The eastern fells may generally have a secluded feel but a hill the quality of High Street inevitably attracts attention. This flat-topped massif is best seen from the east, its craggy coves and ridges rising straight from the shore of Haweswater. The grand austere setting could almost be Scottish - perhaps reflected in the fact that for several decades golden eagles famously made their only English home here (the last, a solitary male, recently died). The Long Stile (aka Riggindale) Ridge runs above their official nest site in Riggindale, giving arguably the best route on the mountain. With highlights including the hill-crest Roman road that gives High Street its name and the ancient through-route of Nan Bield Pass this is a route with a sense of history. People have walked High Street for thousands of years, and they'll probably be doing so for generations to come.
Detailed description
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Difficulty: ModerateDistance: 5.65 miles (9.10 km)
Total ascent: 644m
Steepest Gradient: 40% (1 in 3)
Time: 4 hours (Walking)
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Additional Information
Start/Finish:Car park at the road end by the head of Haweswater, NY468107
Nearest town:
Penrith
Terrain:
Clear paths throughout, with some slightly rough going on the Riggindale Ridge.
Seasonal variations:
High Street can hold the snow quite well and it's a popular winter climbing venue. Under snow the Riggindale Ridge is at its best, giving just the slightest hint of mountaineering but nothing at all hard enough to approach a climbing grade.
Weather and Hill Conditions: mwis: Lake District – Met Office: Lake District
Public transport:
No chance, but you might get a bus from Penrith as far as Bampton. Good luck.
Guidebooks:
Great Mountain Days in the Lake District, Mark Richards, pb. Cicerone http://www.cicerone.co.uk/refer/ukh
Maps:
OS Explorer OL5 (1:25,000), OS Explorer OL7 (1:25,000), Harvey/BMC Lake District (1:40,000), OS Landranger 90 (1:50,000) Directory Listings:
Find more Listings near this route Tourist info:
Ullswater (017684 82414); Ambleside (015394 32582); Waterhead (015394 32729)
Further Routes
by Dan Bailey UKH