High Stile is our favourite summit wild camp location. With the right weather conditions, the north-east Spur can be an ideal location for inversions, Brocken Spectres, plus great sunsets and sunrises. The ascent via the north-east Ridge from the village of Buttermere is steep and direct, however, it rewards with splendid views across Buttermere and Crummock Water. It can be hard going if carrying a heavy pack, so give yourself plenty of time to reach the summit. I normally give myself three hours to reach the summit, and then one more hour to pitch, eat, and take photos before sunset. The last section of the ridge is an easy grade 1 scramble, however, in winter conditions microspikes are recommended as a minimum requirement. The upper cascades of Comb Beck provide a great water source, but there are no other water locations till the descent into Warnscale.

Download Map