The Langdale Pikes

The Langdale Pikes and Rossett Pike seen from below Esk Hause, the Lake District, Cumbria. The tallest of the dark pikes (mountains) with the rounded top is Pike of Stickle. Beyond in sunlight is the lower lying country of the South Lakes.

If we hadn't wimped out because of the weather forecast, we would have been walking and camping in the Cairngorms now. Because we had leave booked, we went for a mountain walk in the Lake District instead.

It began and finished with rain, but in between just as the forecast had predicted, it cleared and there were even occasional glimpses of blue sky. The wind was pretty relentless though most of the day.

We parked in Langdale close to the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, walked up through Stool End Farm, up the Band, and picked up the Climbers' traverse underneath Bowfell Buttress. Then it was crampons and ice axes for an ascent of South Gully on Bowfell, and from there to the top of Bowfell. We backtracked from there to Ore Gap, then on up to Esk Pike and down to Esk Hause. Then down to Angle Tarn, a corrie tarn nestled under Esk Pike. We skirted round Rossett Pike and came down Stake Gill into Mickleden in the dark. We followed the lower footpath under the Langdale Pikes back to the Old Dungeon Ghyll, where Simon rewarded us with a pint of Yates bitter. Beer rarely tastes so good.

I didn't want to take the camera out too often in the rain and damp, but even so, it was still difficut to chose one to blip. There are three other photos from the walk here.

A great day out, but I'm exhausted now.