Difficulty: Mild-Moderate
Wainwright Guide: Book Seven – The Western Fells
Here it is. Possibly my most favourite walk in the entire world. Standing at 1,958ft it isn’t the tallest or prettiest looking of all the fells, yet its summit will leave you dumbfounded with its beauty. Wainwright was really onto something. It really says something when the greatest fell walker chose to have Haystacks as the place where his ashes were scattered. There is never a more appropriate time to use the phrase ‘looks can be deceiving’. The walk itself isn’t complicated but there are stunning views over the Buttermere valley around every bend. Enjoy as I take you though the hike that is closest to my heart!
On this particular occasion I headed out on my hike with mum. It’s a walk that our family tends to do together. My grandparents adored it and took my mother. Now she adores it and takes me. We were staying at the Fish Inn at the other end of the lake so started at a slightly different point from the Wainwright guide. Looking out at Haystacks as we ate our breakfast I was filled with excitement. I couldn’t wait to start our walk!
As usual we were well prepared with multiple layers, lots of water, lunch and a trusty Wainwright guide. Hiking boots are also a must.
Where to Start?
From the Fish we headed along the track to the head of the lake. From here we kept the lake on our left and headed along the shoreline. We followed the path admiring the peace and tranquillity until the trail split off to the right, heading up towards Haystacks through the bracken. From here on out we followed our Wainwright guide.
The path was well maintained and easy to follow. The inclines were not too steep and were intermingled with many flatter stretches. A gentle and inviting start to our mornings hike.
As we wandered up through the bracken towards Scarth Gap we began to get a glimpse of the views that would await at the summit. Mum had been on a diet for around 6 months at this point and although she had made amazing progress, this was her first hike in a long time. As such we took it all fairly steadily, but it allowed us to be able to really appreciate the scenery. It’s never a good idea to rush a walk in the Lake District. If you don’t stop to admire the the world around you and look back at how far you’ve come, you’ll miss out on many a pretty sight.
From Scarth Gap you can peel off onto a number of different walks but for Haystacks you’ll want to follow the path to the left. Parts of this last few hundred feet can feel a bit of a scramble but the path is fairly easy to follow. The summit tarn is a welcome sight and signals just how close you are to finishing your ascent.
The Summit
Words really cannot describe the view from the summit. Looking out across the Buttermere Valley you can see all the way past Crummock Water. This day was made even more special because I was so proud of mum for making it to the top! Something she would have never dreamt about a year previously.
Make sure to explore the summit whilst you are up there. We went and sat down by Innominate Tarn and had our lunch looking out at the Gables and reminiscing about previous visits to the lakes. On a clear day the view is spectacular in every direction.
Descent
Now, I would always advise to descend on a different route to the one that you used to come up. In this case the best one is via Warnscale Beck. Feeling energetic mum and I headed onto other nearby walks but for those of you who only want to climb the one fell, head towards Fleetwith Pike until the path forks. To the right takes you up to a quarry onto other routes, and to the left takes you via Warnscale bottom. The Wainwright guide is easy to follow.
The descent via Warnscale Beck is certainly worthwhile. It gives you the chance to really appreciate the scale of your surroundings. With Haystacks and Fleetwith Pike rising up around you its as if you’ve landed in the middle of an enormous ampitheatre. I must tell you that when you shout ‘Echo!’ that it doesn’t though. Be careful as although the descent is fairly easy there are a couple of places you can slip!
Our entire walk was pretty spectacular from start to finish. The weather was on our side, allowing us the most glorious panoramic views from the summit, adding to the pure magic that is Haystacks. I highly recommend this walk, especially for those who want a nice introduction to walking in Lakeland. Hands down, one of the best hikes you can do.
Have you been up Haystacks yet? If you loved it as much as I do then leave a comment below!
