Selside Pike: 655m Height, Walks and Far Eastern Views

Selside Pike is a rounded, grassy fell on the eastern side of Haweswater, rising to 655m beside Branstree. Its appeal lies less in a dramatic summit than in the open ground around it: broad ridges, a spacious skyline and the contrast between the Haweswater fells and the moorland to the east. It suits walkers who enjoy the quieter character of Lakeland’s eastern edge.

A rounded summit above Haweswater

Selside Pike stands north of Branstree, with Haweswater to the west and the remote valley of Mosedale on its eastern side. Its broad, rounded shape belongs to the gentler-looking side of the Far Eastern Fells. Grass and moorland define much of the upper ground, rather than the exposed rock and sharp ridges associated with some of the district’s better-known summits.

The summit reaches 655m, or 2,149ft, at grid reference NY490111. A cairn marks the top, but this is not a narrow viewpoint with steep ground falling away on every side. The breadth of the summit is part of its character. Across the Haweswater valley, the High Street range supplies a more strongly defined skyline, while the country eastwards opens towards the margins of the Lake District.

Selside Pike in the Far Eastern Fells

Alfred Wainwright included Selside Pike in Book Two of his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, The Far Eastern Fells. It ranks 110th by height among the 214 Wainwrights. Its position helps explain the variety within this group: the Far Eastern Fells include both the high ridges around High Street and the broader, wetter uplands extending towards Longsleddale and Swindale.

Branstree is its immediate Wainwright neighbour to the south, and the two are commonly combined in a single outing. Tarn Crag in Longsleddale, Grey Crag and Kentmere Pike belong to the wider surrounding group. Walks involving Selside Pike often draw on this network of fells rather than treating its summit as an isolated destination. The rounded terrain should not be mistaken for easy navigation: broad upland ground can become indistinct in mist, and wet conditions make a noticeable difference underfoot.

The old corpse road and Mardale

One of Selside Pike’s strongest historical connections is the old corpse road across its northern slopes. This linked Mardale with Shap and was used to carry the valley’s dead for burial before Mardale had its own burial ground. The surviving track gives this otherwise open fellside a direct connection with the practical difficulties of life in an isolated dale.

Mardale’s later history is visible in the landscape below. The raising of Haweswater in the 1930s submerged Mardale Green, changing the valley into the reservoir landscape seen today. Together, the old track and the water below place Selside Pike within a landscape shaped by both upland farming communities and the demand for water beyond Lakeland.

Where Selside Pike stands

Summit at grid reference NY490111 · open full map

Walking Selside Pike

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

• Haweswater - Branstree, High Howes, Selside Pike | hike (komoot.com)
• Branstree and Selside Pike from Mardale Head (walklakes.co.uk)
• Haweswater, Branstree, High Street And Kidsty Pike Circular (alltrails.com)

Weather on Selside Pike

Conditions estimated at summit height (655 m) via Open-Meteo. For a walker's forecast, use the Mountain Weather Information Service.

Selside Pike on your wall

A painting of Selside Pike can bring home something quieter than a dramatic summit scene: the broad sweep of grass, shifting light and familiar outline of the Haweswater fells. It is a way to keep the character of a long day on the eastern fells in view.

Own “Vibrant Selside Pike Above Lake” — our painting of Selside Pike → or browse all Fells & Mountains artwork

Neighbouring Wainwrights in The Far Eastern Fells

• Branstree 712 m
• Tarn Crag (Longsleddale) 664 m
• Grey Crag 638 m
• Kentmere Pike 730 m

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