Kentmere Pike Summit

A dominating and bulky presence above the Kentmere Valley, Kentmere Pike is a fine Wainwright fell in the eastern Lake District. It is one of the principal fells on the Kentmere Horseshoe, a glorious loop of the skyline above the eponymous valley.

A mountain of contrasting sides, Kentmere Pike’s smooth, western slopes descend steadily to Kentmere from its broad summit, whereas to the east fall dramatic cliffs riven by gullies, tumbling to the burgeoning River Sprint in Longsleddale. There are routes to the summit from either valley, though accommodation is not plentiful in either. Fortunately, the likes of Ambleside, Windermere and Kendal are not far away.

Kentmere Pike is not usually conquered in isolation; it forms part of Harter Fell’s multi-topped ridgeline, as well as the classic Kentmere Horseshoe. Views from the ridge are excellent, particularly down towards Windermere and beyond to Morecambe Bay. The mountainous heart of Lakeland is seen in the distant west, peeking between cols in the Ill Bell ridge, just across the valley.