Pillar
892m (2928ft)
Pillar is in The Western Fells, The Lake District, Cumbria, England
The summit of Pillar is marked by an Ordnance Survey Trig Point.
You can walk to the top of Pillar by using any of these 7 route maps:
Walk c387 Pillar from Black Sail Hut
Remote and awesome
   |
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 5.25ml (8.5km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 2,301ft (701m) |
| Time: | 4½ hrs |
| Grade: |  (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Black Sail Hut (Youth Hostel) - Ennerdale - Black Sail Beck - Black Sail Pass - Looking Stead (Pillar) - Pillar - Black Sail Pass - Black Sail Beck - Black Sail Hut (Youth Hostel) - Ennerdale.
Walk c240 Kirk Fell, Pillar and Little Scoat Fell from Wasdale Head, Wast Water
Fantastic high level walk with glorious views
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 7.75ml (12.5km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 4,808ft (1,465m) |
| Time: | 7.75hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Wasdale Head - Kirk Fell - Kirk Fell (East Top) - Black Sail Pass - Looking Stead (Pillar) - High Level Route - Robinson's Cairn - Pillar - Wind Gap - Black Crag (Pillar) - Scoat Fell (Little Scoat Fell) - Steeple - Red Pike (Wasdale) - Dore Head - Mosedale Beck - Wasdale Head - Wast Water.
Walk c160 Pillar from Gatesgarth, Buttermere
Simply awesome
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10.25ml (16.5km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 4,611ft (1,405m) |
| Time: | 8½ hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Buttermere - Gatesgarth - Peggy's Bridge - Scarth Gap Pass - Scarth Gap - Black Sail Hut (Youth Hostel) - Black Sail Pass - Looking Stead (Pillar) - High Level Route - Robinson's Cairn - Pillar - Wind Gap - Black Crag (Pillar) - High Beck - Ennerdale - Scarth Gap Pass - Peggy's Bridge - Gatescarth - Buttermere
Walk c343 Pillar and Red Pike from Wasdale Head, Wast Water
One of Lakeland's finest walks - unmissable
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 11ml (17km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 4,001ft (1,219m) |
| Time: | 8 hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Wasdale Head - Mosedale Beck - Black Sail Pass - High Level Route - Robinson's Cairn - Pillar - Wind Gap - Black Crag (Pillar) - Scoat Fell (Little Scoat Fell) - Red Pike (Wasdale) - Dore Head - Over Beck - Wasdale Head - Wast Water.
Walk c101 Pillar and Little Scoat Fell from Wasdale Head, Wast Water
One of Lakeland's finest walks - unmissable
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 11ml (17.5km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 4,782ft (1,457m) |
| Time: | 8.75hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Wasdale Head - Mosedale Beck - Black Sail Pass - Looking Stead (Pillar) - High Level Route - Robinson's Cairn - Pillar - Wind Gap - Black Crag (Pillar) - Scoat Fell (Little Scoat Fell) - Steeple - Red Pike (Wasdale) - Dore Head - Yewbarrow (North Top) - Yewbarrow - Dropping Crag - Bell Rib - Over Beck - Wasdale Head - Wast Water.
Walk c141 Great Gable and Pillar from Wasdale Head, Wast Water
Superb high level route from remote Wasdale
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 11.25ml (18km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 5,819ft (1,773m) |
| Time: | 10 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Very Hard) |
Route Summary:
Wasdale Head - Moses' Trod - Lingmell Beck - Gable Beck Bridge - Sty Head - Great Gable - Westmorland Cairn - Beck Head - Beckhead Tarn - Kirk Fell (East Top) - Kirk Fell - Black Sail Pass - Looking Stead (Pillar) - High Level Route - Robinson's Cairn - Pillar - Wind Gap - Black Crag (Pillar) - Scoat Fell (Little Scoat Fell) - Steeple - Red Pike (Wasdale) - Dore Head - Mosedale Beck - Wasdale Head - Wast Water.
Walk c120 The Ennerdale Horseshoe
Strenuous, high level route worth every step - if you have the energy!
