Red Pike (Buttermere)
Introduction


**Red Pike** is a [fell](/wiki/Fell "Fell") in the [High Stile](/wiki/High_Stile "High Stile") range in the western English [Lake District](/wiki/Lake_District "Lake District"), which separates [Ennerdale](/wiki/Ennerdale%2C_Cumbria "Ennerdale, Cumbria") from the valley of [Buttermere](/wiki/Buttermere "Buttermere") and [Crummock Water](/wiki/Crummock_Water "Crummock Water"). It is  high. The direct ascent of Red Pike from Buttermere is very popular and the ridge walk from Red Pike to [Haystacks](/wiki/Haystacks_%28Lake_District%29 "Haystacks (Lake District)") is regarded as one of the finest in the area, with excellent views of the [Scafells](/wiki/Scafells "Scafells"), [Great Gable](/wiki/Great_Gable "Great Gable") and [Pillar](/wiki/Pillar_%28Lake_District%29 "Pillar (Lake District)").

The fell can be confused with [Red Pike (Wasdale)](/wiki/Red_Pike_%28Wasdale%29 "Red Pike (Wasdale)"), which is only  away but cannot be seen from the summit. [Alfred Wainwright](/wiki/Alfred_Wainwright "Alfred Wainwright") in his guidebook *The Western Fells* comments that the Wasdale Red Pike might be higher but is less suited to the name. Red Pike in Buttermere is given its rich red colouring by the presence of [syenite](/wiki/Syenite "Syenite") in the rock and subsoil of the fell. This is particularly marked in places where surface erosion has occurred (notably the stony track by the side of [Scale Force](/wiki/Scale_Force "Scale Force") and the path from [Bleaberry Tarn](/wiki/Bleaberry_Tarn "Bleaberry Tarn") to the summit) and the red colouring of the paths can be seen from some distance.


How does Red Pike compare to Haystacks in terms of scenic views?