Causey Pike

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Causey Pike
Causey Pike with its distinctive bump seen from Derwentwater
Elevation	637 m (2,090 ft)
Location	Cumbria, England
Range	Lake District, North Western Fells
Prominence	40 m
Topo map	OS Landrangers 89, 90, Explorer OL4
OS grid reference	NY218208
Listing	Hewitt, Nuttall, Wainwright

Causey Pike is a fell in the English Lake District. It is situated in the Newlands Valley, 5 km south west of the town of Keswick. Even though it has a modest height of 637 metres (2,090 feet) it is one of the most distinctive fells when viewed from the Derwent Water and Keswick area due to its distinguishing summit "nobble" which catches the eye. The fell is one of 214 fells described by Alfred Wainwright in his series of Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells: Causey Pike features in Book Six, The North Western Fells.

The direct ascent of the fell is usually started from the Newlands valley at Stonycroft where there is some car parking space; this route is steep at the beginning and the end with an easier section in the middle, the final 20 metres of ascent being a rocky scramble. An easier and longer alternative from the same starting point goes by an old track which used to serve the cobalt mine on the slopes of Scar Crags, this approaches the fell "from the back" reaching Sail pass and then crossing the summit of Scar Crags before attaining Causey Pike. The fell is also part of the horseshoe walk known as the Coledale Round which is usually started at the village of Braithwaite just west of Keswick (but can also be started in the Newlands Valley) and includes the additional fells of Grisedale Pike, Hopegill Head, Grasmoor, Eel Crag, Sail and Scar Crags. It is a strenuous 11 mile (18 km) ridge walk with over 4000 feet (1200 m) of ascent.

The summit of the fell is quite unique: it is a narrow ridge with the highest point being on the "nobble" but with four other smaller bumps of almost equal height further on. The scree slopes around the summit have yielded some fossils: Trilobites, Trace fossils and Graptolites are found on rare occasions. The view from the summit is extensive with Derwentwater, the Newlands valley, Skiddaw, Blencathra and the Helvellyn range seen very well.

There is an annual Causey Pike fell race which takes place in March; it starts and finishes in the Newlands Valley and has a distance of 4.5 miles (7 km) with 542 metres (1780 feet) of climbing. The 2005 race was won in a time of 32 minutes 51 seconds.

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Wainwright's North Western Fells

Ard Crags • Barf • Barrow • Broom Fell • Castle Crag • Catbells • Causey Pike • Dale Head • Eel Crag (Crag Hill) • Grasmoor • Graystones • Grisedale Pike • High Spy • Hindscarth • Hopegill Head • Knott Rigg • Ling Fell • Lord's Seat • Maiden Moor • Outerside • Rannerdale Knotts • Robinson • Sail • Sale Fell • Scar Crags • Wandope • Whinlatter • Whiteless Pike • Whiteside