This is one of my favourite areas in Lakeland. The Great Langdale valley is delectable country and the Crinkle Crags ridge leading up to the pinnacle of Bowfell occupies prime position at its head. It had been a few years since I last did this route and at the time I rushed it due it impending bad weather and didn't really have time to savour the views. Today, however, the forecast was perfect and I had the company of my Dad, so no need to race. An Aerial 3D Fly-Through of the Route
This particular route from Stool End Farm up the Oxendale path and along Crinkle Crags to Bowfell has become increasingly popular since being featured in the Julia Bradbury 'Wainwright Walks' TV series. Our intended route, as did Julia's, also included the 'climbers traverse' path along the eastern face of Bowfell, which skirts its most impressive rock scenery. At least that was the plan. The route can be demanding for some and although my Dad managed to climb Ben Nevis, Snowdon & Scafell Pike in his 70th year last summer, he hadn't done any fell walking since. We therefore had options to bale out down the 'Band' after Crinkle Crags or to climb Bowfell via the less exposed tourist route directly from 3 Tarns.
Looking up the Oxendale valley
Crinkle Crags from the bridge over Oxendale Beck
We set off in bright sunshine at 11am along the path to Stool End Farm and then headed up the Oxendale Valley. From the new wooden bridge (rebuilt in 2005 after a storm swept the old one away) the path heads steeply up towards Red Tarn. Height is gained rapidly in this first section and backward glances reveal a constantly changing perspective of the Langdale Pikes.
The Langdale Pikes
Views over to Bowfell and Hells Gill
Views back from Brown Howe
The path gains a distinctively red tinge as Red Tarn is approached due the abundance of haematite & red sandstone in this area. Once at Red Tarn the bulk of the days steep ascent is done and the route flattens off as it approaches the first Crinkle.
Heading up the 'Red' Oxendale Path
Red Tarn
Crinkle Crags & Bowfell from Great Knott
A short diversion up to Great Knott is well worth the effort as from this vantage point the whole ridge can be seen in all its glory. From here the path is currently being improved by the 'fix the fells' team who today were busily grafting in the hot sun. Finally a short but steep section leads up to the summit of Crinkle 1.
Here, for the first time, the Scafells come into view over the Eskdale
valley. We had lunch here just off to the western side enjoying superb
views right down the length of the Great Langdale valley. Wainwright describes the walk along Crinkle Crags as "the finest ridge
mile in the Lake District" and a "fell walkers delight". It's easy to see why with steep drops down
to plunging valleys on both sides and a constantly changing terrain underfoot.
Views of the Scafells from the summit of Crinkle 1
Our lunch spot looking down the Great Langdale valley
Looking back over Great Knott, Red Tarn & Pike O'Blisco towards Windermere
Crinkles 2 & 3 from Crinkle 1
The approach to Crinkle 2 (Long Top) reveals the famous 'Bad Step' which seemingly blocks the direct route up to the summit. It is essentially a large chockstone wedged at the top of a narrow 12 foot high gulley. The solution is a 'fairly' simple climb up the rock face on the right side, after which the summit is a 1 minute 'boulder stroll' away. My Dad didn't fancy this so he took the alternative path around to the left while I cautiously scrambled up.
The approach to 'Bad Step'
Bad Step looking 'Bad'
The summit of the second Crinkle represents the true summit of Crinkle Crags but I think the best views are from Crinkle 3 which imposes more abruptly than the others into Great Langdale giving the best perspective along the valley.
Crinkle 2 summit panorama East
Crinkle 2 summit panorama West
Bowfell & and the remaining ridge walk from Crinkle 3
Great Langdale from Crinkle 3
The Scafell's from Crinkle 3
As the ridge walk continues its undulating course, Bowfell becomes more imposing with every step. A short detour to Shelter Crags (essentially the 6th Crinkle) shows it off best.
Eying up a potential wild camping spot near Crinkle 5
Bowfell Links looking magnificent from near Shelter Crags
From 3 Tarns we had a rest stop & stamina check resulting in the decision to carry on up Bowfell via the climbers traverse route. This involves skirting 'off path' eastwards across the southern flank of Bowfell until the narrow winding path is picked up. Climbers traverse is essentially a rock climbers route to access the vertical crags of Bowfell Buttress, Flat Crags & Cambridge Crags. These towering rock faces represent Bowfells best bits and are largely hidden from view to walkers climbing up from the 'Band' and the typical route from 3 Tarns. If you want to access climbers traverse from the Band then that route is described in detail here Or climbers traverse in winter is described here
The early section of climbers traverse
The winding path heading towards Bowfell Buttress
Bowfell Buttress and Easy Gulley (doesn't look easy to me!)
The traverse clings to Bowfell's steep eastern flank passing right under these
vertical walls of rock until a point is reached at the bottom centre of Cambridge Crag where a spring emerges from the rock face. It is
here that Wainwright recommends stopping for a drink as "nothing better ever came out of a barrel or a bottle". It really is very invigorating and provides just the refreshment needed before tackling the steep route upwards from here.
The water spout, showing the way up along the boulder field
From this point a steep diagonal route is evident cutting backwards (leftwards as you look at Cambridge Crag) up a 'river of boulders'. This is the way up, which once followed, quite quickly reveals the lower part of Great Slab, an aptly named huge hunk of flat rock dominating the left side of the ascent. Route choice is now to either continue the scramble up the boulder field or walk up the calf burning angular rock face of Great Slab. Having tried both, I prefer the former as the use of hands can be quite reassuring on such an exposed area.
