Little Langdale - Low Hall Garth - Oct 2025
Meet report by Matt Cripsey
Yikes. It’s February 2026 and I’m only just writing this up! A big slap on the wrist for me. Here’s hoping I can remember a few things. One thing I do remember is some excellent weather. And a bit of awful weather… I also remember, for the first time ever, driving up to the Lakes non-stop and arriving at the hut in just 5 hours 45 mins - a feat I am sure never to repeat!
Morning light and the distant Langdale Pikes
Saturday
A warm shallow sunrise lit the fells up red across the valley. If I remember rightly, one group comprising Aga, Tanya, Callum and José set out for Pike o’Blisco, continuing over Crinkle Crags before descending to Old Dungeon Ghyll in Langdale. At the same time, I set out solo for a similar outing, opting instead to start with Cold Pike and then, after Crinkle Crags, carrying on over Bow Fell and Esk Pike to Esk Hause, down to Angle Tarn, round the back of Rossett Pike, over the Langdale Pikes (Pike o’Stickle and Loft Crag) and then descending also to Old Dungeon Ghyll. When I sat down alone with my pint I thought I must have missed the others. But just as my glass was half empty, they all turned up! So we went inside for another pint of Loweswater Gold (one of the best beers around) and a few chips before all walking back together via Blea Tarn to the hut.
Towards Scafell Pike from Saturday’s route
I’ve done this route once before and I think it rivals almost any in the Lake District. It really kicks into gear at Crinkle Crags, where the ‘bad step’ — a wonderful little rock move — takes you up towards the summit and the high fells. The views down into Langdale, back towards Wetherlam and the Old Man of Coniston, and then on towards Bow Fell, are some of the best around. If you want mountain scenery, this is the place (beaten perhaps only by places like the Corridor Route to Scafell Pike). We had the great fortune to have clear skies and very little wind, making navigation a breeze. On the return walk, I enjoyed chatting to prospective member Callum. I don’t often get to walk with other true giants. On reflection, I also wonder if his moustache inspired my own… Not something I’d mused on until now!
For the life of me, I can’t remember what the others did on Saturday. Sorry! I think there was an aborted attempt on Wetherlam and another team up Pike o’Blisco? Never mind. I remember the important stuff: namely, Bob’s cake.
Bob celebrating a 50th…
That evening Bob brought out a large fruit cake with a ’50’ candle on the top. ‘Surely not?!’ we all yelled. ‘Bob, you can’t possibly be as old as 50?!’ Bob quickly reassured us that he was as young as ever, and that this was not in fact a birthday cake but one to celebrate fifty years since his first ever CMC meet. A praiseworthy feat indeed and one deservedly celebrated. We were all too happy to help him demolish the offering. On top of that, Arthur brought along some delicious home-made fruit liqueur.
Sunday
Aga, José, Callum and I drove round to New Dungeon Ghyll, walking up Stickle Ghyll to the Tarn. Here, it began to rain, which it continued to do — albeit not too heavily — for nearly our entire scramble: Jack’s Rake, which need only be described as ‘a classic’. It’s an almost unbelievable line that rakes from right to left up the face of Pavey Ark. A narrow runnel for most of its length, it also offers some exposed edges to climb and, at the end, a nice few rock steps. It’s pure entertainment throughout, on sound rock and with the backdrop of Stickle Tarn and Langdale below. José didn’t actually make the scramble. Not that he died en route; he just decided the walk to the Tarn was enough, given the weather, which was not remotely an unreasonable decision.
The descent from Pavey Ark, via Harrison Stickle and Loft Crag (because one summit is never enough), was wet and windy. We were very much in need of the hot chocolates and food on offer down at the café, where we all regrouped before heading back. The others were going straight to the A66 and home, so they dropped me at Elterwater and I walked back to Little Langdale through Sawrey’s Wood. The rain was torrential by this point. It was a real slog. However, I was glad to test my new Paramo properly for the first time. I’m sure it’s witchcraft.
Other details of Sunday escape me. I should have kept the route cards.
Monday
Kirkstone Pass from Red Screes
Karen, Tanya and I were up and out early with a plan to get in a decent route before the drive home. The weather was good again! I dropped them up at the Kirsktone Inn, leaving them to start up Red Screes from the top of the pass while I drove down into Ambleside to park the car and head up the same mountain via Scandale. I’d never done this fell before (another Wainwright about to be bagged!), nor had I ever walked up Scandale. If you haven’t either, you should! It was deserted and what I would call a prime example of a Lake District valley. Just one old cobbled track through the middle, a couple of stone bridges and some typical drystone walling. The russet bracken dressed for the fells for the season. Scandale’s solitude was contrasted, though, by the large number of people on the summit and on the rest of the route down (the south ridge over Snarker Pike). It must be one of the busiest paths I’ve been on! But the views from the top were good, perhaps most dramatic when looking down to the Kirkstone Pass, which cuts between Red Screes and Stoney Cove Pike.
Of course, there was gear shopping in Ambleside once I’d caught the others at the cafe and had a bite to eat. Gaynor Sports, Alpkit, and a gradual descent into a gear stupour.
Roll Call
Matt (ML)
Bob
Karen
Aga
Tanya
Callum (guest)
Peter
José
Arthur