High Spy summit

High Spy summit

Highlight • Summit

High Spy summit

Hiking

5.0

(213)

Running

5.0

(3)

Rising above the charming and atmospheric Borrowdale Valley and situated above the head of Newlands, hikes to High Spy take you to a grand viewpoint for one of Lakeland’s most beloved regions. The fell is gloriously accessible from many bases.

A plethora of ways to this classic Lakeland summit

The craggy western flanks tumble steeply towards Newlands Beck, where good paths climb from the valley head to gorgeous Dalehead Tarn. In contrast, the eastern flanks that fall to Borrowdale are more gradual. They contain the subsidiary summits of Low Scawdel and Castle Crag, the most diminutive of all Wainwright peaks.

Walking routes to High Spy from Borrowdale also meet those from Newlands at Dalehead Tarn, from where you can also ascend to Dale Head. You can even let the car do some of the hard graft by parking at the top of the Honister Pass. It is also often bagged as part of a strenuous ridge walk with the popular Catbells and Maiden Moor to the north.

High Spy’s subsidiary northern summit is a wonderful place for gazing back down the ridge towards Derwent Water, Keswick and distant Skiddaw. Meanwhile, the main summit boasts an extensive panorama to the giants in the south.

With so many ways to get at High Spy, your accommodation options are many and varied. Keswick, Borrowdale, Buttermere and Newlands all boast a wealth of choices. High Spy makes an excellent winter adventure, very rarely requiring the use of mountaineering equipment.

This Highlight is in a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Lake District National Park

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Location: Above Derwent, Allerdale, Cumbria, North West England, England, United Kingdom

Tips

October 17, 2018

Hiking

At 2,142 feet (653 m) you can enjoy fabulous views of the Lake District from the summit of High Spy. The fell's name is thought to mean a 'lookout post' and could be referring to a lost fort on the fell.