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The Top Ten viewpoints of the Lake District Fells from Langdale

By Mark Richards
Published 18 September 2019 2 minute read

Fellranger author Mark Richards shares his 10 favourite viewpoints in the Lake District’s Langdale valley.

Climbing directly from the tarns a newly improved, heavily used trail leads by Flat Crags, a triumph of rock architecture. Get your walking chum to stand on the top. Peter Savin, who frequently can be found working at Elterwater Independent Hostel, looks the part, don’t you agree?

One view I particularly enjoy finding, a twist on view two, is on the path striking up from Red Tarn above Great How from where the Pikes, backed by the Helvellyn range, look so grand.

The view from Pike o’Blisco of the Crinkles is superb, tempting one to venture to that wonderful ridge. Time spent on Crinkle Crags is never boring. Whether grappling with rock as at the ‘bad step’ or avoiding it onto Long Top, it is a pleasure from end to end.

This view from Pike o’Blisco shows off Gimmer Crag extremely well along with Pike o’Stickle drenched in mid-morning light. To the south the Coniston fells are well seen over Little Langdale.

The Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel – an adapted farmhouse – has provided an emotional and physical base from which bold adventures could begin and a horrid-weather sanctuary from ages past. Raven Crag, the biggest buttress above the hotel, was the scene of my very first V Diff rock climb 50 years ago!

The sylvan Vale of Grasmere offers lovely wanderings, not least from the top of Silver How, from where the views down on Grasmere and Rydal Water are enchanting.

High Raise is a lovely central station, but coming back by Sergeant Man and on down towards Blea Rigg there is a handsome view over Stickle Tarn to Harrison Stickle. In sturdy profile, Pavey Ark with Jack’s Rake strikes up the seemingly sheer left-hand face and South Rake is the more obvious gully to the right.

Crinkle Crags has a few shy rock pools and a trio directly beneath Bowfell. This is known as Three Tarns, from where Bowfell Links (gullies) and the Scafells reflect delightfully.

This photo, taken by an alpinist friend of mine, David Brookes, shows how summits, no matter how seemingly awkward to reach, can be great places of congregation. This is Pike o’Stickle as seen from close to the top of South Screes gully, with Great Gable the domed top in the background.

The walkers in the previous shot would have got this stunning view down on Loft Crag and Gimmer Crag into Great Langdale, with Lingmoor Fell and the distant Windermere.

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