Langdale Pikes, Lake District

Every Lakeland fellwalker is familiar with the classic outline of the Langdale Pikes as they tower over the valley of Great Langdale looking steep and almost unclimbable in some views.  Most people who aspire to ascend these iconic giants do so via Stickle Tarn and Pavey Ark, but there is another way of doing this superb ridge walk that takes you into areas you may not be familiar with.

This route takes you down lovely Mickleden to its end and then climbs to the summit of the lonely Stake Pass.  From here your way lies up Martcrag Moor to scramble to the summit of Pike o' Stickle (708m).  There then follows a traverse of the rest of the 'Pikes' - Loft Crag (692m), Harrison Stickle (736m) and Pavey Ark (697m).  A gret advantage of using this unusual line of approach is that you will be doing it the opposite way to most other walkers and this means (depending on what time you set out) that you should find things a little quieter, especially by the time you reach Harrison Stickle and Pavey Ark.