~Rossett Pike to Great End~
25th August 2022
Molly on top of Great End
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Today's walk starts from the National Trust Old Dungeon Ghyll Car Park in Great Langdale. It's currently £7.50 for a long stay and free for NT members. We set off at 0845hrs and head up Mickleden. Peter is with us for this climb up to Rossett Pike and beyond.
Rossett Pike
We are rather fortunate to be under a blanket of thin cloud, aka stratus. It keeps the temperature down on the ascent route, it is due to brighten up later. We will head up Stake Pass from the bridge, as oppose to the Rossett Gill route(s). The dip in the ridge is Littlegill Head and that is where we will join the felltop territory.
The Bridge
I wonder how many bridges have spanned the beck here since I first crossed over aged 8, many, many years ago? It was all part of my first ever Lakeland fellwalk. This one looks fairly new. We cross and then pass a helpful guide stone, following the Stake Pass arrow.
Mickleden
We follow the repaired bridleway up Stake Gill until the path splits and offers a route to Littlegill Head. Wainwright mentions a line of cairns; we didn't see any, so either we were off-route or someone has moved them.
To Littlegill Head
To Buck Pike
Buck Pike is the first prominent rocky summit on the Rossett Pike ridge.
Rossett Pike
Molly hasn't been to the top of Rossett Pike before and I hadn't made a direct ascent of such, so it's all very exciting. Peter is not sure of his Rossett Pike history.
Molly on top of Rossett Pike
200 Wainwrights for Molly! For me, reaching all the Wainwright summits was a great challenge and to do it all again with Molly is just as much fun even if she has no clue what is going on.
Peter & Molly
We had a bite to eat just away from Rossett Pike summit but need not have worried about spoiling anyone else's photos as the place was deserted at this time.
Angle Tarn
A swimming opportunity for Molly. After visiting the tarn, we took the footpath up to Ore Gap for the ascent of Esk Pike.
Esk Pike
The clouds are thinning and the sun is breaking through as we approach the summit of Esk Pike. About 300ft of ascent from Ore Gap.
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Peter and Molly |
Me n' Molly on top of Esk Pike 2,903ft asl |
Esk Pike has twin peaks and all of us reached the top of both. Wainwright muses that "most walkers adhere to the path and by-pass the highest rocks..." and it is true we witnessed a couple do just that. But Summiteers must do their best to get to the highest point!
Great End from Esk Pike
Next up will be Great End. Quite easy to pick out the route from here, down to Esk Hause and up to Great End via Calf Cove.
Esk Hause
Here is where we meet many Scafell Pike climbers, on their way up from various directions.
Molly on top of Great End 2,984ft asl
There are again two summits on Great End and this one is easier to reach the top of and has fine views to Lingmell and Scafell Pike. However, Wainwright leans towards the south-east cairn which at one time had a Trig "Station" of some kind. I couldn't find any evidence of such. So for good measure we tiptoe across a very rocky mountain top to reach the other one.
Great End South-East Cairn
Many folk who complete the 214 Wainwrights finish on Great End, perhaps having an affinity for the title of the fell. Each unto their own...I find the summit territory far too rocky and uneven for a hearty celebration with cakes and drinks etc.
Calf Cove
We have a five mile descent route of 2,900ft from Great End to the car.
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To Angle Tarn
Tongue Head "Tarn"
The old debate of what is a tarn, a lake or maybe just a pool or a puddle. This bit of standing water is shown on the map and is on Tongue Head.
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Angle Tarn |
Rossett Gill |
The zig-zagging route down Rossett Gill was our chosen path. It is much repaired but still quite a test for tired legs and feet.
Pike O'Stickle
Mickleden
Nearly There
Walkers: Me n' Molly with Peter Ratcliffe
Time taken: 8hrs over distance of about 13 miles; 4160ft of ascent.
Route: Parking at Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, Great Langdale. Mickleden to the bridge and up Stake Pass until the path splits and then a feint path leading to Rossett Pike. Angle Tarn, Ore Gap to Esk Pike. Great End and then all the way back down to the car via Esk Hause, Angle Tarn, Rossett Gill and Mickleden.
Weather and Conditions: Overcast, brightening to sunny intervals. Little in the way of wind and pleasantly warm.
Refreshments: Fish and Chips in Ambleside. F&C twice plus two bottles of water and a gravy.....£26 or thereabouts. It's just how it is nowadays. We took our food to Ambleside Park and found a picnic table.
Molly has reached 202 Wainwrights and I'm left with 5 more Direct Ascents to complete my quest to reach all Wainwright summits via a route which doesn't reach another fell summit first.
All photos copyright Richard Ratcliffe 2022 ©
Take me back to the start ....