High Spy via Rigghead Quarries – History and Heights
Our climb up High Spy began with a detour into the past. From the Borrowdale side, we approached via Rigghead Quarries, a fascinating relic of the area’s slate-mining history. The abandoned buildings, rusting machinery, open mines, and scattered slate heaps give the place an atmospheric, almost forgotten feel. It’s the kind of spot you could spend an hour exploring, imagining the clatter and chatter that once filled the air.
From the quarries, the path pulls steeply upwards. The climb is steady but rewarding, with each pause revealing more of the valley behind and the rugged landscape ahead. Soon we emerged onto the broad ridge that leads to High Spy’ssummit, a satisfying expanse of open fell with wide views in all directions.
At 653 metres (2,142 ft), High Spy sits proudly between Dale Head and Maiden Moor, offering sweeping panoramas over Newlands Valley, Derwentwater, and across to Skiddaw. The summit cairn – tall, neat, and unmistakable – makes for a perfect lunch spot, especially on a calm day.
The combination of industrial history at the start and airy ridge walking at the top made this one of those walks that feels like two adventures in one. High Spy lives up to its name – a true vantage point over the heart of the Lakes.
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