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 18.75ml (30km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 7,309ft (2,408m) |
| Time: | 14.75hrs |
| Grade: | (Very Hard) |
Route Summary:
Bowness Knott Car Park Ennerdale - Low Gillerthwaite Field Centre - High Gillerthwaite Yourth Hostel - Red Pike (Buttermere) - High Stile - High Crag (Buttermere) - Seat (Buttermere) - Scarth Gap - Hay Stacks (Haystacks) - Innominate Tarn - Blackbeck Tarn - Black Beck - Green Crag (Buttermere) - Great Round How - Brandreth - Gillercomb Head - Green Gable - Windy Gap - Great Gable - Westmorland Cairn - Beck Head - Beckhead Tarn - Kirk Fell (East Top) - Kirk Fell - Black Sail Pass - Looking Stead (Pillar) - High Level Route - Robinson's Cairn - Pillar - Wind Gap - Black Crag (Pillar) - High Beck - Low Beck - Ennerdale.
Interactive Walking Maps
See Pillar and the surrounding tops on our unique, downloadable, PDF Peak Bagging Maps:
NB: Whether you print off a copy or download it to your phone, these PDF Peak Baggers' Maps might prove incredibly useful when your are up there on the tops and you cannot get a phone signal.
*This version is marked with the walk routes you need to follow to Walk all 214 Wainwrights in just 59 walks.
See Pillar and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:
The Western Fells of The Lake District National Park
Less data - quicker to download
The Whole of The Lake District National Park
More data - might take a little longer to download
You can find Pillar & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps:
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Maps (pink/magenta covers):
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, scaled, summited, hiked & bagged Pillar
Pete George walked up Pillar on April 25th, 2026 [from/via/route] Wasdale Head [with] Roco [weather] Glorious sunny day
Simon Myerscough climbed it on April 1st, 2026 [from/via/route] Stayed overnight at Wasdale Head Inn, dry & breezy with low cloud most the day, rained heavily on descent of Docree Screes, went down the gully which was a mistake has had a slip & cut my hand & bruised my thigh. [with] Joanne [weather] dry & bright with low cloud
Geoff Hand bagged it on July 3rd, 2025 [from/via/route] Walked the Mosedale round from Burnthwaite Cottage. Pillar, Black Crag, Scoat fell, Steeple, Red Pike & Yewbarrow. One of my toghest days in the lakes, but very enjoyable & rewarding. [with] none [weather] Started off Sunny then cloud, mist, high wind & rain caught me up at Pillar. Some great views before that. - Got a bit confused coming off Scoat fell & picking up the path to Red Pike. Had to use my map compass & watch to find the path.
Ian Ashton hiked Pillar on November 9th, 2024 [with] Solo
Christine Shepherd summited on May 15th, 2005 [from/via/route] Walked from Wasdale Head following the route outlined on walk c343. Used walk c240 with Yewbarrow added on on 23.8.21 with Stephen. Used walk c101 with the addi.tion of Haycock between Steeple & Red Pike with Louise on 20.4.24. [with] On my own [weather] Fine but chilly. - Met another lady walking on her own but imagine my surprise when she started unpacking a radio mast from her rucksack. She was a radio ham broadcasting from unusual places! Climbed again using walk c240 on 23.8.21 Added on Yewbarrow at the end.
To add (or remove) your name and experiences on this page - Log On and edit your Personal Mountain Bagging Record
. . . [see more walk reports]
Photographs & Pictures of views from, on, or of, Pillar
The High Level Route from Looking Stead (Pillar) to Robinson's Cairn, Pillar
Kirk Fell (foreground), Pillar, Ennerdale, Red Pike (Buttermere), High Stile, High Crag and Crummock Water (far right) from Westmorland Cairn, Great Gable
Kirk Fell with Red Pike (Wasdale), Little Scoat Fell and Pillar behind from Westmorland Cairn, Great Gable
Kirk Fell with Pillar and Little Scoat Fell beyond from Great Gable summit
Wasdale Head with Pillar beyond from the lower slopes of Lingmell & Scafell Pike
. . . see all 72 walk photographs & pictures of views from, on, or of, Pillar
Send us your photographs and pictures on, of, or from Pillar
If you would like to add your walk photographs and pictures to this page, please send them as email attachments (configured for any computer) along with your name to:
and we shall do our best to publish them.
(Guide Resolution = 300dpi. At least = 660pixels (wide) x 440 pixels (high).)
You can also submit photos via our Facebook Page.
NB. Please indicate where each photo was taken and whether you wish us to credit your photos with a Username or your First Name/Last Name.
Not familiar with this top?
