Langdale Pikes

Start/Finish: LDNP Car Park at New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel (GR: 295 063)

Distance: 5 miles/ 7 1⁄2 km

Time: 3-4 hours

Height Gain: 2,500 ft/ 750 m

Terrain: A full-blown fell walk on clear paths with some steep sections of both ascent and descent

Refreshments & Facilities: New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel

Maps: OS Explorer OL6, English Lakes southwestern area. Licence media 130/99 extract of OS OL6 Crown Copyright

The Langdale Pikes are one of the iconic views in the Lake District; from a distance, the classic outline appears to consist of just two peaks, in truth the Pikes consist of four separate summits. These being from left to right of the classic view: the shapely Pike of Stickle, Loft Crag, Harrison Stickle (the highest of the group at 2,403 ft / 736 m) and Pavey Ark, the massive cliffs which tower above Stickle Tarn. For the walk itself we’re going to reverse the listing, starting with the climb up to Stickle Tarn and Pavey Ark to eventually finish on Loft Crag. If you’re one of those walkers who need warming up before getting on with a climb, this walk won’t be for you, as almost immediately from leaving the car hard climbing begins. 

Langdale and Side Pikes

Route

1. Start from the Lake District National Park car park in Greater Langdale just opposite the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel. Walk up the lane towards the hotel, following the public bridleway sign to New Dungeon Ghyll. Pass the hotel on the right and the whitewashed Stickle Cottage. Take the public bridleway to the right of Stickle Cottage, pass through the gate and the intake wall, to walk through an enclosure and over a wooden footbridge over a beck.

The climbing begins immediately beside Stickle Ghyll and after about 50 yards cross over a slate bridge and the follow the footpath sign to Whitegill Crag. You’re already ascending quite quickly on the repaired path beside Stickle Ghyll with Harrison Stickle ahead and Pike Howe to the left. After passing through a gap in a wall cross back over the beck and just keep plodding on upwards with the ghyll on your left all the while. Stickle Ghyll Falls are passed as you keep steadily rising. The rate of ascent eases for a while as a bowl opens out just below Tarn Crag at the top of Stickle Ghyll Falls. Keep on rising and after a little scramble, cross over Stickle Ghyll one last time using the massive boulders, for the last pull up to Stickle Tarn.

After one final boulder-strewn climb, the great cliff face of Pavey Ark gradually reveals itself to finally open out with Harrison Stickle to the left and Pavey Ark to the front above Stickle Tarn, a great place to stop for a well-earned breather to enjoy the surroundings.

Great Langdale and Pike Howe on the descent

2. Cross the outflow of the tarn and walk right; around Stickle Tarnbeneath Pavey Ark heading for the backdoor route onto Pavey Ark. Cross the inflow and then take the path beside Bright Beck off to the left. After a couple of hundred yards the path forks, take the left-hand fork to cross over the beck andtake the clear and stony path heading up the side of Pavey Ark, known as North
Rake, which heads steeply upwards.

At a minor plateau marked by a huge cairn, the view opens out to the south with a spectacular view looking down onto Stickle Tarn, before resuming the rocky, boulder-strewn ascent. The path flattens out as the plateau behind Pavey Ark is reached; fork off to the left on one of the myriad of little tracks to reach the summit looking down onto Stickle Tarn. From this vantage point, Harrison Stickle doesn’t look quite so daunting now.

3. To continue, pick your way through the rocks, heading around to Harrison Stickle, and eventually a path of sorts materialises which swings around, making its way to Harrison Stickle. You need to keep your wits about you to watch where you’re placing your feet through this boulder field to avoid twisted ankles.

After a final little scramble, the rocky summit of Harrison Stickle is reached and an extraordinary panoramic view as befits this central location in the Lake District opens out. To the west Great Gable, Scafell Pike, Great End, Bowfell, and Crinkle Crags are all easily identified. To the east the Helvellyn range, with St Sunday Crag and Fairfield, dominates the scene. Whilst to the south the distinctive shape of Ingleborough over in Yorkshire can be seen on the horizon on a clear day.

Pike Howe and Harrison Stickle on the ascent

4. Having had your fill of the view, it’s easy enough to bag the two remaining Pikes: Pike o’ Stickle and Loft Crag. There are a couple of paths leading off the back of Harrison Stickle, it doesn’t matter which one you take as both lead to the boggy col at the top of Dungeon Ghyll. Cross the marsh between Harrison Stickle and Pike o’ Stickle over the boulders on the prepared path, picking up the clear path heading up to Pike o’ Stickle where there is a final scramble to make the summit pinnacle. Clamber back down and take the clear path along the ridge to Loft Crag, enjoying the view from Loft Crag looking down into Mickleden.

5. From Loft Crag, make your way back down to the marsh and join the main path on the left-hand bank of Dungeon Ghyll for the relatively short but steep descent all the way back down to the valley bottom. At the top of the ghyll, the cliffs of Harrison Stickle tower above, and rushing water can be heard below in the bottom of the ravine as the path starts to descend. The rocky knoll of Pike Howe acts as a constant guide to the front, with full length views along Langdale. As height is lost, the path veers away from the ghyll. Just before reaching Pike Howe, the path veers around the right of the knoll, but it’s well worth the extra little bit of effort to clamber onto the top of Pike Howe for one last view along Langdale.

Resuming the descent, the path swings around to the right of Pike Howe and continues to drop steeply down with the ghyll deep down on the right. Cross a stile through the intake wall and, nearing the valley bottom, pass through a gate in the corner of two walls to join with the footpath from Mickleden. Finally, pass through a kissing gate and follow the path down to the back of the hotel.