strong shelter built from stones from the old cottage. It helps protect people from the wind. One of the most interesting things at the top is a slate bench. It has a message carved into it: “In memory of Mick Lewis who loved all these fells”. Mick passed away in 1944 when he was just 16 years old. A smaller message remembers his mother, who died in 1970.
A famous mountaineer named Chris Bonington lives near Caldbeck. He often walks his dog on High Pike. In 2005, he told a local newspaper how much he loved the fell: "This (High Pike) is a hill I feel truly at home on. It has always been one I can return to after climbing some serious peak in the Himalaya or Alps and return to earth. It has the most wonderful changing moods. The light is ever-shifting across the fell making a kaleidoscope of colours, and its wildlife is fascinating."
Views from the Top
Because High Pike is on the northern edge of the Lake District, you get amazing views looking north. You can see the Solway Firth (a large bay) and the hills of the Scottish Borders. However, if you look south, the views are blocked by the big mountains of Skiddaw and Blencathra. So, you can't see much of the main part of the Lake District from here.
High Pike also has two smaller peaks nearby. These are called Nuttall fells. They are Hare Stones (627 meters tall) and Great Lingy Hill (616 meters tall). Hare Stones is about 600 meters southwest of the main summit, and Great Lingy Hill is about one kilometer away in the same direction.
High Pike's Mining History
The mines on High Pike are all located on its northern slopes. People have been digging for minerals here since the 1500s! The most famous mine, Roughtongill, is said to have produced 23 different types of metal ores.
For example, Copper was dug out at the Sandbeds mine. Both lead and copper were found at the Driggeth mine. Later, some of these mines were opened again during World War II. This was to get barytes, a mineral needed to make ammunition. The very last mine on High Pike closed in 1966.
How to Climb High Pike
If you want to climb High Pike directly, most people start from the north, usually near the Caldbeck area. However, many hikers like to combine climbing High Pike with other nearby fells. These include Carrock Fell, Knott, and Great Calva. You can do a circular walk that starts and finishes near Mosedale, which is south of Carrock Fell.
