| High Pike - Route One |
| Start - Ambleside NY374 047 | Distance - 3.3 miles | Ascent - 2,080 feet | Time - 2 hours : 15 minutes |
 |
| The walk starts from the Rydal Road car park. Leave the car park by the footbridge over Stock Ghyll and cross the A591 to Kirkstone Road |
 |
| Kirkstone Road is only followed for about 150 yards before leaving it for Sweden Bridge Lane |
 |
| Sweden Bridge Lane - after following the lane for about a quarter of a mile its metalled surface ends at a gate. The lane continues as a rough track, an old drove way to Scandale |
 |
| Looking over towards Wetherlam and Great Carrs from the Sweden Bridge Lane track |
 |
| Nab Scar, Heron Pike and Erne Crag |
 |
| Erne Crag, Great Rigg and Fairfield on the left, with High Pike above Low Pike on the right |
 |
| Bowfell, the Langdale Pikes and High Raise on the horizon |
 |
| Coniston Old Man, Wetherlam, Great Carrs and Crinkle Crags over the summit ridges of Black Fell and Loughrigg Fell |
 |
| Dove Crag now visible to the right of High Pike. At the time of this walk the pipeline for the Scandale Beck Hydro-electric Scheme was being installed across the slopes of Low Pike. The scheme is due to be completed by September 2015 |
 |
| After climbing steadily from Ambleside the track begins to descend slightly as it approaches Rough Sides Wood |
 |
| As the track emerges from the wood the view opens out towards High Pike and Dove Crag at the head of the valley |
 |
| After passing through a gate the track divides, the left branch turns to descend towards Scandale Beck and High Sweden Bridge |
 |
| High Sweden Bridge overlooked by Sweden Crag and Low Brock Crags |
 |
| High Pike from Scandale Beck |
 |
| Over High Sweden Bridge the path turns left from a handgate and climbs the steep slope above it to a ladder stile below a sheepfold. On reaching the sheepfold it joins the main path which comes up from Ambleside via Low Sweden Bridge |
 |
| High Pike and High Bakestones from the path to the ladder stile |
 |
| Looking down to the drove way track, High Sweden Bridge lies, unseen from here, at the end of the wall |
 |
| The steep western slopes of Red Screes above Scandale |
 |
| Sweden Crag from the ladder stile |
 |
| Looking back towards Wansfell Pike over Rough Sides Wood from the sheepfold |
 |
| The way ahead on the main path. This avoids the 'rock step' on Sweden Crag by threading its way through the rocky outcrops of Low and High Brock Crags to reach the ridge-top wall behind Sweden Crag |
 |
| Looking back towards Windermere from the sheepfold |
 |
| Approaching the outcrops of Low Brock Crags, the path turns sharply to the left as it meets them and climbs up towards the ridge-top wall |
 |
| Little Hart Crag over Low Brock Crags |
 |
| Approaching the ridge-top wall which will be followed all the way to the summit of High Pike. The direct path from Low Sweden Bridge is joined here |
 |
| The Coniston fells appear over the ridge-top wall |
 |
| A little further on the path encounters a marshy area. A warning sign, normally nailed to two posts but now lying on the ground, proclaims 'DEEP BOG' |
 |
| The marsh can be avoided by skirting it to the right, or by crossing a stile built into the ridge-wall and using the path on the other side |
 |
| The marsh does not appear to be very deep or particularly boggy. On crossing it the path resumes its climb towards the rocky summit of Low Pike. |
 |
| Looking over to the twin tops of Little Hart Crag and Scandale Pass |
 |
| Looking back to Ambleside and Windermere from the climb to Low Pike |
 |
| The direct path follows the wall, scrambling over rock steps to reach the summit of Low Pike. A side path to the right leads up to the col behind Low Pike, saving a bit of time and energy |
 |
| Looking back to the summit of Low Pike from the col |
 |
| High Pike from the col below Low Pike. The path crosses more marshy ground before rising to a ladder stile over a cross-ridge wall |
 |
| The ladder stile over the cross-ridge wall - needs a new rung ! |
 |
| Looking over the head of Scandale to Little Hart Crag, the summits of Hartsop Dodd and Rest Dodd appear over Scandale Pass |
 |
| The Coniston fells over the ridge-top wall |
 |
| The climb to High Pike from the ladder stile |
 |
| Viewed through Scandale Pass, the Far Eastern Fells bathed in sunshine. |
 |
| Looking back to Low Pike and Windermere |
 |
| The Coniston fells across the ridge-top wall |
 |
| The final steep rise to the summit of High Pike |
 |
| The summit cairn comes into view, occupying a fine position on the edge of a crag overlooking the head of Scandale |
 |
| The summit cairn on High Pike |
 |
| Coniston Water from the summit of High Pike |
 |
| Go through the gate in the ridge-top wall for a better view of the fells to the west |
 |
| The Coniston fells over Loughrigg Fell and Nab Scar. Harter Fell and Pike o' Blisco to the right over the Nab Scar~Heron Pike ridge |
 |
| Heron Pike and Erne Crag across the valley of Rydal Beck. On the horizon, Pike o' Blisco, Crinkle Crags, Bowfell, the Scafells, High Raise, Great Gable, Glaramara, and Pillar |
 |
| Great Rigg and Fairfield across the south-west slopes of Dove Crag |
 |
| Back at the summit cairn, the connecting ridge to Dove Crag with Fairfield on the left |
 |
| Little Hart Crag and Scandale Pass above the head of Scandale. On the horizon some of the Far Eastern Fells, including Angletarn Pikes, Loadpot Hill, Wether Hill, High Raise, Rampsgill Head, Kidsty Pike, Caudale Moor and High Street |
 |
| Red Screes across Scandale from the summit of High Pike |
 |
| Windermere and Ambleside from the summit of High Pike |
|