Lake District
14.5km/9 miles 5½ hours
1 NY225135 From the Honister Youth Hostel cross the road summit and into the slate mine. Pass the visitor centre/car park and briefly walk up the mine road. Fork left onto a pitched path which climbs steadily on a series of bends to an old disused tramway. This rises steeply uphill for roughly 500m, reaching a short elevated section above the grassy hillside (the former drum/ winding house).
2 NY215134
Turn left on to an unsigned high-level, cairned path towards Haystacks. Fork right after about 600m on a narrower, cairned path that takes a wide, sweeping arc around the grassy bowl of Dubs Bottom and the headwaters of the Warnscale Beck.
3 NY208124 Go through a gate, then down into a col below a small tarn. Bear right and briefly off-path where the main path bends down into the valley. This leads to a faint, and surprisingly quiet, path beside a fence leading up Haystacks‘ grassy south-eastern flank. Cross the fence at a stile but continue on beside it. Shortly after Ennerdale Water comes into view ahead, bend slightly right on a short series of paths to the main ridge path.
4 NY193131 From the heavily outcropped summit area, an initial rocky descent is awkward but poses no difficulties. Continue descending steeply over intermittent rocks to Scarth Gap.
5 NY189133
Take steep path up the far side of the col and over the minor top of Seat. A very minor col leads to a steep, zigzagging, pitched path up High Crag. This becomes a scree path near the summit.
6 NY180140 The summit of High Crag comprises a rock and grassy plateau, with views from Ennerdale Water to Honister. A gently undulating ridge connects to the summit plateau of High Stile, which is indented to the right with steep gullies.
7 NY169146 Take a 120m detour right (if you wish) to the true 807m summit of High Stile, then go along the main ridgeline, over the ‘popular’ 806m summit, passing occasional fence posts with a short bend right to summit Red Pike.
8 NY160154 Take the path towards the right edge in descent over scree. The path veers close to Lingcomb Edge, and over it on terraces in places. In winter, it's safer to take the right-ofway path along the former fenceline.
9 NY155161 As the grass gives way to heather, look out for a path forking left across the peninsula ahead. This leads to the sharp-sided ravine of Scale Beck. Bend right above the stream, then follow a rocky descent path above Scale Force and down to a gate.
10 NY150171 Bend around the lower slopes of Blea Crag. In spring, look out for a riot of bluebells on these slopes above Crummock Water. Follow the sometimes boggy and intermittent path, which becomes more defined near the linking stream between Buttermere and Crummock Water (Buttermere Dubs).
11 NY167165 Cross a bridge over Buttermere Dubs, then follow a bridleway track to Buttermere, with a few sharp bends before you reach the Fish Hotel. Follow tarmac out to the road by the Bridge Inn, then turn right. Stay right at the Newlands turn, and 250m later you'll reach Buttermere YH.