Lake District
Heron Pike (Glenridding)
612M
2008FT
About Heron Pike (Glenridding)
Sitting as the craggy eastern prow of the Sheffield Pike ridge, this summit looms directly over the village of Glenridding. It is a landscape of heather and broken rock, offering an immediate, dramatic perspective on Ullswater. While often linked with its higher neighbour, it possesses a distinct character and provides a sharp vantage point over the Patterdale valley.
Key Statistics
Rank
254th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Eastern Fells
Prominence
?
9m
Nearest Town
Glenridding
Geology
You are walking on ancient lava flows called the Birker Fell Andesite. This hard volcanic rock forms the solid foundation of the fell.
Find It
Latitude
54.5517°N
Longitude
2.9700°W
Did You Know?
- •The name likely derives from the Old Norse 'hegri', meaning heron, and the Middle English 'pyke', describing a pointed hill. While herons are rare at 600 metres, the name has persisted through centuries of local dialect.
- •Recognized as both a Birkett and a Synge, this summit is the final high point on the ridge before the land falls away steeply toward the shores of Ullswater.
- •The summit provides a spectacular vantage point over the Glenridding Screes; below these slopes lies the historic site of Greenside Mine, which was once among the most productive lead mines in Europe.
- •From the rocky cairn, walkers are rewarded with a perfectly framed view of the 'L-shaped' bend of Ullswater, looking directly across the water to the steep, dark crags of Place Fell.
- •It is frequently mistaken for the higher Sheffield Pike by walkers ascending from the village, providing a brief moment of false hope before the actual summit comes into view further west.