Starting point: Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, Great Langdale (NT car park) (NY 235122)  Distance: 9.8 miles  Ascent: 2038' Date: 24th June 2009

This is a classic Lakeland walk climbing Bowfell and exploring the Great Slab before following the ridge to cross Esk Pike and descending to Rossett Pike with a detour to visit The Packwoman's Grave.

Route: From the Old Hotel walk up the lane to Stool Farm before ascending The Band.  Before reaching the col at Three Tarns, bear off half right and use the Climbers' Traverse to the waterspout under Cambridge Crag.  Here turn up the fell scrambling over rocks alongside The Great Slab.  Emerging on to the main path, climb to the summit of Bowfell with its marvellous views.  Head NNE along a rocky path, descend to Ore Gap and then climb up on to Esk Pike.  Descend to Esk Hause and, on reaching the wall shelter, turn southeast on the main path past Angle Tarn before a short detour to the summit of Rossett Pike.  Take the old pony route (now pitched) and descend into Mickleden.  A visit may be made to the Packwoman's Grave, but please respect the site as it has lain undisturbed for over two hundred years.  Arriving at the junction with Stake Pass, walk back along the valley to the starting point.

It's a marvellous day for a walk!  The Band is seen rising to the col at Three Tarns (unseen).  Crinkle Crags far left and Bowfell right of centre.

Rossett Pike with the descent route to the left of Rossett Gill

The Langdale Pikes

Looking back into Great Langdale from the ascent of The Band

Pike o' Blisco

The Climbers' Traverse on Bowfell

The waterspout at the foot of Cambridge Crag.  Be sure to fill your water bottle here as Wainwright wrote that,
'nothing better came out of a barrel or a bottle.' The Southern Fells Bowfell p. 6 (and he was right!)

It's a scrambly climb up beside Cambridge Crag ...

... and The Great Slab is seen on the left of the ascent

Wainwright described the summit of Bowfell as,
'a shattered pyramid, a great heap of stones and boulders and naked rock, a giant cairn in itself.' The Southern Fells Bowfell p. 11
I think that describes the summit perfectly!

Beattie at the very top if 'the giant cairn'

And there are marvellous views to be had; here the Scafell range ...

... and a hazy Langstrath far below

Ahead is the next top - Esk Pike with the iron-stained Ore Gap below

Looking back to Bowfell from Esk Pike

Beattie at the summit of Esk Pike with its colourful rocks

And more great views away to the north - Derwentwater backed by the bulk of Skiddaw

The summit of Esk Pike
The cairn is on the rocky outcrop to the right of the gap

I love Esk Pike's pinky rock formations

Descending to Esk Hause, Sprinkling Tarn comes into view

The wall shelter is a good place to stop for lunch.  This area is sometimes mistakenly called Esk Hause.  But the true Esk Hause is three hundred yards to the southwest and a hundred feet higher.  Read what Wainwright wrote about Esk Hause here.

Looking southeast towards Rossett Pike - a very different view from that seen in Great Langdale!  This is way to go.

Looking northwest towards Great Gable

It's a hot afternoon and Beattie is glad of a drink at a nameless pool

Angle Tarn below Bowfell

The summit of Rossett Pike.  This was my 210th Wainwright - only four to go!

The view from the Mickleden cairn on Rossett Pike

The Packwoman's Grave
AW only provided a simple line drawing to illustrate the location of the grave.
You can read the story here

The pitched path down into Mickleden is a 'Fix the Fells' project.
These rebuilt paths are the only effective way to minimise erosion on the fells.  There is still much work to do to mend the most damaged paths.  Donations are very welcome and the Heritage Lottery Fund provides matched funding for every pound given!

Mickleden Beck beside the path on the way back to the car park

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Comment from Gary
Lovely photos Derek - a nice reminder of warmer, drier times!  Thanks, Gary! derek
 

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Photographs taken with a Fuji MX-2900 Zoom or a Canon EOS 20D
Copyright © 2009 Derek Cockell     All Rights Reserved