Causey Pike: 637m Height, Walks and Newlands Views

Causey Pike is one of the easiest fells to recognise above the Newlands Valley: a steep-sided ridge ending in a distinctive knobbly summit. At 637m, it stands well below the highest North Western Fells, but its shape gives it a presence that height alone cannot explain. Walkers come for the rocky finish, the outlook towards Derwentwater and the chance to carry a day’s walking onto the higher ridges beyond.

A distinctive summit above Newlands

Causey Pike stands on the western side of the Newlands Valley, south-west of Keswick. Its summit reaches 637m, or 2,090ft, at grid reference NY218208. Seen from the valley and the Keswick area, the fell has an unmistakable outline: a steep eastern end, a succession of rocky bumps and a ridge stretching west towards Scar Crags. That uneven skyline is its signature, making it readily identifiable among the surrounding fells.

The summit is rocky rather than a broad grassy plateau. Its eastern approach includes a short scramble, a feature worth knowing about before choosing a walk here. This is not simply a smooth path all the way to the top, and wet rock, ice or strong wind can change the character of the final ascent. Detailed route descriptions are useful for judging whether a particular walk suits your experience and the conditions.

Views from the North Western Fells

The summit’s position near the eastern edge of the group gives Causey Pike an outlook that reaches well beyond its immediate neighbours. Derwentwater and the country around Keswick lie to the east, with Skiddaw and Blencathra prominent across the northern skyline. Closer at hand, the Newlands Valley provides the foreground, its fields and farms contrasting with the rougher slopes above.

Looking west brings the higher North Western Fells into the picture. The ridge continues through Scar Crags towards Sail and Crag Hill, showing how Causey Pike belongs to a much larger network of upland ridges. The contrast between the open outlook towards Keswick and the rising ground behind is a large part of the summit’s appeal. It feels both close to the valley and firmly connected to the higher fells.

Causey Pike in Wainwright’s books

Causey Pike appears in The North Western Fells, Book Six of Alfred Wainwright’s Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells. It ranks 119th by height among the 214 Wainwrights. Nearby Wainwright summits include Scar Crags, Outerside, Barrow and Ard Crags, placing it in a particularly varied corner of the district.

Its direct ridge connection with Scar Crags makes it a natural part of longer fell walks, while its distinctive summit gives it plenty of interest as the principal objective of a day. Causey Pike’s reputation rests less on altitude than on recognisable shape, rocky ground and a rewarding position above Newlands.

Where Causey Pike stands

Summit at grid reference NY218208 · open full map

The real Causey Pike

Walking Causey Pike

We make artwork, not route guides — these are the guides we'd point a friend to:

• Lake District Walk: Causey Pike and Scar Crag (walklakes.co.uk)
• Causey Pike, Scar Crags, Outerside and Barrow (walkingenglishman.com)
• Walking the Causey Pike Round | Explore the Lake District (10adventures.com)

Weather on Causey Pike

Conditions estimated at summit height (637 m) via Open-Meteo. For a walker's forecast, use the Mountain Weather Information Service.

Causey Pike on your wall

Causey Pike’s uneven skyline is often the detail that brings a Newlands walk back to mind. A painting of the fell, chosen as a print or canvas, can hold that familiar outline at home: the rocky summit, the long ridge and the valley below.

Own “Sunlit Causey Pike Ridge” — our painting of Causey Pike → or browse all Fells & Mountains artwork

Neighbouring Wainwrights in The North Western Fells

• Outerside 568 m
• Barrow 455 m
• Scar Crags 672 m
• Ard Crags 581 m

Part of our guide to all 214 Wainwrights — see the full index.