Langdale to Scafell Pike: A day hike

Date: 19th October 2010

Route: From Old Dungeon Ghyll to Bowfell via climbers traverse, then Esk Pike, Scafell Pike and back via Great End and Rossett Pike.

Wainwrights: Bowfell, Esk Pike, Scafell Pike, Great End, Rossett Pike

Distance: 20.8km (13 miles)

Height Gained: 1622 meters (5323 feet)

Time Taken: 8 hours

 _____________________________________________________________________

The route, clockwise from Old Dungeon Ghyll (far right)

 This was one of those walks where you set off with a fair idea of your route but then one thing leads to another and you end up wandering much further than planned. My intended summit today was Bowfell from old Dungeon Ghyll at the head of the Great Langdale valley. I wanted to climb it via the 'climbers traverse' route, which can be difficult to find, as I had discovered the previous year. That time I had stumbled across it, more by luck than judgement, while heading up Bowfell from Crinkle Crags. On that day the weather was poor, with rain and hill fog obscuring views. Having now researched the route more thoroughly, and with a clear forecast, I set off at 7:30am heading for 'The Band' and keeping an eye out for the point where a path veers off on the right for the climbers traverse and the extensive rocky crags of the east face of Bowfell.

The view along Mickleden from the path to Stool End farm at 7:00 am

The path to Stool End farm and beyond to Crinkle Crags

Crinkle Crags bathed in early morning sunlight

Pike of Stickle and a local

Views towards the Langdale Pikes from high up on The Band

From The Band: Red tarn just visible between Pike O'Blisco and Cold Pike with Wetherlam beyond

Attention! - this is the point where the indistinct path to climbers traverse veers off, snaking over high ground on right

The view back down the Great Langdale Valley

 Climbers traverse is a fairly well trodden path which winds it way underneath Bowfells impressive rocky scenery. It is so named as it was used by rock climbers to access Bowfell Buttress and Cambridge Crags. It is not shown on the OS map but is well described in Wainwright's Pictorial Guide: Book 4. 

Climbers traverse meandering under Bowfells crags

The view over Rossett Pike to Glaramara - from climbers traverse

 At the point where a spring emerges from moss covered rock on the left a subtle path can be seen cutting steeply backwards as it skirts Cambridge Crag. This is easily missed so if you find yourself passing beyond the rocky bulk of Cambridge Crag (see pictures) then you have gone too far. 

Cambridge Crag (left) and Bowfell Buttress (right). The path up follows the diagonal contour seen climbing steeply leftwards under Cambridge Crag

The spring where Wainwright recommends filling ones water bottle

At the spring, a rocky path climbs up along Cambridge Crag

 The steep 'path' soon disintegrates into a boulder field but the lie of the land is easy to follow as you skirt Cambridge Crag on the right, eventually emerging onto the iconic and aptly named 'Great Slab'. This impressive rocky feature is very obvious when seen but it is probably best to stay close to the boulders on the right which is the less exposed route. 

The bottom of Great Slab

A classic Lakeland view: the top of Great Slab on Bowfell

 Once at the top of 'Great Slab' take a moment to ponder the magnificent view towards the Langdale Pikes and the Great Langdale Valley. This is truly one of the finest Lakeland aspects. It's then a simple case of following the rock-scape upwards until you emerge on the summit of Bowfell and are rewarded by breathtaking views of the Scafells over the Eskdale valley.

 Anyone familiar with Bowfell will be aware of its local microclimate. If there is a cloud to be seen, it will usually make a beeline for the summit while often leaving other nearby peaks untouched. This typically changeable weather was no different today. In the 20 minutes I sat there enjoying coffee & flapjack the clouds descended obscuring all views, it then snowed briefly before the cloud lifted and the sun came out.

