The Route Up Haystacks.

Q. I'm intending to climb up Haystacks from the west for the first time. I'm not a hardened fell walker - more used to gentle rolling hills, so I'd just like to know - how long and hard is the scramble up to Haystacks' summit?

Lincs Legs, Gainsborough

A. It is always very difficult to advise on whether a walk would be suitable for someone you have never met. I have no idea whether your description of a 'hard' walk/climb would be the same as mine - but I doubt it. If you look on the various forums you'll see different people both recommending and giving dire warnings about identical walks/climbs in equal measure. Having said that however, I will try to give some guidance about this particular walk.

When you say you wish to tackle Hay Stacks (Haystacks) from the west I assume you mean from Ennerdale via Low Gillerthwaite Field Centre and High Gillerthwaite before ascending to Scarth Gap via Scarth Beck before heading E up onto the summit.

This is a long (and slightly unusual) way to approach Hay Stacks (Haystacks) - from the Car Park in Ennerdale to the summit is 9.5km (6 miles) with 624m (2048ft) of ascent. Assuming you return the same way - this would be a Grade 6 walk and take over 6 hours to complete - according to our algorithm.

A much better/shorter route is Walk c406 Hay Stacks from Gatesgarth, Buttermere which starts at the car park near Gatesgarth Farm (to the north of Hay Stacks (Haystacks)) and heads SW to Peggy's Bridge before going S up Buttermere Fell via Warnscale between High Wax Knott and Low Wax Knott to reach Scarth Gap. From there you can go E up to the summit. There and back it is only 6km (3.25 miles) with 585m (1920ft) of ascent. You should allow at least 3 1/2hrs for this Grade 4 walk.

Both routes are fairly straight forward. In my opinion there are no real 'scrambly' parts though you will have to place your hands on the rock from time to time on the steeper bits and you will need to wear proper walking/hiking boots and take a waterproof jacket should the weather turn.

All in all this is a fantastic route up one of The Lake District's finest mountains (and Alfred Wainwright's favourite reportedly) with utterly stunning views from the summit and comes highly recommended. If you continue east from the summit down the other side for a little way (300m) you will reach Innominate Tarn - a truly beautiful spot where Wainwright had his ashes scattered.

There are of course several other routes that climb Hay Stacks (Haystacks) and if you click on the link you will see lots of photographs, walk reports and walk routes of varying degrees of difficulty and length so I am confident you will something to suit you and your party.

Hope this helps . . .

Mike (Editor)

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