walkhighlands

A Langdale loop ‘The magnificent 7’

Wainwrights: Bowfell, Crinkle Crags, Esk Pike, Harrison Stickle, Loft Crag, Pavey Ark, Pike o'Blisco, Pike o'Stickle, Rosset Pike, Thunacar Knott
Hewitts: Bowfell, Crinkle Crags (Long Top), Crinkle Crags South Top, Esk Pike, Harrison Stickle, Pike o' Stickle, Pike of Blisco, Rossett Pike

Date walked: 08/01/2010

On Saturday 30th May in stunning conditions we had the intention of bagging ourselves 7 Wainwrights over 16 miles and completing a loop around the entirety of Great Langdale Head, here’s the report and some pictures of our long but rewarding day;

We started from Dungeon Ghyll Hotel and walked the short but steep climb up Stickle Ghyll to the tarn under Pavey Ark.
Due to the extremely nice weather and the popularity of Landale the first part of our day felt more like a slog around the M25 there were so many people. Once we reached the tarn we turned our attention towards Jacks Rake which I had seen in Sue’s post (viewtopic.php?f=16&t=747)

005.jpg
Pavey Ark with Jacks Rake from Stickle Tarn

009.jpg
Jacks Rake at the bottom

My friends Border Terrier ‘Oscar’ was with us and we both wondered how he would fair with the scramble ahead. Needless to say we had nothing to worry about, he shot up the Rake with little problem. I’ve tried to get the pictures of the tricky bits but like Sue pointed out, its a little difficult snapping away when your clinging on by your finger nails!

011.jpg
Jacks Rake 1st 'tricky bit'

Once at the top we headed across to Harrison Stickle, Loft Crag and Pike of Stickle.

015.jpg
Harrison Stickle from Pavey Ark

017.jpg
Pavey Ark from Harrion

022.jpg
Pike of Stickle

023.jpg
looking West to Bow Fell from Pike of Stickle West Gully

These were rewarding as they offered us some great views back down into Langdale, the crowds had also eased somewhat which made our walking a little easier too. After Pike of Stickle we had a pleasant and swift walk across the grassy slopes between Rossett Crag, High Raise and Upper Langstrath towards Angle Tarn. Parts of this walk were quite wet with peat bog sections to navigate. I’m only please we weren’t there in wetter conditions as I’d imagine this would be a tedious section.

035.jpg
Leaving Angle Tarn after lunch and foot airing

We made Angle Tarn our lunch stop and what a lovely stop it was. With boots kicked off and fresh air around our hot feet we made ready for the assault on Esk Pike and Bow Fell, the latter being the highest on our route at 902m

As we climbed to the shelter between Allan Crags and Great End we were rewarded with stunning views down into Great Moss and also the Scafell range towering above.

043.jpg
Great Gable (L) Green Gable (R) from the slopes of Esk Pike

047.jpg
Looking up towards the summit of Esk Pike

051.jpg
getting 'lofty' on the way to Esk Pike

Esk Pike was reached with no problems save for the heat and we were now starting to feel the mileage we had done so far. From the summit we could clearly see our next challenge and the route to it – Bow Fell. Approaching from the N/W as we did gave us a steady climb from Ore Gap which didn’t trouble us too much. The summit was quite busy but not half as busy as it looked when we saw Scafell Pike!

065.jpg
The Scafell range from Bow Fell (Loads of people atop Scafell Pike)

066.jpg
The summiteers on Bow Fell with the Scafell range behind

072.jpg
Looking into Great Langdale from Bow Fell

We came off Bow Fell and headed towards our penultimate set of summits on Crigle Crags where we had to negotiate another scramble. Oscar had to be manhandled down as the 12foot drop was too much even for a mountain hardened Border Terrier.

087.jpg
A tricky descent scramble coming off Cringle Crags

088.jpg
Cringle Crags scramble

Cringle Crags afforded some great views over the peaks we had done even though the sun was westing and our legs were feeling the strain.

095.jpg
Looking back at the peaks already done

We could see our last summit ahead of us – Pike of Blisco.

099.jpg
Blisco summit cairn

Although we were both hot and with aching legs we decided that we came to do 7 and 7 we would do – Oscar looked at us with those soulful eyes and if dogs could speak, I’m sure he would have asked for the car keys and a couple of quid for a pint and been quite happy to take the shorter route back to the car!!

100.jpg
looking back at the Langdale Pikes from Blisco's descent route

None the less we summited Blisco late in the afternoon and with the satisfaction that we had conquered the entire Langdale range headed down to the car. Our totals were 16 miles and 9 Wainwrights on a very hot day in the Lakes

Paul

Click to mark this as a great report. Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

Comments: 12



Thwarted Lake District trip

Attachment(s) Date walked: 03/01/2010
Distance: 4km
Comments: 4
Views: 3236


Coledale Round

Attachment(s) Wainwrights: Barrow, Causey Pike, Eel Crag, Grasmoor, Grisedale Pike, Hopegill Head, Outerside, Sail, Scar Crags, Wandope
Hewitts: Causey Pike, Crag Hill (Eel Crag), Grasmoor, Grisedale Pike, Hobcarton Crag, Hopegill Head, Sail, Scar Crags, Wandope
Date walked: 18/12/2009
Distance: 18km
Comments: 7
Views: 8840


Cat Bells - Dale Head - and Hindscarth loop

Attachment(s) Wainwrights: Cat Bells, Dale Head, High Spy, Hindscarth, Maiden Moor
Hewitts: Dale Head, High Spy, Hindscarth
Date walked: 08/11/2009
Comments: 5
Views: 7684


Arthurs & Bonscale Pike's Ullswater May B/H

Attachment(s) Wainwrights: Arthur's Pike, Bonscale Pike
Date walked: 04/05/2009
Comments: 2
Views: 5922


Wreckage

Attachment(s) Date walked: 30/04/2009
Comments: 9
Views: 5944

37lumleyst


User avatar
Location: Teesside
Mountain: All of them
Place: West Coast
Gear: Foretrex with Memory Map
Member: None
Ideal day out: North Cuillin Ridge

Munros: 6
Corbetts: 1
Fionas: 1
Wainwrights: 56
Hewitts: 49



Filter reports


Statistics

2010

Trips: 2
Distance: 4 km
Hewitts: 8
Wainwrights 10

2009

Trips: 4
Distance: 18 km
Hewitts: 12
Wainwrights 17


Joined: Apr 03, 2009
Last visited: Aug 14, 2021
Total posts: 297 | Search posts