High Spy - Sunday 12 October 2025
Route
Grange - Stonesty How - Cockley How - High White Rake - Low White Rake - Nitting Haws - High Spy - Wilson's Bield - Rigghead Quarry - Tongue Gill - Scaleclose Gill - Seatoller
Parking
We caught the bus from Keswick to Grange and at the end of the walk travelled back from Seatoller to Keswick - again by bus.
Mileage
5.4 miles
Terrain
Good mountain paths throughout
Weather
Gloriously sunny with light breezes and the added bonus of a temperature inversion
Time Taken
4hrs
Total Ascent
2759ft (841m)
Wainwrights
1
Map
OL4 - The English Lakes (North Western Area)
Walkers
Dave with Malcolm Summers, Peter Moore & Poppy
Grange - Stonesty How - Cockley How - High White Rake - Low White Rake - Nitting Haws - High Spy - Wilson's Bield - Rigghead Quarry - Tongue Gill - Scaleclose Gill - Seatoller
Parking
We caught the bus from Keswick to Grange and at the end of the walk travelled back from Seatoller to Keswick - again by bus.
Mileage
5.4 miles
Terrain
Good mountain paths throughout
Weather
Gloriously sunny with light breezes and the added bonus of a temperature inversion
Time Taken
4hrs
Total Ascent
2759ft (841m)
Wainwrights
1
Map
OL4 - The English Lakes (North Western Area)
Walkers
Dave with Malcolm Summers, Peter Moore & Poppy
GPX Files
From 1 March 2025 GPX files will not be available directly from the walk page as there is difficulty in using a downloadable version from the website. To that end, if you require a GPX File please get in touch via the Contact Form below and we will gladly forward it to you - thank you.
From 1 March 2025 GPX files will not be available directly from the walk page as there is difficulty in using a downloadable version from the website. To that end, if you require a GPX File please get in touch via the Contact Form below and we will gladly forward it to you - thank you.
Route Map
Grange Bridge & the River Derwent - the start point for the walk today
The route today was one I had not done before. I have climbed High Spy many times but not from Grange via the Nitting Haws path. Today I was out with 2 good friends in Malcolm & Peter plus the latter's Labrador Poppy. This was Peter's 214 Wainwright's completion day which made this walk just that little bit extra special. Little did Peter or Malcolm know that I had secreted upon my person 3 cold bottles of Wainwright Beer in order to toast his achievement on the summit. Would he make it??
Read on to find out.
The route today was one I had not done before. I have climbed High Spy many times but not from Grange via the Nitting Haws path. Today I was out with 2 good friends in Malcolm & Peter plus the latter's Labrador Poppy. This was Peter's 214 Wainwright's completion day which made this walk just that little bit extra special. Little did Peter or Malcolm know that I had secreted upon my person 3 cold bottles of Wainwright Beer in order to toast his achievement on the summit. Would he make it??
Read on to find out.
The church of the Holy Trinity in Grange
As it leaves the village to the west, the route turns north along the road to reach Grange Old School
The School was built in the mid 1890s and the last classes were held in 1935. Since closing as a school the building has been used for various community purposes; it is owned by the local church and The Climber’s Club took over the lease in 2008. Built of local stone with a fine Lakeland slate roof, the bell still hangs on the gable end wall perhaps ready to summon climbers back from the crags rather than the kids to lessons.
The School was built in the mid 1890s and the last classes were held in 1935. Since closing as a school the building has been used for various community purposes; it is owned by the local church and The Climber’s Club took over the lease in 2008. Built of local stone with a fine Lakeland slate roof, the bell still hangs on the gable end wall perhaps ready to summon climbers back from the crags rather than the kids to lessons.
With a lull in the proceedings, I adjust my kit as Peter practices a bit of Michael Flatley
Looking back to Grange as we start the first ascent
As can be seen, there was much low cloud about and at this point I was hopeful for a temperature inversion which would put the top hat on Peter’s Wainwright completion day. Would it come to fruition - let's see eh!
As can be seen, there was much low cloud about and at this point I was hopeful for a temperature inversion which would put the top hat on Peter’s Wainwright completion day. Would it come to fruition - let's see eh!
