Kidsty Pike
Encyclopedia
Kidsty Pike is a fell
in the English
Lake District
, standing to the west of Haweswater Reservoir
. It is a subsidiary top of Rampsgill Head
, but has long achieved the status of a separate fell, thanks to its classic peaked profile. Wainwright
followed this convention in his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells
.
The northern flank falls at a shallow gradient over grass to the high gathering grounds of Randale. In contrast, the southern side of the ridge drops over crag and scree to Riggindale, 1,500 ft below. The difference in slopes gives Kidsty Pike its appeal when viewed from Haweswater, or (for example) on the M6 motorway
near Shap
. From here, in profile the summit appears as an acute angled peak.
Rampsgill Head is only a short distance away, but eastwards the ridge continues for about a mile, dropping gently to Kidsty Howes above the lake. This rocky outcrop marks the final steep descent to the shore.
on grass, immediately above the Riggindale face. The higher fells of the High Street
range obscure much of the view, although a section of Lakeland is visible across the Straits of Riggindale.
Fell
“Fell” is a word used to refer to mountains, or certain types of mountainous landscape, in Scandinavia, the Isle of Man, and parts of northern England.- Etymology :...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
, standing to the west of Haweswater Reservoir
Haweswater Reservoir
Haweswater is a reservoir in the English Lake District, built in the valley of Mardale in the county of Cumbria. The controversial construction of the Haweswater dam started in 1929, after Parliament passed an Act giving the Manchester Corporation permission to build the reservoir to supply water...
. It is a subsidiary top of Rampsgill Head
Rampsgill Head
Rampsgill Head is a fell in the English Lake District, standing to the west of Haweswater Reservoir in the Far Eastern Fells. It forms the focal point of three ridges which fan out north east, north west and south.-Topography:...
, but has long achieved the status of a separate fell, thanks to its classic peaked profile. Wainwright
Alfred Wainwright
Alfred Wainwright MBE was a British fellwalker, guidebook author and illustrator. His seven-volume Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, published between 1955 and 1966 and consisting entirely of reproductions of his manuscript, has become the standard reference work to 214 of the fells of the...
followed this convention in his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells
Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells
A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells is a series of seven books by A. Wainwright, detailing the fells of the Lake District in northwest England...
.
Topography
Two valleys run up westwards from Haweswater, above what was the village of Mardale Green before the raising of the lake. Riggindale is the southern arm and runs straight with a classic "U"-shaped profile. Randale starts north-westerly, rising quickly before turning due west above approximately 1800 ft. Between these valleys is Kidsty Pike, the east ridge of Rampsgill Head.The northern flank falls at a shallow gradient over grass to the high gathering grounds of Randale. In contrast, the southern side of the ridge drops over crag and scree to Riggindale, 1,500 ft below. The difference in slopes gives Kidsty Pike its appeal when viewed from Haweswater, or (for example) on the M6 motorway
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
near Shap
Shap
Shap is a linear village and civil parish located amongst fells and isolated dales in Eden district, Cumbria, England. The village lies along the A6 road and the West Coast Main Line, and is near to the M6 motorway...
. From here, in profile the summit appears as an acute angled peak.
Rampsgill Head is only a short distance away, but eastwards the ridge continues for about a mile, dropping gently to Kidsty Howes above the lake. This rocky outcrop marks the final steep descent to the shore.
Ascents
The only direct route of ascent is from the road end at Mardale Head. The lakeshore is followed to the ruins of Riggindale Farm. Like the other houses in the valley, this was blown up by the Army as demolition practice while the waters rose. From here, the old path up the ridge can be followed via Kidsty Howes.Summit and view
The summit has a small cairnCairn
Cairn is a term used mainly in the English-speaking world for a man-made pile of stones. It comes from the or . Cairns are found all over the world in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops, near waterways and on sea cliffs, and also in barren desert and tundra areas...
on grass, immediately above the Riggindale face. The higher fells of the High Street
High Street (Lake District)
High Street is a fell in the English Lake District. At 828 metres , its summit is the highest point in the far eastern part of the national park. The fell is named after the Roman road which ran over the summit.-History and Naming:...
range obscure much of the view, although a section of Lakeland is visible across the Straits of Riggindale.