Red Pike (Wasdale)

The Red Pike ridge occupies a broad area of high country between Nether Beck in the west and Mosedale in the east. The Mosedale face is steeper with considerable areas of Crag, whilst the western slopes descend slowly over a couple of miles. The ridge begins at an unnamed col to the southeast of Scoat Fell. This narrow depression is squeezed between Black Comb, the birthplace of Mosedale Beck, and Scoat Tarn, the primary feeder of Nether Beck. From the depression it is only a short climb to the summit of Red Pike, the majority of the ridge lying beyond on the long south easterly descent to Dore Head. At this col the watershed turns south west, rising to the twin summits of Yewbarrow. Dore Head is the source of Over Beck, the stream separating Yewbarrow from the long western flanks of Red Pike.

Red Pike presents an almost continuous wall of crags above Mosedale, particularly above Black Comb. Bull and Black Crags meanwhile guard the southern section. To the west a long shoulder of land falls gradually between Nether Beck and Over Beck, narrowing as they converge toward the shore of Wastwater. In the middle of the plateau is Low Tarn, a large shallow waterbody lying in a flat basin. It drains via Brimfull Beck into Over Beck. This whole area is unfrequented with few paths amongst the grassy hillocks and low crags. Scoat Tarn at the head of Nether Beck is by contrast a corrie tarn, held in place by grassy moraines. Its depth is around 65 ft (20 m).