It's Turning Out To Be A Langdale Week

Having had two early starts in the Langdale area this week, one at Elterwater and one at Blea Tarn, we decided to do a low level valley walk in th main part of the Langdale Valley. We abandoned the notion of an early start as the weather forecast suggested that this would not be worthwhile, I must remember not to take too much notice of weather forecasts, and have a more leisurely start from the National Trust car park at Elterwater. So just before 9am we left the car, with only two other cars on the car park and headed out of Elterwater along the lane past Elterwater Hall. The lane eventually becomes a track through the woods under the disused Spout Crag quarry. The quarry at Elterwater is not being used full time as a quarry any longer, but is being used to crush the slate tips into road aggregate. The resulting noise levels in this part of the valley are far in excess of what the quarry used to produce and I don't really understand how permission was granted, to carry out this noisy activity with such high levels of disturbance. However, it is a lovely path through some beautiful mixed woodland and the noise diminishes as you head along the valley.
Pavey Arc comes into view as the track approaches Baysbrown farm. The track passes behind the farm and becomes a path, which appears to be a very old route, judging by the walls on either side of it.

Pavey Arc comes into view.

The path appears to be a very old route, judging by the walls on either side.

Langdale Pikes slowly reveal themselves as you progress along the valley.

The path passes Oak How Farm and continues up the valley, the view opens out as you head towards Side Farm, revealing yet more of the magnificent mountains of the Langdale Valley. Pavey Arc, Harrison Stickle, Pike O'Stickle, Bowfell, Crinkle Crags and Pike O'Blisco.

Bowfell, the highest of the Langdale mountains at 902 metres, or just short or 2,959 ft.

Crinkle Crags standing at 859 metres, or 2,818 ft. Crinkle Crags is really a series of summits and is a fantastic walk in it's own right, but it can be done along with Bowfell to make a longer day out. Personally I prefer to do Bowfell by climbing up Rosset Ghyll, past Angle Tarn before turning left and up onto Esk Pike and back onto Bowfell and returning down The Band. For me this is one of the best, if not the best walks in The Lake District, definitely a favourite.

Side Farm is just visible in the bottom of the following picture and this is where we crossed over the valley to The New Dungeon Ghyll and a very welcome cup of coffee, whilst sitting outside The Walker's Bar.

What a place to stop for coffee. Warmed on the outside by the October sunshine and on the inside by the coffee and by the sight of the majestic mountains surrounding us on all sides.

On leaving The New DG we crossed the road and found our path leaving from a corner of the car park. This is a much more recent path and more or less follows the beck back down the valley, passing through pastures on the flood plain. The fields were full of Herdwick sheep that normally spend their time higher up on the mountains, but this is the time of year when they are brought down for the convenience of the tups, before being sent back out onto the fells suitably impregnated.

Herdwick ewes, in the waiting room!

As we walked along the side of the beck we watched as a group of eight, large, migrating salmon made their way upstream.

We crossed over the bridge near Baysbrown Farm and into Chapel Stile. The pathe takes a detour around the back of Langdale Primary School and at it's perimeter was a display of some of their work, in ceramics. Beautiful and colourful.

From there the path follows the river, back to Elterwater and the car park, which by now was completely full.