Whey hey - we break out of the cloud and look over a now submerged Borrowdale to the Helvellyn range
Looking over to Goat Crag & Low Scawdel
The view from the ascent of Nitting Haws (Click Play to view)
A formation of Geese pass noisily overhead as we continue the climb
Rising free of the low cloud the inversion really shows itself as we look over to the Helvellyn range
Lonscale Fell & Blencathra
Wispy cloud above Newlands looking to Hindscarth & Robinson with Whiteless Pike over to the right
The view from the approach to High Spy
Whiteless Pike, Grasmoor, Crag Hill, Sail, Grisedale Pike, Scar Crags & Causey Pike. For the keen eyed amongst you, the summit ridge on Ard Crags can just about be seen in the centre of shot above the inversion.
The superb panorama from just below High Spy
Captured for posterity - Peter’s final few yards on his Wainwright Journey. It was a privilege to be up here on such a wonderful day.
Peter wearing the customary apparel on the summit of High Spy - 214 Wainwright Fells completed
The three of us on the summit of High Spy
As is tradition, we toasted Peter’s achievement with a bottle of Wainwright Beer - and very tasty it was too
It certainly is worth the walk - didn’t touch the sides
Cheers Peter - well done
Malcolm with Poppy on the summit of High Spy
The summit of High Spy looking to The Dodds & Helvellyn ranges
The summit of High Spy looking to Skiddaw & Blencathra
Looking over the inversion from the summit of High Spy to the Langdale Pikes, Glaramara, Bowfell, Esk Pike, The Scafells & Great Gable
From High Spy we dropped down over Wilson’s Bield to locate our route of descent which today would be the Rigghead Quarry path
Hindscarth over the head of Newlands
Dale Head, Dalehead Crags & Great Gable (the other one)
Approaching our turn off for Rigghead Quarry which is to the left once in the col below
Another cracking view of Hindscarth over the head of Newlands
At the head of Tongue Gill near Robin Fold Edge, a stile leads to a path that heads into Rigghead Quarry
Looking into Tongue Gill as we head over to Rigghead Quarry which is out of shot to the right
One of Rigghead Quarry's many mine adits dotted all over the fellside. An adit (from Latin aditus meaning entrance) is the access point to an underground mine which is horizontal or nearly horizontal, by which the mine can be entered, drained of water, ventilated, and minerals extracted at the lowest convenient level.
There are greenish Kimberley slate waste piles everywhere as the route reaches one of the many ruined quarry buildings
Heading over to the lower quarry from the Tongue Gill path
Borrowdale from the path to the lower quarry
The shuttered climbing hut at Rigghead Quarry. Despite extensive research I was unable to ascertain who uses the hut therefore it is more than likely privately owned and not utilised by a climbing club as such.
The middle & upper quarries from the lower
Leaving the lower quarry we headed down to join the path to Tongue Gill which passes another ruined building
Tongue Gill - if returning to Grange the gill can be forded here to join a path on the other side. We would not be crossing here and would instead head down the path on the southern side of the gill.
The descent path on the southern bank of Tongue Gill
The footbridge over Tongue Gill - the path heading to the left goes to Castle Crag then onward to Grange. We would not be crossing the bridge and instead be turning right in the direction of Seatoller.
The route reaches the newly refurbished footbridge over Scaleclose Gill. On the bridge is an inscription remembering the life of Allan Stewart Wilson (1979 - 2022) which reads:
"For his intelligence, his strength and his character he stood in a league of his own. If he saw that you had made it this far on your walk he would tell you that you’ve earnt yourself a beer"
"For his intelligence, his strength and his character he stood in a league of his own. If he saw that you had made it this far on your walk he would tell you that you’ve earnt yourself a beer"
At Grid Reference NY 24376 14513 a ladder stile leads to a path to High Doat. This route can also be taken to reach Seatoller and enters the village via the National Trust Car Park.
Dropping down into Seatoller with Rosthwaite Fell to the left & Thornythwaite Fell to the right
At Grid Reference NY 24299 14081 the path splits. Either path can be taken to reach Seatoller however as we intended to visit the Yew Tree for a post walk beer, we took the right hand fork.
The path eventually reaches the B5289 just above Seatoller
Celebratory beer o’clock as we reach The Yew Tree in Seatoller
Cheers chaps - what an absolutely cracking day out that was
Poppy can’t fathom out what all the fuss is about