Buckden Pike

Buckden Pike is 702m (2303 ft) high, and is situated at grid reference
SD960787. It is classified both as a "Hewitt" - that is a hill in England, 
Ireland or Wales over 2000 ft high and with a relative height of at least 
30m - and as a "Marilyn" - that is a peak with a relative height of at 
least 150m. It is the fourth highest peak in the southern Dales behind 
Whernside, Ingleborough, and Great Whernside, but ahead of 
Pen-y-ghent.

While nowadays the Pike is frequented largely by sheep and walkers, between the 
16th and 19th centuries, the western slopes were an industrial landscape; the 
remains of Buckden Gavel lead mine and Buckden High Smelt Mill can still be
seen, and though it is now some 130 years since the workings were abandoned, 
the impact on the landscape can still be appreciated. The mine is at a height of 
some 560m, and life for the miners must have been extremely tough. For safety 
reasons, visitors should on no account attempt to enter the abandoned workings
.

The Pike is a popular destination for walkers, the principal routes to the top starting 
in either Buckden or Starbotton; from Buckden car park the usual route initially 
follows the path up Buckden Rake, although there is an alternative route taking 
the path across Buckden Beck and following the path towards Starbotton before 
doubling back and making for the summit past the lead mine. From Starbotton, 
the route either follows the Walden Road before branching off towards the memorial 
and the summit, or follows the lower path from Starbotton towards Buckden, and 
then picks up the route past the lead mine. More details of these walks can be 
found in the leaflets available in the National Trust Barn in Buckden or on websites such as www.goforawalk.com or www.walkingbritain.co.uk. On a fine day there are excellent views from the summit - Great Whernside can be seen to the south, while Pen-y-ghent and Ingleborough can be seen across Birks Fell on the opposite side of the dale. From Buckden Rake there are fine views of Hubberholme and up into Langstrothdale.

Near the summit of the Pike can be seen the memorial, erected  to his comrades, by 
Polish pilot Joseph Fusniak - the rear gunner in a Wellington bomber which crashed in 
a snowstorm in January 1942. The full story can be found at www.buckdenpike.co.uk 

Buckden Pike is the setting for the annual Buckden Pike Fell Race which is held 
on the Gala day in mid June. This 4 mile race with a 1500 foot climb starts on the 
Village Green and finishes on the Gala field. The race this year (the 25th) was won 
in stifling conditions by Rob Jebb with a time of  just 33mins 25 secs. The race record 
was set by Colin Donnelly in 1988 with a time of 30:51; the women's record is held by 
Carol Greenwood who ran 36:32 in 1996. Click here for more details.