Looking over Crinkle Crags from Bowfell summit

Bowfell summit panorama west towards the Scafell range

Bowfell summit panorama east back to the Great Langdale valley

 From this point I had intended to either tackle the Crinkles, or go the other way to Esk Pike and back via Rossett Pike. However, as I gazed across to Scafell Pike and eyeballed the route back along the ridge to Great End, Esk Hause, Esk Pike and back to where I was now stood, this seemed like such an inviting objective. A quick look at the map confirmed good paths all the way and it didn't seem 'too' far. Decision made, I set off at a quick pace, mindful of the distance and rocky terrain despite the illusion of an easy jaunt. It is a straight forward path along the broad ridge to Esk Pike with great views in all directions but particularly forwards to Great Gable and left to the Scafell range.

Esk Pike summit panorama west - Bowfell far left, Scafell's mid-right

The Esk valley from Esk Pike

Great End and Great Gable from Esk Hause

 By the time I reached Esk Hause the weather had continued to improve and I was making good time. I followed the path upwards to gain the Scafell ridge and then continued on to Ill Crag.

Great Gable and Kirk Fell from near Ill Crag

Ill Crag summit panorama over Eskdale

Ill Crag summit panorama west

Scafell Pike from Ill Crag

 Scafell Pike didn't seem to be getting any closer but I continued on along increasingly rocky terrain until the final steep ascent emerged onto the summit plateau. There was one other hiker at the top but he headed off as I arrived and I had the summit of England's highest all to myself for a precious 10 minutes before others emerged from the Wasdale side.

Scafell Pike summit panorama west

Scafell Pike summit panorama north-east

Scafell Pike summit view east towards Bow Fell & Crinkle Crags

Scafell Pike summit view towards Scafell and Wast Water

 I headed back along my tracks making a short diversion to Broad Crag before retreading my steps back along the ridge towards Great End. When I reached the point labelled 'Bield' on the map where the main path descends back to Esk Hause, I decided it would be foolish to walk past Great End and so headed up along an easy path to its summit. It was a worthwhile detour as the views in all directions were stunning.

Great Gable and Styhead tarn from Broad Crag

Lingmell and Great Gable from near Great End

Great End summit panorama west

The view over Rossett Pike towards Great Langdale - from Great End summit

Esk Pike and Bowfell from the descent to Esk Hause

 I then walked back down to 'Bield' to rejoin the path to Esk Hause before bearing eastwards towards Angle Tarn. From this area there are stunning views over to the Langdale Pikes. There is something special about looking down onto these iconic fells from higher ground and I think this vantage point showcases the 'Pikes' from their very best aspect.

Looking down on the Langdale Pikes from near Angle Tarn

Angle Tarn

 The last fell of the day is Rossett Pike, which although the least in altitude, commands a superb vantage point at the head of the Great Langdale valley.

Rossett Pike summit view down the Great Langdale valley

Rossett Pike view over the High Raise massif and the Langdale Pikes

 On the descent from Rossett Pike the impressive rock scenery of Bowfells eastern face demands increasing attention. My earlier ascent path along climbers traverse and up to Great Slab becomes clearly visible.

Great Slab and the ascent path along the boulder field

Great Slab and Cambridge Crag: 2 climbers can just be seen emerging from the top of the boulder field

 From here the path descends steeply down Rossett Gill to eventually emerge at Mickleden under the dominating bulk of Pike of Stickle which by now was bathed in late afternoon sunlight.

Mickledon & the Great Langdale valley from Rossett Gill

Pike of Stickle from Mickledon

A last glimpse back along Mickledon towards Rossett Pike

 The legs were feeling tired now and it was a weary but thoroughly satisfied plod back along the Cumbria way to the car parked by Old Dungeon Ghyll. This was about as far (and high) as I would want to walk in a day but it was a route which had everything that I love about day hiking in the Lake District; impressive rock & crag scenery, a bit of scrambling, majestic peaks, quiet tarns and stunning views. What's not to like ?  

Crinkle Crags & Bowfell via Climbers Traverse

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

The Route : Clockwise from Stool End farm

(An updated description of this route in perfect weather is described here)  

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. 

 Wainwright Count : 12 / 214