Fleetwith Pike

Fleetwith Pike is a classic Lakeland fell, famous for its iconic profile above Buttermere. The ascent via Fleetwith Edge is a steep, airy ridge walk that offers sensational views of the valley, while the proximity to Honister Slate Mine adds a unique industrial heritage to the hike.

• •The fell is home to the Honister Slate Mine, the last working slate mine in England, which extracts the distinctively green 450-million-year-old Westmorland slate from deep within the mountain.
• •Its name likely originates from Old Norse, with 'fljot' meaning stream and 'vithr' meaning wood, referring to the fast-flowing beck and woodland found at the base of the fell.
• •A white memorial cross stands on the western crags in memory of Fanny Mercer, who died there in 1887; it is one of the very few permanent man-made memorials permitted on the high fells.
• •The summit plateau offers a surprising contrast to its dramatic face, transitioning into a broad, relatively flat grassy area that provides a gentle, easy link to the neighboring Haystacks.
• •If you choose the descent via the old drum house and tramway, be prepared for a 'slate-shuffling' experience where the loose debris makes every step feel like you are walking on a pile of giant, slippery dinner plates.