Route: Great Langdale
Area: Southern Lake District
Date of walk: 29th September 2016
Walkers: Andrew
Distance: 10.0 miles
Ascent: 1,000 feet
Weather: Cloudy, sunny intervals and showers
Great Langdale is the area where we first fell in love with the Lake District many years ago and return visits always bring back happy memories. I’d been planning a high level walk but dark skies and ferocious winds persuaded me to keep to a valley route, which proved to be a good choice today
I parked near Skelwith Bridge and joined the Cumbria Way, which runs beside the River Brathay. Skelwith Force was roaring and the river was very high after yesterday’s torrential rain, and as I walked round Elter Water the lake was almost level with the path. It was here that I got my first view of the Langdale Pikes, a wonderful sight, and looking their best today surrounded by dramatic skies and patches of sunlight
I walked through Elterwater and Chapel Stile, following the path along the northern side of Great Langdale, and on reaching the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel I started the return leg by crossing over Great Langdale Beck and walking back along the other side of the valley
As I did so the rain showers became more frequent and intense and the camera had to be stowed away at times. When I reached Elterwater I retraced my steps along the Cumbria Way back to the start. It had been a superb low level walk and a privilege to have seen the Langdale Pikes on such a day
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
A very full River Brathay at the start of the walk
Skelwith Force
I pass by the Trevor Woodburn Bridge
The first of many views of the Langdale Pikes - my walk will take me to their base and then back along the other side of the valley
Looking across the River Brathay…
Approaching Elter Water
Elter Water
On the Cumbria Way
Approaching Elterwater…
I cross the bridge over Great Langdale Beck
Downtown Elterwater, with a couple of Herdwicks grazing as they wait for the next bus
I leave the village along a riverside path
The weir between Elterwater and Chapel Stile
Chapel Stile…
After walking past Chapel Stile I cross New Bridge to follow a path along the other side of the beck
Loft Crag, Harrison Stickle and Pavey Ark - the Langdale Pikes…
The walk could be shortened here, by returning along the other side of the valley at Oak Howe, but why shorten the walk on a day like this?
Great Langdale Beck
On the left, The Band leading up to Bowfell
Loft Crag and Harrison Stickle
Looking across Great Langdale
Side Pike on the far side of the valley
The New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel
After passing by the hotel I walk along the valley road for a short distance
The start of the return leg along the other side of Great Langdale as I turn off the road to follow the track to Side House
The bridge over Oxendale Beck
Side House and Side Pike
I follow the path on the southern side of Great Langdale, but kept glancing back…
…to Side House, with Crinkle Crags and Bowfell beyond…
…the Langdale Pikes again…
…Crinkle Crags…
…and the Pikes again…
Sorry to say that heavy rain set in at this point and photo opportunities were limited
Hag Wood
Rainbow near Baysbrown
Woodland by Elterwater
A final look back to the Langdale Pikes, seen across Elter Water…
…and the River Brathay - from here I retrace my steps back to the start
Back home, a red squirrel in the garden
