Pillar
892m (2928ft)
The Western Fells, The Lake District, Cumbria, England
The summit of Pillar is marked by an Ordnance Survey Trig Point.
You can find Pillar & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps: (click/TAP to select)
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (the ones with orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Maps (the ones with pink/magenta covers):
See Pillar and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:
See Pillar and the surrounding tops on our downloadable PDF Peak Bagging Maps:
*Walk & bag all 33 Wainwrights in The Western Fells area of The Lake District in just 10 easy-to-follow circular walks.
*This version is marked with the walk routes you need to follow to Walk all 214 Wainwrights in just 59 walks. Click here for more information.
NB: Whether you print off a copy on to paper or download it to your phone, these PDF Peak Baggers Maps will prove incredibly useful when your are up there on the tops and you cannot get a phone signal!
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 5.25ml (8.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 2,301ft (701m) |
| Time: | 4½ hrs |
| Grade: |  (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Black Sail Hut (Youth Hostel) - Ennerdale - Black Sail Beck - Black Sail Pass - Looking Stead (Pillar) - Pillar - Black Sail Pass - Black Sail Beck - Black Sail Hut (Youth Hostel) - Ennerdale.
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 7.75ml (12.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 4,808ft (1,465m) |
| Time: | 7.75hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Wasdale Head - Kirk Fell - Kirk Fell (East Top) - Black Sail Pass - Looking Stead (Pillar) - High Level Route - Robinson's Cairn - Pillar - Wind Gap - Black Crag (Pillar) - Scoat Fell (Little Scoat Fell) - Steeple - Red Pike (Wasdale) - Dore Head - Mosedale Beck - Wasdale Head - Wast Water.
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10.25ml (16.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 4,611ft (1,405m) |
| Time: | 8½ hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Buttermere - Gatesgarth - Peggy's Bridge - Scarth Gap Pass - Scarth Gap - Black Sail Hut (Youth Hostel) - Black Sail Pass - Looking Stead (Pillar) - High Level Route - Robinson's Cairn - Pillar - Wind Gap - Black Crag (Pillar) - High Beck - Ennerdale - Scarth Gap Pass - Peggy's Bridge - Gatescarth - Buttermere
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 11ml (17km) |
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| Ascent: | 4,001ft (1,219m) |
| Time: | 8 hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Wasdale Head - Mosedale Beck - Black Sail Pass - High Level Route - Robinson's Cairn - Pillar - Wind Gap - Black Crag (Pillar) - Scoat Fell (Little Scoat Fell) - Red Pike (Wasdale) - Dore Head - Over Beck - Wasdale Head - Wast Water.
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 11ml (17.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 4,782ft (1,457m) |
| Time: | 8.75hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Wasdale Head - Mosedale Beck - Black Sail Pass - Looking Stead (Pillar) - High Level Route - Robinson's Cairn - Pillar - Wind Gap - Black Crag (Pillar) - Scoat Fell (Little Scoat Fell) - Steeple - Red Pike (Wasdale) - Dore Head - Yewbarrow (North Top) - Yewbarrow - Dropping Crag - Bell Rib - Over Beck - Wasdale Head - Wast Water.
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 11.25ml (18km) |
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| Ascent: | 5,819ft (1,773m) |
| Time: | 10 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Very Hard) |
Route Summary:
Wasdale Head - Moses' Trod - Lingmell Beck - Gable Beck Bridge - Sty Head - Great Gable - Westmorland Cairn - Beck Head - Beckhead Tarn - Kirk Fell (East Top) - Kirk Fell - Black Sail Pass - Looking Stead (Pillar) - High Level Route - Robinson's Cairn - Pillar - Wind Gap - Black Crag (Pillar) - Scoat Fell (Little Scoat Fell) - Steeple - Red Pike (Wasdale) - Dore Head - Mosedale Beck - Wasdale Head - Wast Water.
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 18.75ml (30km) |
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| Ascent: | 7,309ft (2,408m) |
| Time: | 14.75hrs |
| Grade: | (Very Hard) |
Route Summary:
Bowness Knott Car Park Ennerdale - Low Gillerthwaite Field Centre - High Gillerthwaite Yourth Hostel - Red Pike (Buttermere) - High Stile - High Crag (Buttermere) - Seat (Buttermere) - Scarth Gap - Hay Stacks (Haystacks) - Innominate Tarn - Blackbeck Tarn - Black Beck - Green Crag (Buttermere) - Great Round How - Brandreth - Gillercomb Head - Green Gable - Windy Gap - Great Gable - Westmorland Cairn - Beck Head - Beckhead Tarn - Kirk Fell (East Top) - Kirk Fell - Black Sail Pass - Looking Stead (Pillar) - High Level Route - Robinson's Cairn - Pillar - Wind Gap - Black Crag (Pillar) - High Beck - Low Beck - Ennerdale.
