The plan was to do Crinkle Crags and then Bowfell (with a
possibility of Rosset Pike). Ah well, plans for Lakeland
walks don’t always work out…
I parked at the NT car park in Great Langdale just after 8 AM (another silly o clock start). The route
was the clockwise one along Oxendale and then up Brown Howe. Glorius views all
the way up. The climb up Brown Howe up to Red Tarn was relentless, and I was
glad to get to Red Tarn for a break and a check of the map.
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| Desination ahead as I leave the car park |
From there it was alomg the well defined path past Great
Knott to the start of the Crinkle Crags ridge.
The rain started during the last ½ mile to 1 mile before the
start of the ridge, but just as I stepped onto Crinke 1 I could see the mist
rolling in from the west. By the time I got to the top of Crinkle 1 visibility
waas about 20 – 30 yards. I decided to crack on and could just about make out
Crinke 2 looming in front of me at the small hause between the two fells. I opted for the left hand path that skirts
around the side of the fell avoiding the bad step. Fairly soon I was at the
summit of Crinke 2 which is the actual summit of Crinkle Crags. Remembering
everything I had read about the indistinct path and avoiding the ridge in mist,
I made the decision to do a U turn and head back the way I came.
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| Approaching Crinkle 1 |
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| Langdale Pikes |
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| Crinkle Crags summit |
As I lost some height the mist cleared and I could clearly
see Cold Pike and Pike O Blisco ahead. I couldn’t figure out wher the path was
to get to the top of Cold Pike , so I opted for the consolation prize of Pike O
Blisco. This was a steep push to the top, byut I was rewarded with fine views
from the top down to Langdale and across to the mist covered Crinke Crags with
Bowfell occasionally appearing as the mist scudded across.
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| View from the top of Pike O Blisco |
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| Pike O Blisco Summit |
From there it was back
to the path which descends Brown Howe and then back along Oxendale ,
Stool End Farm and back to the car park.
Despite the change in plans another excellent trek.
About 10 miles OS OL 6
