Lake District
Buck Pike (Mickleden)
606M
1988FT
About Buck Pike (Mickleden)
Situated on the rugged ridge overlooking the head of Mickleden, this 606m Birkett offers a quieter vantage point than its neighbour, Rossett Pike. The terrain is typical of the Southern Fells—rocky, craggy, and steep-sided—providing a front-row seat to the dramatic architecture of the Langdale Pikes across the valley.
Key Statistics
Rank
265th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Southern Fells
Prominence
?
6m
Nearest Town
Elterwater
Geology
You’re walking on layers of compressed volcanic ash and fragmented rocks. These were created by explosive eruptions and the reshaping of volcanic debris.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NY252077
Latitude
54.4597°N
Longitude
3.1543°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is rooted in Old Norse, with 'Mickleden' deriving from mikill (great) and dalr (valley), while 'Buck' likely refers to the male deer that historically grazed these high fell-side slopes.
- •Though frequently bypassed by those heading for Rossett Pike, it is recognised as a distinct summit by both Bill Birkett and Timothy Synge, marking it as an essential stop for hill-baggers looking to complete their lists.
- •From the summit, you get a unique, foreshortened view of the Rossett Gill zig-zags, the notoriously steep path that served as a vital packhorse route for transporting goods between Langdale and Wasdale.
- •The summit offers a spectacular vista of the 'back' of the Langdale Pikes, providing a rare perspective on the massive profiles of Harrison Stickle and Pike of Stickle from across the deep trough of the valley.
- •It is the kind of summit where you can spend twenty minutes trying to decide exactly which rocky outcrop is the highest point, only to realize the main path to Rossett Pike bypassed them all anyway.