logo Walking Britain
Home About Holidays FAQ Email MENU ☰

Great & Little Langdales FROM New Dungeon Ghyll

Lake District Walk

Nat Park - Lake District - Lake District Southern Fells

County/Area - Cumbria

Author - Lou Johnson

Length - 8.5 miles / 13.8 km    Ascent - 850 feet / 258 metres

Time - 5 hours 10 minutes    Grade - moderate

Maps Ordnance Survey Logo Anquet Maps Logo

Ordnance Survey Explorer OL6Sheet Map1:25kBUY
Anquet OS Explorer OL6Digital Map1:25kBUY
Ordnance Survey Landranger 90Sheet Map1:50kBUY
Anquet OS Landranger 90Digital Map1:50kBUY

Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Great & Little Langdales FROM New Dungeon Ghyll
Click image to visit gallery of 7 images.

Packed with stunning landscapes and lofty fells this Lake District walk is one of the best in Lakeland. Although undertaken in winter, it provides a perfect introduction to both Great and Little Langdales at any time of the year. The starting point is the large car park near the New Dungeon Ghyll hotel in Great Langdale (grid ref. NY296064). On fine days an early arrival is necessary to find a space. From the car park take the field path that follows Great Langdale Beck towards the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel. Continue across the hotel drive into another field. Cross this field to a gate. Turn left and cross a footbridge to join the road.

Stay with the road to Blea tarn until it bends right and take the stile on the left. The path can be seen ahead climbing steadily with a wall on the right to the flanks of Side Pike - the dominant crag slightly to your left. At the top of the climb turn right over a ladder stile onto the road and take the path opposite that leads through a field and woods to reach a foot bridge over the outlet from Blea Tarn.

The Tarn is great place to linger and it is worth the quick diversion to Tarnclose Crag, which offers the best vantage point for the superb view. Retrace your steps to the footbridge. The path continues through a gate and follows the outlet stream as it heads down to Little Langdale Tarn. The path twists and turns a little but is generally easy to follow. Reaching Blea Moss it is better to keep right especially if dry feet are to be maintained!

Turn left onto the road coming down from Wrynose Pass and follow it past Castle Howe. Just after passing Fell Foot Farm turn right down a track over a small bridge and down a walled lane. Stay with this track as it crosses the fellside and descend past the cottages at Low Hall Garth. Shortly afterwards look out for a stone stile in the wall on your left which leads you to picturesque Slater's Bridge.

Cross the bridge and follow the path ahead keeping the stone wall on your right. Reaching the road turn left and immediately right onto a lane. This soon deteriorates into a rough track passing Dale End Farm on your right to reach a gate at a col with views to Elterwater ahead. Go through the gate and take the path that forks left. This climbs at first through trees before descending into Great Langdale. Cross over the first major track to reach another shortly afterwards with a cottage directly ahead. Turn left along this second track descending to Baysbrown Farm. Go through the farmyard to climb through more woodland before descending again to reach oak Howe.

All that remains is to turn left along the Cumbria Way with the intake wall on your right. This section provides a great ending to a superb walk with a wonderful view of the Langdale Pikes. Reaching side House follow the access drive down to the road and the car park.

Other walks nearby

Walk 1132 Great Langdale & The Crinkle Cragsmod/hard7.0 miles
Walk 1157 Bowfell and Esk Pikehard8.8 miles
Walk 2037 Bowfell & Rosset Pike via the Climber's Traversehard7.5 miles
Walk 2818 Bowfell Circular from Great Langdalemod/hard7.0 miles
Walk 1739 Crinkle Crags and Bowfell (Oxendale Horseshoe) hard7.8 miles
Walk 1144 Lingmoor Fellmoderate8.0 miles
Walk 1171 Pike o' Bliscomoderate5.0 miles
Walk 2582 Pike o' Stickle, Harrison Stickle & Pavey Arkmoderate6.0 miles
Walk 1141 Elterwater circulareasy/mod4.0 miles
Walk 1059 Colwith Force and Skelwith Forceeasy/mod4.8 miles

Recommended Books & eBooks

Great Mountain Days in the Lake District

Great Mountain Days in the Lake DistrictAn inspirational guidebook to 50 challenging walks on the high fells of the Lake District. The graded circular routes, between 4 and 14 miles in length, cover classic Lakeland summits like Fairfield, Scafell Pike, Great Gable and Blencathra, to the lesser-known High Spy, King's How and Brund Fell.
More information

Walking the Lake District Fells - Langdale

Walking the Lake District Fells - LangdalePart of the Walking the Lake District Fells series, this guidebook covers a wide range of routes to 25 Lakeland summits that can be climbed from the Great Langdale valley, Ambleside and Grasmere, with highlights including Scafell Pike, Bowfell, the Langdale Pikes and Helm Crag (the Lion and the Lamb). Includes suggestions for longer ridge routes.
More information

Messaging & Social Media

Message Walking Britain and follow the latest news.

Facebook  Twitter

Mountain Weather

Stay safe on the mountains with detailed weather forecasts - for iOS devices or for Android devices.