Route outline for walk c120:
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.
Peaks, Summits and Tops reached on this walk:
![]() 10 English Mountains |
![]() 9 Wainwrights |
![]() 11 English Nuttalls |
![]() 3 English Deweys |
![]() 0 Wainwright Outlying Fells |
![]() 4 Marilyns |
![]() 0 Bridgets |
Peak Bagging Statistics for this walk:
The highest point of this walk is Great Gable at 899m (2951ft). Great Gable is classified as an English Mountain (Hewitt) (9th highest in England, 25th highest in England & Wales) and a Wainwright (No. 7).
Great Gable is also known as an English Nuttall (11th highest in England, 28th highest in England & Wales) and an English Marilyn (4th highest in England, 238th highest in the UK).
Completing this walk will also take you to the top of Pillar at 892m (2928ft). Pillar is classified as an English Mountain (Hewitt) (11th highest in England, 29th highest in England & Wales) and a Wainwright (No. 8).
Pillar is also known as an English Nuttall (13th highest in England, 33rd highest in England & Wales) and an English Marilyn (6th highest in England, 249th highest in the UK).
The summit of Pillar is marked by an Ordnance Survey Trig Point.
You will also reach the summit of Black Crag (Pillar) at 828m (2717ft). Black Crag (Pillar) is classified as an English Mountain (Hewitt) (31st highest in England, 60th highest in England & Wales)
Black Crag (Pillar) is also known as an English Nuttall (37th highest in England, 69th highest in England & Wales).
Along the way you will also bag:
- High Stile at 807m (2646ft). High Stile is classified as an English Mountain (Hewitt) (38th England, 71st highest in England & Wales), a Wainwright (No. 29), an English Nuttall (45th highest in England, 86th highest in England & Wales) and an English Marilyn (13th England, 378th highest in the UK).
- Kirk Fell at 802m (2631ft). Kirk Fell is classified as an English Mountain (Hewitt) (42nd England, 77th highest in England & Wales), a Wainwright (No. 33), an English Nuttall (49th highest in England, 92nd highest in England & Wales) and an English Marilyn (15th England, 391st highest in the UK).
- Green Gable at 801m (2629ft). Green Gable is classified as an English Mountain (Hewitt) (43rd highest in England, 78th highest in England & Wales), a Wainwright (No. 34) and an English Nuttall (50th highest in England, 93rd highest in England & Wales).
- Kirk Fell (East Top) at 787m (2583ft). Kirk Fell (East Top) is classified as an English Mountain (Hewitt) (50th England, 89th Eng & Wal) and an English Nuttall (59th highest in England, 108th highest in England & Wales).
- Red Pike (Buttermere) at 755m (2478ft). Red Pike (Buttermere) is classified as an English Mountain (Hewitt) (67th highest in England, 116th highest in England & Wales), a Wainwright (No. 62) and an English Nuttall (83rd highest in England, 142nd highest in England & Wales).
- High Crag (Buttermere) at 744m (2442ft). High Crag (Buttermere) is classified as an English Mountain (Hewitt) (72nd highest in England, 126th highest in England & Wales), a Wainwright (No. 65) and an English Nuttall (89th highest in England, 154th highest in England & Wales).
- Brandreth at 715m (2346ft). Brandreth is classified as an English Mountain (Hewitt) (89th highest in England, 152nd highest in England & Wales), a Wainwright (No. 81) and an English Nuttall (112th highest in England, 191st highest in England & Wales).
- Looking Stead (Pillar) at 627m (2058ft). Looking Stead (Pillar) is known as an English Nuttall (220th highest in England, 383rd highest in England & Wales).
- Hay Stacks (Haystacks) at 597m (1959ft). Hay Stacks (Haystacks) is classified as a Wainwright (No. 131) and an English Dewey (13th highest in England, 29th highest in England & Wales)
- Seat (Buttermere) at 561m (1841ft). Seat (Buttermere) is classified as an English Dewey (53rd highest in England, 122nd highest in England & Wales).
- Green Crag (Buttermere) at 528m (1732ft). Green Crag (Buttermere) is classified as an English Dewey (117th highest in England, 274th highest in England & Wales).
You can find more walks near this one on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps: (click/TAP to select)
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (the ones with orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map (the ones with pink/magenta covers):
Some Photos and Pictures from Walk c120 The Ennerdale Horseshoe
In no particular order . . .

