~Pike O'Stickle~
20th May 2022
Molly on top of Pike O'Stickle
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New Dungeon Ghyll
This morning's walk started from the National Trust car park at New Dungeon Ghyll. This is the first year for over two decades that we have not held NT membership. This is for a number of reasons which don't need airing here; but I'm happy to contribute by paying to park on their car park. It's £6.50 for up to four hours.
Pike How
I'm aiming to make a direct ascent of Pike O'Stickle and readers of Wainwright will notice his suggested route up the scree run, passing the iron age axe factory en route. It is nowadays considered inappropriate to use this route, maybe even forbidden, so I've chosen a route which will take us between Harrison Stickle and Loft Crag. Rain is forecast and I have a packed a light-weight coat as I'm only expecting showers before midday. Start time of 0750hrs.
Dungeon Ghyll
Well we've had one shower and my coat isn't exactly waterproof. It's stopped now and up we go.
Harrison Combe
The recognisable rock of Pike O'Stickle appears and a well-worn path will take us to the foot of the final steep climb.
1hr 15minutes to the top and it's not looking too good for staying dry. We aim for Thunacar Knott.
To Thunacar Knott
Quite unremarkable plod across largely damp ground.
Molly on top of Thunacar Knott 2,351ft asl
In hindsight, I should have given this one a miss. It turns out that Pike O'Stickle was my 999th recorded visit to a Wainwright Summit. How fitting it would have been to make Pavey Ark my 1,000th as it was certainly my 1st. In the event, Thunacar Knott takes the mantle for being the 1,000th Wainwright Summit reached and hence recorded in my database of Lakeland fellwalks.
Ten minutes later we found the top of Pavey Ark, as did the rain. We hurried off and down the North Rake to Stickle Tarn.
Wet Molly
It rained fairly persistently for most of the way down. I got drenched, almost to the point of mild amusement to some of the well-equipped walkers heading the other way. I'm going to admit I got this one wrong; I should have not gone fellwalking in these conditions without proper waterproofs. Another 30 minutes to an hour in the rain and I would have got cold and once that happens there becomes a risk of mild hypothermia leading to falls and bad decisions.
Walkers: Molly and Me.
Time taken: 3hrs 5 miles.
Route: Up to Pike How and Dungeon Ghyll; across to Pike O'Stickle. Thunacar Knott, Pavey Ark, north rake down to Stickle Tarn and straight down Stickle Ghyll.
Weather and conditions: Cloudy, wet, wetter.
Photos copyright Richard Ratcliffe 2022 ©
Take me back to the start ....