Lake District
Hugh's Laithes Pike
419M
1375FT
About Hugh's Laithes Pike
This quiet outlier sits on the eastern edge of the Lake District, forming the final leg of the remote Naddle Horseshoe circuit. Approached from the secluded valley of Swindale, it offers a soft, grassy landscape typical of the Far Eastern Fells, providing a peaceful escape far from the busier central summits.
Key Statistics
Rank
568th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Far Eastern Fells
Prominence
?
6m
Nearest Town
Bampton Grange
Geology
You are walking on a foundation of hardened lava flows and layers of compressed volcanic ash. This rugged terrain was shaped by powerful, ancient volcanic eruptions.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NY502151
Latitude
54.5293°N
Longitude
2.7708°W
Did You Know?
- •The name derives from the Old Norse word 'hlaða', meaning a barn or granary. Hugh’s Laithes Pike likely refers to upland grazing land associated with barns once owned by a local farmer named Hugh in the valley below.
- •Alfred Wainwright included this hill in his guide 'The Outlying Fells of Lakeland', describing the surrounding Naddle Horseshoe as a walk for those seeking 'solitude and tranquility' away from the crowds.
- •The summit offers a specific, bird's-eye view down into the quiet valley of Swindale and across to the larger, craggier mass of Selside Pike and the High Street range to the west.
- •The ground between Hugh's Laithes Pike and the neighbouring Wallow Crag is famously spongey; it is the kind of terrain where the map indicates a path, but the landscape suggests you might be better off with a snorkel.