Pike O'Blisco, Cold Pike, Little Stand & Crinkle Crags - Tuesday 25 October 2016
Route
Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel (ODG) - Wall End - Pike O'Blisco - Red Tarn - Cold Pike - Cold Pike West Top - Cold Pike Far West Top - Little Stand - Crinkle Crags - Three Tarns - The Band - Stool End - ODG
Parking
ODG Hotel, Langdale (Pay in Hotel) - Grid Ref NY285060
Mileage
10 miles
Terrain
Very good paths apart from the pathless ascent of Cold Pike and an intermittent path from Little Stand to the foot of the first Crinkle on Crinkle Crags. Care should be taken on some of the ascents & descents on Crinkle Crags.
Weather
Crisp, clear day with excellent visibility. Became overcast on top of Crinkle Crags and remained that way.
Time Taken
7hrs
Total Ascent
4251ft (1296m)
Wainwrights
3
Map
OL6 - The English Lakes (South Western Area)
Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel (ODG) - Wall End - Pike O'Blisco - Red Tarn - Cold Pike - Cold Pike West Top - Cold Pike Far West Top - Little Stand - Crinkle Crags - Three Tarns - The Band - Stool End - ODG
Parking
ODG Hotel, Langdale (Pay in Hotel) - Grid Ref NY285060
Mileage
10 miles
Terrain
Very good paths apart from the pathless ascent of Cold Pike and an intermittent path from Little Stand to the foot of the first Crinkle on Crinkle Crags. Care should be taken on some of the ascents & descents on Crinkle Crags.
Weather
Crisp, clear day with excellent visibility. Became overcast on top of Crinkle Crags and remained that way.
Time Taken
7hrs
Total Ascent
4251ft (1296m)
Wainwrights
3
Map
OL6 - The English Lakes (South Western Area)
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GPX File
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Walk Description
Back in Langdale again which is always good. Today we were off up to Pike O'Blisco, the 3 summits on Cold Pike, Little Stand & Crinkle Crags. We would also see how we felt when arriving at Three Tarns and possibly nip up and down Bowfell before returning to Langdale via The Band. All in all the weather was looking good for the day therefore we paid our £3 at the ODG, got our gear together and headed off.
From the ODG we headed up the road in the direction of the Wrynose Pass towards Wall End Farm. After the farm buildings the road starts to incline quite steeply but soon we left the tarmac on a path that then levelled out. The path follows Redacre Gill and keeps its gentle gradient giving superb views over to The Langdale Pikes. Once we were past Kettle Crag it started to steepen again, changing direction to the west to reach the summit cairn on Pike O'Blisco. The summit provides amazing views over to Crinkle Crags, Bowfell and Cold Pike and on a day like today far and wide beyond that.
From Pike O'Blisco there was a steep descent to the col near Red Tarn before we ascended steeply, firstly on the Crinkle Crags path then leaving this to make a pathless ascent to the summit of Cold Pike. At the summit the continuing excellent visibility afforded us more fantastic views back to Pike O'Blisco and over the fell side to Crinkle Crags. Most people now would probably head back down to rejoin the Crinkle Crags path but we decided to walk over to the two subsidiary summits of Cold Pike - West Top and Far West Top. These are two delightful summits (both Nuttalls) and again there are excellent views from both.
Leaving Far West Top there was now a short transit over the fell side to the foot of Little Stand and after a brief ascent we arrived on the summit. The views over to The Scafell range were exceptional from here and we lingered a while before making our way back off Little Stand via the same route. The path from below Little Stand to the foot of the first Crinkle is intermittent and we just made a beeline for the main path coming in from the right. Reaching the path it was now time to make a transit of one of the finest ridge walks in Lakeland. Crinkle Crags are so named because the mountain takes the form of a rugged jumble of five shattered rocky towers on a long ridge. The walk over the Crinkles is a rollercoaster of ups and downs and is an exhilarating journey.
At the foot of the 2nd Crinkle, Long Top is the 'Bad Step'. It is a small scramble alongside two large chock stones that block a gully leading to the summit of Long Top. In the right conditions it is not an overly difficult scramble but is very steep (near vertical), however an easier path can be taken to the left and Angie & Fudge took this whilst Dave scrambled the Bad Step. We met up on the summit of Long Top and then made our way over the remaining 3 Crinkles to drop down to Three Tarns.
It was decision time now - do we nip up Bowfell or not? Time was getting on therefore we decided to make our way down The Band from Three Tarns. It is a long way back to the ODG but the views over to The Langdale Pikes, Pike O'Blisco and down into Langdale makes this a pleasurable, if not a long & lengthy descent. After what seemed like an eternity we finally reached Stool End Farm and made our way along the track to reach the Car Park at the ODG. Another fantastic day out in the Langdale Valley.
From the ODG we headed up the road in the direction of the Wrynose Pass towards Wall End Farm. After the farm buildings the road starts to incline quite steeply but soon we left the tarmac on a path that then levelled out. The path follows Redacre Gill and keeps its gentle gradient giving superb views over to The Langdale Pikes. Once we were past Kettle Crag it started to steepen again, changing direction to the west to reach the summit cairn on Pike O'Blisco. The summit provides amazing views over to Crinkle Crags, Bowfell and Cold Pike and on a day like today far and wide beyond that.