The lower part of Great Slab
Tackling the steep ascent
The top of Great Slab is one of the best places to be in the fells. This classic view with the Langdale Pikes in the background is immortalised in Wainwright's ink drawing in book 4.
Walking with a
companion today meant I could take advantage of them as photographer
while I made my way over to pose similarly at the top.
Me looking tiny at the top of the Great Slab
From here it is a 2 minute wander over the boulder strewn summit until the top is reached. The summit panorama is outstanding as Bowfell occupies prime position at the head of 3 main valleys (Great Langdale, Eskdale & Langstrath). In fact only Great Gable, out of all the high Lakeland fells, is not fully visible. We were lucky to be up there in good weather today as usually, if there is a cloud to be seen in Cumbria, it is often perched stubbornly on Bowfell summit. For the record, its only a 30 minute climb from the water spout to the summit, but Oh! what a great 30 minutes!
Windermere peeping through the top of Great Slab
Bowfell summit view back over Crinkle Crags
The Scafells from Bowfell summit : Broad Stand looking very vertical from here!
The view north to Esk Pike
Views down the Eskdale valley
Views along Great Langdale
Bowfell summit panorama west
Bowfell summit panorama east
The obligatory summit selfie
We then headed down towards 3 Tarns and back along the Band. Exactly 2 hours later we were enjoying a well earned pint at the Old Dungeon Ghyll as the last light of day slid over the Langdale Pikes ending a fantastic day in the fells.
A last glance at one of the best views in the Lake District
Date : 31st July 2009 Route : From Stool End Farm up the Oxendale path to Red Tarn then Crinkle Crags and on to Bow Fell via climbers traverse and back via the Band Wainwrights : Crinkle Crags, Bowfell Distance : 8.13 miles (13.1km) Height Gained : 3528 feet (1075 meters) Time Taken : 4.5 hours
In my humble opinion, this is simply one of the best walks in the UK and includes, according to Wainwright himself, the finest ridge mile in the Lake District. The forecast suggested cloud rolling in from midday but clear skies up until then. I therefore left Preston at some ungodly hour, parked near Stool End Farm and had set off before sunrise. A steep but steady path climbs from the Oxendale valley up towards Red Tarn.
Crinkle Crags and Bowfell at 5am
The morning sun just touching Crinkle Crags
Sunrise over the Great Langdale valley
Looking back towards the Langdale Pikes
The red path to Red Tarn
Red Tarn and the Coniston Fells
From Red Tarn the onwards path levels off a little as it heads towards the first Crinkle.
Looking over Cold Pike towards the Coniston Fells
Looking back towards Pike O'Blisco
The onwards path to Crinkle Crags
Views down the Great Langdale valley
The Scafells come into view
Crinkles 2 &3 from Crinkle 1
Once on top of the first Crinkle it becomes very obvious that Crinkle 2 is the highest point of the ridge. An obvious path leads directly onwards towards the crags where the notorious 'bad step' is waiting. At first it seems impossible to climb up until you realise that the solution is a fairly simple rock climb up the crags directly right of the 'step'. For those of a nervous disposition there is an alternative way up which skirts the left side of the crags without having to resort to the use of hands. Once on top of Crinkle 2 you are stood on the summit of Crinkle Crags.
The path towards the 'bad step'
The 'Bad Step'
Crinkle 2 summit view back over Crinkle 1 towards the Coniston Fells
Crinkle 2 view along the ridge towards Bowfell
From Crinkle 2 it is a simple matter of following the path along its ups and downs across the remaining Crinkles before dropping down to the 'three tarns' Col.
The Great Langdale valley from Crinkle 3
The Scafells across the Esk valley
Bowfell over the final Crinkle
From three tarns the obvious path up to Bowfell is clear to see on the picture above but I really wanted to find the infamous 'climbers traverse' which ascends on the eastern side. From here Bowfells finest aspect can be appreciated; huge crags, impressive rocky buttresses and the aptly named 'Great Slab'. The climbers traverse is not shown on OS maps but I had briefly studied Wainwright's pictorial guide before setting out. From three tarns I would either have to descend along the Band before picking up the traverse path somewhere off on the left, or head up the main path seen above but then attempt to skirt round to the right and pick up the traverse around the south eastern shoulder. I opted for latter and thankfully managed to stumble across the meandering path without too much difficulty. The traverse is an old route used by rock climbers to access the Bowfell Buttress and Cambridge Crags. It winds it way underneath Bowfells most impressive rock scenery. For a guide to finding the climbers traverse from 'The Band' click here
The Climbers Traverse path
Bowfell Buttress
Just as I reached the spring by Cambridge Crags where Wainwright
recommends stopping to refill your water bottle, the clouds came in. From here a path doubles back to climb diagnonally upwards along Cambridge Crags. I
scrambled as quickly as I could safely manage up the steep path but by the time I reached the Great Slab visibility was lost. 20 minutes later I was on the summit but there was
nothing to see so I headed down the main path on the southern side back
to the three tarns and then descended via the Band.
The spring under Cambridge Crags
The upwards path along Cambridge Crags
The cloud descends over Great Slab
Half an hour earlier and I would have just made it to a cloud free Bowfell. Ah well, the early start did reward me with great views from the Crinkles. This really is my idea of perfect mountain scenery. It has everything I enjoy about hiking in the Lake District. I have a feeling I will be revisiting this area many times.
