Causey Pike

Rising above the Newlands Valley, this distinctive fell is instantly recognisable by its prominent summit "knobble". The ascent from Braithwaite offers a steep but rewarding scramble onto a ridge that feels far loftier than its 637 metres. It serves as a natural gateway to the high, rolling circuit of the Coledale Round.

• •The name is thought to derive from the word "causeway," specifically referring to the ancient, zig-zagging tracks constructed to allow packhorses to navigate the steep terrain during the fell's mining heyday.
• •Alfred Wainwright was particularly taken by its silhouette, noting that while many Lakeland fells have rounded tops, Causey Pike is "a peak that looks like a peak" due to its distinctive series of summit mounds.
• •The fell’s northern face contains the remains of one of the very few cobalt mines in the Lake District. Opened in the mid-19th century to produce blue pigment for the pottery industry, the venture failed because the ore was too difficult to separate from the surrounding rock.
• •From the summit, you are rewarded with a perfectly framed view down the length of the Newlands Valley, with the bulky mass of Skiddaw and the jagged profile of Blencathra dominating the northern horizon.
• •The final scramble up the "knobble" is brief but unexpectedly hands-on, often providing a rude awakening to walkers who expected a gentle afternoon stroll based on the fell's modest elevation.