From Pike O'Blisco there was a steep descent to the col near Red Tarn before we ascended steeply, firstly on the Crinkle Crags path then leaving this to make a pathless ascent to the summit of Cold Pike. At the summit the continuing excellent visibility afforded us more fantastic views back to Pike O'Blisco and over the fell side to Crinkle Crags. Most people now would probably head back down to rejoin the Crinkle Crags path but we decided to walk over to the two subsidiary summits of Cold Pike - West Top and Far West Top. These are two delightful summits (both Nuttalls) and again there are excellent views from both.
Leaving Far West Top there was now a short transit over the fell side to the foot of Little Stand and after a brief ascent we arrived on the summit. The views over to The Scafell range were exceptional from here and we lingered a while before making our way back off Little Stand via the same route. The path from below Little Stand to the foot of the first Crinkle is intermittent and we just made a beeline for the main path coming in from the right. Reaching the path it was now time to make a transit of one of the finest ridge walks in Lakeland. Crinkle Crags are so named because the mountain takes the form of a rugged jumble of five shattered rocky towers on a long ridge. The walk over the Crinkles is a rollercoaster of ups and downs and is an exhilarating journey.
At the foot of the 2nd Crinkle, Long Top is the 'Bad Step'. It is a small scramble alongside two large chock stones that block a gully leading to the summit of Long Top. In the right conditions it is not an overly difficult scramble but is very steep (near vertical), however an easier path can be taken to the left and Angie & Fudge took this whilst Dave scrambled the Bad Step. We met up on the summit of Long Top and then made our way over the remaining 3 Crinkles to drop down to Three Tarns.
It was decision time now - do we nip up Bowfell or not? Time was getting on therefore we decided to make our way down The Band from Three Tarns. It is a long way back to the ODG but the views over to The Langdale Pikes, Pike O'Blisco and down into Langdale makes this a pleasurable, if not a long & lengthy descent. After what seemed like an eternity we finally reached Stool End Farm and made our way along the track to reach the Car Park at the ODG. Another fantastic day out in the Langdale Valley.
The start of the walk at the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel - £3 all day although over the fence the National Trust Car Park charges £7.
A lovely crisp morning as we head off
Hazy morning light as we head along the road to Wall End Farm - Pike O'Blisco is ahead
The beautiful Langdale Pikes in the morning sun
Kettle Crag
Great Langdale from the ascent of Pike O'Blisco. Side Pike is in the centre of shot with Lingmoor Fell to the right. The Eastern Fells dominate the skyline to the rear.
The summit of Pike O'Blisco from Redacre Gill
Another great view of The Langdale Pikes across Mickleden
Fudge as usual is waiting for us at the top of any sort of ascent
A Langdale panorama
Nearing the summit of Pike O'Blisco
Fudge in his "Blue Steel" pose
Looking to The Langdale Pikes & Pavey Ark from just below Pike O'Blisco's summit
Bowfell
Great Knott & Crinkle Crags from the summit of Pike O'Blisco
Looking across Red Tarn to Cold Pike & Little Stand
The impressive cairn on the summit of Pike O'Blisco
A Cold Pike, Crinkle Crags & Bowfell panorama
Angie at the summit shelter on Pike O'Blisco - what a view
The summit cairn & shelter on Pike O'Blisco looking to Crinkle Crags & Bowfell
The winding and steep descent from Pike O'Blisco - it is difficult to watch where you are putting your feet with views like this.
Red Tarn with Swirl How & Great Carrs to the rear
The descent from Pike O'Blisco drops down to a col to meet up with the Oxendale Beck path
On the ascent of Cold Pike looking back to Pike O'Blisco
Another superb view of Crinkle Crags & Bowfell
A beautiful Crinkle Crags & Bowfell panorama with some Herdwicks thrown in for good measure
The summit of Cold Pike
Heading for Cold Pike West Top - Little Stand is to the right
The summit of Cold Pike West Top
The summit of Cold Pike Far West Top looking to Little Stand
A faint path leads across the fell side to a gentle rise on to Little Stand
Pike O'Blisco & Cold Pike from Little Stand
Glorious view of The Scafells from the summit of Little Stand - l-r Scafell, Mickledore & Scafell Pike
Hardly frequented is my guess but for the views alone Little Stand is a cracker of a fell
The Scafells from Little Stand
Getting gloomy now as we approach Crinkle Crags - looking to the 2nd & 3rd Crinkles
On the first crinkle on Crinkle Crags - the col at the foot of the second crinkle (Long Top) and the 'Bad Step' are ahead
Making my ascent of The Bad Step - Fudge is probably wondering how on earth is he going to get up there - he isn't!
The top of the Bad Step - in the right conditions as we had today this is a delightful little scramble
Bowfell & the Links from Crinkle Crags
At Three Tarns (well one of them) looking to Bowfell Links
Heading down The Band with the Langdale Pikes ahead
The evening sun on the Langdale Pikes
Stool End Farm ahead as we descend The Band
Some people clearly need more than one reminder at Stool End