Langdale

A day on the Langdale Pikes - Photo 19 The path down from Stickle Tarn closely follows Mill Gill (usually named as Stickle Ghyll, these days) down to the fell foot and the valley floor of Great Langdale. Mill Gill tumbles over many cascades and falls on its descent. This is probably the loveliest and it is right next to the footpath, but how many people, their heads down, bound for the high fells or else the pub at the bottom, actually step aside a few yards to see this beautiful view? But we did, of course, and our lives have been enriched as a result. This is the final photo of the set. What a lovely day it has been!

A day on the Langdale Pikes - Photo 18 Brightly lit late afternoon clouds contrast with the dark majesty of Pavey Ark and Stickle Tarn.

A day on the Langdale Pikes - Photo 17 The imposing crag of Pavey Ark (2288 ft) towers above Stickle Tarn. To quote AW: Pavey Ark is Langdale's biggest cliff. In an area where crags and precipices abound, here is the giant of them all, and scenically, it is the best. (Wainwright, A. 1958. A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells: Book Three, The Central Fells , Westmorland Gazette, Kendal.) A classic favourite with climbers and scramblers. The adventurous walker may ascend the crag by the exciting route of Jack's Rake, which can be seen slanting up from right to left across the rock face.

The rocks in this photo belong to the uppermost part of the Dungeon Ghyll Member in the Borrowdale Volcanic Group (Ordovician). They are coarse, crudely bedded volcaniclastic pebbly sandstones, probably resulting from ash-fall into water, with accompanying andesite lava spatter; the whole lot subsequently disrupted by slumping and mass movement (Millward et al, 2000). The 'strangeness' is due to the presence of curious, concentric ring-like structures which appear to be secondary (i.e. later) concretions - expanding growths of secondary minerals (epidote?) to form spheroidal masses. The origin of these structures is unclear, and they do not seem to be documented from anywhere else in the district, although I have seen similar but less well developed structures on Side Pike in Great Langdale and near Levers Water in the Coniston Fells. Reference: Millward, D. et al. 2000. Geology of the Ambleside district, British Geological Survey Memoir for 1:50000 Geological Sheet 38, London HMSO.

These rocks are on Pavey Ark in the Lake District National Park, England, about 350 m ENE of the summit cairn. The grid reference of the camera location is NY 28768 08076, close by the North Rake footpath. The rocks in this photo belong to the uppermost part of the Dungeon Ghyll Member in the Borrowdale Volcanic Group (Ordovician). They are coarse, crudely bedded volcaniclastic pebbly sandstones, probably resulting from ash-fall into water, with accompanying andesite lava spatter; the whole lot subsequently disrupted by slumping and mass movement (Millward et al, 2000). The 'strangeness' is due to the presence of curious, concentric ring-like structures which appear to be secondary (i.e. later) concretions - expanding growths of secondary minerals (epidote?) to form spheroidal masses, which are easily discernible in the main photo (zoom in). The origin of these structures is unclear, and they do not seem to be documented from anywhere else in the district, although I have seen similar but less well developed structures on Side Pike in Great Langdale and near Levers Water in the Coniston Fells. Reference: Millward, D. et al. 2000. Geology of the Ambleside district, British Geological Survey Memoir for 1:50000 Geological Sheet 38, London HMSO.

A day on the Langdale Pikes - Photo 16 The view southwards from the summit of Pavey Ark (2288ft). Harrison Stickle dominates the viewpoint on the right. On the left Great Langdale curves away into the distance towards Chapel Stile and Elterwater. Lingmoor Fell is left of centre, Little Langdale to the right of it. Windermere is in the distance on the far left; the Coniston fells are on the distant skyline. Stickle Tarn is visible in the lower left.

Near the summit of Pavey Ark, Lake District National Park, England. The rocks in this photo belong to the Pavey Ark Member (formerly the 'Pavey Ark Breccia') in the Borrowdale Volcanic Group (Ordovician). This is a very coarse tuff with many angular rock fragments, volcanic bombs and andesite lava spatter, possibly resulting from a pyroclastic flow settling into water; the whole lot subsequently disrupted by slumping and mass movement (Millward et al, 2000). This is indicative of the very violent volcanic activity which took place here way back in the Ordovician. Reference: Millward, D. et al. 2000. Geology of the Ambleside district, British Geological Survey Memoir for 1:50000 Geological Sheet 38, London HMSO.

