The mini heatwave was over but the weather last Sunday was forecast to be quite decent up in the Lake District, so we set out early and headed up to Great Langdale. It took less than 2 hours to drive up the M6 and across to Dungeon Ghyll and we arrived by 10 o’clock giving a good long day. The plan was to climb Pike o’ Blisco then, depending on how we felt, tackle Crinkle Crags. This was an ambitious walk for us but after our adventure walking (most of!) St Cuthbert’s Trail we were keen to keep up with some relatively serious walking.
We parked up on the National Trust Car Park near the Stickle Barn and the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel. We booted up and set off through the fields, our objective, Pike o’ Blisco clearly visible.
Getting a bit closer
Looking over to Crinkle Crags across the meadow
We had to walk along the narrow road that heads over to Little Langdale and the Wrynose Pass for a while. Looking back there was a good view of the Langdale Pikes and towards Bowfell and the Crinkles
The start of the climb up to Pike o’ Blisco (2,313 feet)
Looking back towards the Langdale Pikes. Skiddaw can be seen in the distance on the left and the Helvelyn range to the right.
Initially it was a gradual, fairly steep, climb up a clear path which had been paved to prevent erosion (it’s a popular route)
The summit dead ahead
Closing in on the rocky summit
We had to tackle a few scrambles requiring the use of hands and feet
We finally made the top. It was quite windy, but not so bad that it was unpleasant. Good visibility meant there were great views all around
Looking across to Crinkle Crags and Bowfell
The Coniston Fells
Windermere in the distance
We’d made reasonable time and were feeling good. Next objective Crinkle Crags, then!
Heading down towards Red Tarn
After a long, but relatively easy, gradual climb up a grassy slope, we reached the first of the rocky “Crinkles”
Crinkle Crags consists of a series of five rocky rises and depressions (crinkles): the second, “Long Top”, being the highest at 2818 feet. The ridge is about a mile long and crossing it involves several scrambles using hands as well as feet. Crossing it is well worth the effort, though, with magnificent views and a little excitement. According to Alfred Wainwright
For the mountaineer who prefers his mountains rough …this is a climb deserving of high priority
The view down Great Langdale
The “second Crinkle” . We decided to take the easier (a relative term!) route to the left, avoiding the “Bad Step”.
Looking over to Scafell and Scafell Pike, England’s tallest mountains.
Looks like we’re on the Moon!
Looking back to Pike o’ Blisco with Windermere in the background
Carrying on along the undulating ridge
Looking towards Bowfell
We reached the Three Tarns, with a final look over to the Scafells before we started ours descent back down towards Langdale
We set off down the Band, a relatively easy descent down to the valley
It was hard on the knees, though. I was glad of my walking poles.
Looking backwards to Crinkle Crags
Pike o’ Blisco dead ahead
The Langdale Pikes to our left
The view down Great Langdale
Some of the locals
Looking back towards the Crinkles and The Band
Crossing
We passed the Old Dungeon Ghyll
and carried on along the path for the last half a mile or so to the Stickle barn car park where we’d parked up
Feeling hungry, we decided to eat at Stickle barn before driving home
Yummy – Herdwick Shepherd’s pie and Herdie pulled lamb on a bun
A side order of rather excellent sweet potato chips
A proper brew!
And a view of Lingmoor Fell while we ate.
A long, butt very enjoyable day and a great walk.
Down by the Dougie 
Love the crinkles.
Love the crinkles. As AW says it’s the finest ridge mile in the lakes and has the best view of the Scafells imho
It’s a fine walk. And I agree with your comment about the view 👍
Have done Pike o’ Blisco but not Crinkle Crags. That was some walk! Beautiful pictures.
Yes, it was an ambitious walk for us. 😉 But we’re reasonably fit at the moment after our recent “long walk”. The only difficult bit was coming back down the long gradual descent along the Band which was vey hard on my knees.
Yes, I find knees and ankles a problem these days too 😦
Comes to us all 😞
You read my mind with the pictures of the food at the end. After all that tramping about I wondered what you ate to replace all the calories you burned. Do you bring a lunch with you? How many miles/km did you hike? So beautiful and inspirational as always.
Thanks Susanne 😉. This was about 8.5 miles on the map, about 12 taking account of the ups and downs. According to the pedometer on my phone about 30,000 steps – and they weren’t easy steps! I have to watch my food intake when I’m out walking. I’m an insulin dependant diabetic so have to ensure I keep topping up. We take sandwiches and fruit but I also take cereal bars and on a walk like this tend to have to eat one every 45 minutes to make sure my blood sugar doesn’t drop too low. We enjoyed the meal at the barn at the end – and a good mug of tea (with a tasty pint of local ale for my wife – unfortunately I can’t drink alcohol)
That is one the Lakes real classics and you’ve reminded me I need to visit Langdale as I’ve not been there for a while. Great post and photos
Thanks 👍
Perhaps the best walk in the Lake District (though its over 30 years since I did it. (There was never food like that on offer at the end in the 70s!)
Don’t know whether it’s THE best. Certainly one of them, though 😊
I’d agree – definitely up there with the best. I’m half tempted to change my plans for the day!
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