Snow on Scafell Pike and the Scafell Massif from a very frozen Innominate Tarn

Beck Head and Beckhead Tarn with Kirk Fell beyond from below Westmorland Cairn, Great Gable

On Hay Stacks with High Crag (left), Crumock Water and Grasmoor (right) in the distance

Gatesgarth and Fleetwith Pike (with Robinson and Dale Head (Newlands) beyond) from High Stile

Seat (Buttermere), Gamlin End and High Crag (Buttermere) from Hay Stacks (Haystacks)

Grasmoor, Robinson and Fleetwith Pike and Buttermere from Hay Stacks (Haystacks)

Illgill Head (left) Wasdale, Wast Water and Yewbarrow from Westmorland Cairn, Great Gable

Wasdale Head (left), Burnmoor Tarn, Yewbarrow (front centre), Illgill Head (back) and Wast Water from Pillar

High Snockrigg, Robinson, Hindscarth and Dale Head (Newlands) above Dodd (Buttermere) and Buttermere Lake from Red Pike (Buttermere)

Great End, Scafell Pike and Sca Fell from near the summit of Red Pike (Buttermere)

Iron Crag, Whoap, Crag Fell and Grike tower over Ennerdale Water from the summit of Red Pike (Buttermere)

Westmorland Cairn, Great Gable panorama featuring Kirk Fell (foreground centre), Wast Water, Wasdale and Yewbarrow with Middle Fell and Seatallan beyond (left), Red Pike (Wasdale), Little Scoat Fell and Pillar behind Kirk Fell (centre) and Ennerdale with Red Pike (Buttermere), High Stile, High Crag and Crummock Water (right)

Illgill Head and Whin Rigg (left) Wast Water and Yewbarrow and Middle Fell (right) from Westmorland Cairn, Great Gable

Mellbreak (left) Crummock Water, Buttermere Village, Rannerdale Knotts and the shoulder of Grasmoor (right) from Hay Stacks (Haystacks)

Kirk Fell (foreground), Pillar, Ennerdale, Red Pike (Buttermere), High Stile, High Crag and Crummock Water (far right) from Westmorland Cairn, Great Gable

Fleetwith Pike (left), Hay Stacks (Haystacks) and the shoulder of High Crag (Buttermere) (right) across Buttermere

Kirk Fell with Pillar and Little Scoat Fell beyond from Great Gable summit

Green Gable (left) Great Gable (centre left), Scafell Pike (centre distance) and Kirk Fell (centre right) from Hay Stacks (Haystacks)

Brandreth summit cairn with Gillercomb Head leading up to Green Gable with Great Gable looking majestic in the background

Green Gable (left) and Great Gable (centre left) from the summit of Brandreth

Ennerdale with Hay Stacks (Haystacks) and the High Stile ridge (right) and Looking Stead and Pillar (left) from Brandreth

Green Gable left), Great Gable (centre) and Kirk Fell (right) with the Scafell Massif beyond (centre) from High Crag (Buttermere)

High Crag, Seat, Scarth Gap and Hay Stacks (Haystacks) from Looking Stead (Pillar)

Looking over Buttermere to High Snockrigg with Grasmoor in the distance from Scarth Gap

Seat (Buttermere) & High Crag (Buttermere) (left) and Grasmoor (right) from the small pool on Hay Stacks (Haystacks)

Our new addition Neela ( 1st time in the Lakes) on Hay Stacks (Haystacks) with Green Gable (left), Windy Gap, Great Gable and Kirk Fell (right) very clear in the background

Gatesgarth and Fleetwith Pike (with Robinson and Dale Head (Newlands) beyond) from High Stile

Buttermere from the North West shore featuring Fleetwith Pike (just right of centre)

Pillar (left), Ennerdale Water, Seat (Buttermere), Gamlin End and High Crag (centre), Crummock Water and Grasmoor (right) from the summit of Hay Stacks (Haystacks)

Looking across Buttermere Lake to a Cottage below Hay Stacks (Haystacks) from Hassness

Mellbreak, Crummock Water and Grasmoor with Dodd (Buttermere) and Bleaberry Tarn in the foreground from Red Pike (Buttermere)

Looking Stead (Pillar) and Pillar itself towering above the upper reaches of Ennerdale from Hay Stacks (Haystacks)

The High Level Route from Looking Stead (Pillar) to Robinson's Cairn, Pillar

Wast Water with Illgill Head (left) and Yewbarrow (right) from Great Gable summit

