Day 3: Great Langdale, Crinkle Crags, Bowfell, Esk Pike and a "Great End"

In the morning, I walked down to Langdale via Pavey Ark and Stickle tarn. I got a rich English breakfast at Stickle Barn, went for some shopping at the campside shop and started my ascent to Crinkle Crags via Stool end farm and Red Tarn. Walking all the crinkles (including the "bad step"), I proceeded to Bow Fell and Esk Pike and took a marvellous pitch on the summit of Great End, with a fine view to Scafell Pike summit - a real "great end" to that day, having done 5 Wainwrights.

Today, the weather is overcast, but the cloud basis is rather high, so the visibility is good, and there was no rain for the whole day. This is the tarn close to my pitch, with Pike o´Stickle behind.

Once more the tarn, with Harrison Stickle

Looking down from Pavey Ark to Stickle Tarn.

Stickle Tarn with Harrison Stckle

Pavey Ark. The left of the two lines making up for a "V" is Jack´s Rake, which I avoided in an early morning descent with heavy luggage and rather stiff legs after two long walking days.

Stickle Ghyll

Near the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel.

Down in Great Langdale now. Ahead is Stool End Farm and Oxendale, with the Crinkle Crags behind, my next objective.

Stool End Farm and the Langdale Pikes in panoramic view - click here or into the picture for a larger version.

Oxendale is living up to its name.

The Langdale Pikes

Red Tarn with Wetherlam behind.

Cold Pike from above, on the way to the first Crinkle

Approaching the first Crinkle - a first view to Scafell and Scafell Pike.

View from the first Crinkle - down to Oxendale and Great Langdale, the Pikes to the left and the Helvellyn ridge in the distance.

The second crinkle with the "bad step" - a short chimney scramble above the screes in the centre of the picture. You have to climb the wall to the right at the black square above the ecrees. Not a very difficult scramble, but with the big rucksack, the camera dangling in its bag and the two poles on the hands still quite a challenge.

Done - looking down to the little col where the picture above was made.

First view to Bowfell ...

 ... and a glimpse to Great Gable

The Scafells and Broad Crag

Looking from Bowfell summit to the Crinkle Crags, Pike o´Blisco to the left and the Coniston fells in the distance.

Panoramic View from Bowfell summit - click here or into the picture for a larger version.

Looking down upper Eskdale to the Duddon Estuary

Heading for Esk Pike, behind is Great End, in the distance behind Great End is Great Gable and Green Gable.

The Scafells from Esk Pike.

Upper Eskdale, with Black Combe in the distance

The Scafells and Ill Crag from Esk Pike

Esk Hause, with Great Gable, Windy Gap and Green Gable.

Zooming in on Derwent Water and Skiddaw - despite the gloomy weather the visibility is good.

My last objective of the day - Great End.

Near the summit of Great End - with a fine view to England´s Highest.

Panoramic view from the summit of Great End. Click here or into the picture for a larger version.

Great Gable, Green Gable and Styhead Tarn

My pitch with the close view to Scafell Pike.

back