A day on the Langdale Pikes - Photo 15 Harrison Stickle's profile is less familiar when viewed from the path to Pavey Ark. The blobby rocks on the left are part of the Pavey Ark Member (formerly the 'Pavey Ark Breccia'). This is a very coarse tuff with many angular rock fragments, volcanic bombs and andesite lava spatter, possibly resulting from a pyroclastic flow settling into water; and thus indicative of the very violent volcanic history of much of the Lake District's distant past.

A day on the Langdale Pikes - Photo 14 Looking to the east from the summit of Harrison Stickle, the highest of the Langdale Pikes at 2403 ft. Great Langdale curves away into the distance towards Chapel Stile and Elterwater. Lingmoor Fell is in the centre, Little Langdale to the right of it. Windermere is in the far distance; the Coniston fells are on the right skyline.

A day on the Langdale Pikes - Photo 13 A less-than-pleasing view of Pavey Ark (2288 ft), our next objective, but it was in sunlight for a brief instant. Taken from the south cairn on Harrison Stickle, the highest of the Langdale Pikes at 2403 ft. Stickle Tarn is visible in the lower right; the Helvellyn group of fells are on the far skyline.

A day on the Langdale Pikes - Photo 12 More sunlight patches and cloud shadows driven by the blustery wind. This view is to the SSE from the summit of Harrison Stickle, the highest of the Langdale Pikes at 2403 ft. Thorn Crag, our first summit of the day is briefly illuminated at (0.6, 0.4), as is the head of Great Langdale left of centre. Unusually for mid-afternoon in summer time, we had the summit of Harrison Stickle to ourselves for the best part of an hour, until the arrival of the solitary fellwalker from this photo: www.ipernity.com/doc/earthwatcher/39024072 We wished him a good afternoon and left him to his solitude.

A day on the Langdale Pikes - Photo 11 Looking westwards across Harrison Coombe to the dome of Pike o' Stickle (2323 ft) Taken from the summit of Harrison Stickle, the highest of the Langdale Pikes at 2403 ft. Unusually for mid-afternoon in summer time, we had the summit of Harrison Stickle to ourselves for the best part of an hour, until the arrival of the solitary fellwalker from this photo: www.ipernity.com/doc/earthwatcher/39024072 We wished him a good afternoon and left him to his solitude.

A day on the Langdale Pikes - Photo 10 Taken from the summit of Pike o' Stickle, Great Langdale is beautifully but fleetingly illuminated by a rapidly moving patch of sunlight. Loft Crag with its shoulder of Gimmer Crag is on the left; Blea Tarn and the pass to Little Langdale in the centre; Wetherlam and the Coniston Fells in shadow on the far right skyline. Other lakes are Windermere on the far left, and a sliver of Esthwaite Water at (0.4, 0.7). At the extreme edge (0.0, 0.6) is a tiny glimpse of Elterwater.

A day on the Langdale Pikes - Photo 9 A fleeting patch of sunlight illuminates a solitary fell walker ('bless him'). Can you see him? Taken from Pike o' Stickle looking east. Harrison Stickle with its flat top is in shadow. The compact neat summit of Loft Crag is on the right in the middle distance at (0.7, 0.6). Windermere is In the far distance.

A day on the Langdale Pikes - Photo 8 Pike o' Stickle - the most westerly of the Langdale Pikes. The colourful sunlit summit cairn contrasts with the cloud shadows over Harrison Sickle in the distance.

A day on the Langdale Pikes - Photo 7 The graceful cone and dome of Pike o' Stickle (2323 ft) overlooks the valley of Mickleden far below with the high fells heading towards the Scafell group in the distance. Scafell Pike itself, nearly free of cloud, just peeks through to the left of Esk Pike (see notes). Taken in very windy conditions from the summit of Loft Crag.

A day on the Langdale Pikes - Photo 6 The colourful summit cairn of Loft Crag, 2270 ft. Harrison Stickle is in the background across the broad expanse of Harrison Coombe. Thorn Crag is the low rounded knoll on the right (0.8, 0.5). It was blowing very hard when I took this and at times I had difficulty keeping my feet, never mind keeping the camera steady.

A day on the Langdale Pikes - Photo 4 We reach the first of the five Langdale Pikes: Thorn Crag, the lowest in elevation at approx. 2120 ft. There are two summits, west and east - the latter perhaps slightly higher. The photo is taken from the east summit looking westwards towards the west summit with its cairn; Loft Crag is beyond, and the rounded dome of Pike o' Stickle further distant on the right. AW doesn't give an entry for Thorn Crag, considering it merely to be a shoulder of Loft Crag. However, on the ground it is distinctly separated from the surrounding fells by Thorn Crag col on one side and the deep ravine of Dungeon Ghyll on the other.