Snow on Scafell Pike (left), Sca Fell (right top) and Lingmell (right centre) from Westmorland Cairn on Great Gable

The view north from Looking Stead (Pillar) featuring Ennerdale with Red Pike (Buttermere), High Stile, High Crag, Seat, Scarth Gap, Hay Stacks (Haystacks) and Brandreth (far right)

Buttermere village from Red Pike (Buttermere) with the Grasmoor massif looming large in the background

Wast Water, Wasdale and Yewbarrow with Middle Fell (left) Seatallan (background centre), Red Pike (Wasdale) (right) and the shoulder of Kirk Fell (centre foreground) from Westmorland Cairn on Great Gable

Robinson's Cairn with Pillar Rock beyond (left of the cairn and to right of the 'notch')

The High Stile ridge (left), Buttermere and the Grasmoor massif (right) from Brandreth

Matt and Bex on Hay Stacks (Haystacks) with Gamlin End,High Crag and Crummock Water in the background

Northern Souls Walking Club at the Remembrance Day service on top of Great Gable

Autumn sunshine on Dale Head (left) and Fleetwith Pike (right) from Burtness Wood

Fleetwith Pike and Hay Stacks (Haystacks) from the campsite near Buttermere village

Wasdale Head and Wast Water from Gavel Neese on the lower slopes of Great Gable

Scarth Gap and Hay stacks (Haystacks) above Ennerdale from The High Level Route, Pillar

Red Pike (Buttermere) summit from Lingcomb Edge with Pillar prominent across Ennerdale

Hay Stacks (Haystacks) above Ennerdale (featuring Black Sail Hut Youth Hostel) from Black Sail Pass

Buttermere Lake - with the lower slopes of High Stile (left), Hen Comb (centre) and Mellbreak (right)

Autumn sunshine on Dale Head (left) and Fleetwith Pike (right) from Burtness Wood

Steeple and Long Crag with Crag Fell (sunlit in the distance), Ennerdale Water and Great Borne from Pillar

Seat (Buttermere), Gamlin End and High Crag and Crummock Water from the summit of Hay Stacks (Haystacks)

Fleetwith Pike (left) and Hay Stacks (right) across Buttermere Lake from Hassness

The summit shelter, Mellbreak, Rannerdale Knotts, Buttermere, Grasmoor, Whiteless Pike, Wandope, Crag Hill (Eel Crag), Sail and Knott Rigg from the summit of Robinson

Mellbreak, Crummock Water and Grasmoor from the summit of Red Pike (Buttermere)

Seat (Buttermere), Gamlin End, High Crag (Buttermere), Mellbreak, Crummock Water, Buttermere Village, Rannerdale Knotts and the shoulder of Grasmoor from the summit of Hay Stacks (Haystacks)

Kirk Fell with Red Pike (Wasdale), Little Scoat Fell and Pillar behind from Westmorland Cairn, Great Gable

High Crag (left), Crummock Water and Grasmoor (right) from the summit of Hay Stacks (Haystacks)

Innominate Tarn with Grey Knotts, Brandreth, Green Gable, Great Gable and Kirk Fell forming the backdrop

Innominate Tarn on Hay stacks (frozen solid) with Great Gable rising majestically in the background

Grasmoor (back), Whiteless Pike, Wandope and Crag Hill (Eel Crag), Sail (mid distance) and Knott Rigg (foreground right) from Robinson

Green Gable (left) and Great Gable (centre left) and the shoulder of Kirk Fell from Loft Beck

Wasdale featuring Lingmell (left), Illgill Head and Whin Rigg (left of centre in the distance), Wast Water (centre) and Yewbarrow (right) from Westmorland Cairn near the summit of Great Gable

*Pillar (left), High Stile (centre), Ennerdale, Hay Stacks, Crummock Water, Buttermere and Grasmoor (right) from Green Gable

High Stile, Red Pike (Buttermere) and Dodd (Buttermere) from across Buttermere

Haystacks from Looking Stead (Pillar) with a Herdwick Sheep for company

Great view of Brandreth, Green Gable, Great Gable (the rounded dome), Kirk Fell, Pillar (the highest point), Black Crag and Steeple from Lingcomb Edge just below the summit of Red Pike (Buttermere)

*Ennerdale Water (left), Starling Dodd and Great Borne, Loweswater (right of centre), Mellbreak and Crummock Water (right) from Red Pike (Buttermere)

Crummock Water and Buttermere with Grasmoor beyond from Hay Stacks (Haystacks)
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