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged Pillar
Geoff Hand walked up Pillar on July 3rd, 2025 [from/via/route] Walked the Mosedale round from Burnthwaite Cottage. Pillar, Black Crag, Scoat fell, Steeple, Red Pike & Yewbarrow. One of my toghest days in the lakes, but very enjoyable & rewarding. [with] none [weather] Started off Sunny then cloud, mist, high wind & rain caught me up at Pillar. Some great views before that. - Got a bit confused coming off Scoat fell & picking up the path to Red Pike. Had to use my map compass & watch to find the path.
Ian Ashton climbed Pillar on November 9th, 2024 [with] Solo
Christine Shepherd bagged Pillar on May 15th, 2005 [from/via/route] Walked from Wasdale Head following the route outlined on walk c343. Used walk c240 with Yewbarrow added on on 23.8.21 with Stephen. Used walk c101 with the addi.tion of Haycock between Steeple & Red Pike with Louise on 20.4.24. [with] On my own [weather] Fine but chilly. - Met another lady walking on her own but imagine my surprise when she started unpacking a radio mast from her rucksack. She was a radio ham broadcasting from unusual places! Climbed again using walk c240 on 23.8.21 Added on Yewbarrow at the end.
Sarah Moore hiked Pillar on April 8th, 2023 [from/via/route] c130 / Caw Fell, Haycock & Steeple... with extra! from Ennerdale YHA [with] On my own [weather] Great day for it - almost too hot at points - clear for miles & sunny & beautiful - Couldn't believe how quiet it was for an Easter weekend - remote but incredible
Kevin Foster summited Pillar on July 7th, 2022 [from/via/route] Wasdale Head [with] By myself. [weather] Dry & sunny. - From Looking Stead I followed the climbers path past Robinson cairn & Pillar Rock via the Shamrock Traverse. Had a close look at the Slab & Notch route up Pillar Rock but sensibly decided not to try it solo without ropes. Afterwards I climbed up the steep path to the summit wind shelter to contemplate on my failed Nuttalls challenge.
Tim Winn conquered Pillar on April 2nd, 2022 [from/via/route] Wasdale Head [with] Barry, Paul and Roger [weather] Sunny
Paul Macey scaled Pillar on August 16th, 2021 [from/via/route] C101 [with] L [weather] Cloudy
Michael Austin walked up Pillar on June 18th, 2021 [from/via/route] C130
Darren Wilson climbed Pillar on June 20th, 2021 [from/via/route] Last Wainright walks Red Pike, Scoat Fell, Steeple, Pillar & Kirk Fell [with] Mike [weather] Sunny dry beautiful day out, steep climb up
Jeremy Torrance bagged Pillar on October 12th, 2019 [from/via/route] Wasdale [with] Noel, Ash, Tim, Jon, Stu
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More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on or of Pillar
Starling Dodd (left), Red Pike (Buttermere), High Stile and Pillar (right) and Ennerdale Water from the summit of Crag Fell
Westmorland Cairn, Great Gable panorama featuring Kirk Fell (foreground centre), Wast Water, Wasdale and Yewbarrow with Middle Fell and Seatallan beyond (left), Red Pike (Wasdale), Little Scoat Fell and Pillar behind Kirk Fell (centre) and Ennerdale with Red Pike (Buttermere), High Stile, High Crag and Crummock Water (right)
Haystacks from Looking Stead (Pillar) with a Herdwick Sheep for company
Pillar (left), Ennerdale Water, Seat (Buttermere), Gamlin End and High Crag (centre), Crummock Water and Grasmoor (right) from the summit of Hay Stacks (Haystacks)
Robinson's Cairn with Pillar Rock beyond (left of the cairn and to right of the 'notch')
Steeple and Long Crag with Crag Fell (sunlit in the distance), Ennerdale Water and Great Borne from Pillar
The view north from Looking Stead (Pillar) featuring Ennerdale with Red Pike (Buttermere), High Stile, High Crag, Seat, Scarth Gap, Hay Stacks (Haystacks) and Brandreth (far right)
Looking stead (Pillar) & Pillar behind Green Crag (Buttermere) & Hay Stacks (Haystacks) with High Crag (Buttermere) (right) from near Dubs Quarry
. . . see all 72 walk photographs & pictures of views from, on or of Pillar
Send us your photographs and pictures on, of, or from Pillar
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