Langdale

Great Langdale is the long, flat bottomed glacial valley that runs west from Ambleside and Skelwith Bridge into the heart of the fells, ending under the rocky towers of the Langdale Pikes, Bowfell and Crinkle Crags. The villages of Elterwater and Chapel Stile sit at its mouth, with old slate quarries above them, and the valley head is marked by two climbers' pubs, the New Dungeon Ghyll and the Old Dungeon Ghyll.

The Langdale Pikes are the most recognisable skyline in the Lake District. From the New Dungeon Ghyll the path climbs beside Stickle Ghyll to Stickle Tarn under the cliff of Pavey Ark, and on to Harrison Stickle and Pike of Stickle. Bowfell and Crinkle Crags give a bigger day from the valley head, and Blea Tarn, over the road into Little Langdale, has a perfect view back to the Pikes.

Lower down, the walk from Elterwater along the river to Skelwith Force and Elter Water is easy and lovely, and the Cumbria Way runs the length of the valley floor. The Britannia Inn in Elterwater and the Wainwrights' Inn in Chapel Stile are popular stops. Autumn colour, clear winter days and the long evenings of early summer all show the valley at its best.

Langdale is very busy on fine weekends, with the car parks at the Dungeon Ghyll hotels and Stickle Ghyll full early. The 516 bus from Ambleside is the easy answer. The road over Wrynose Pass from Little Langdale is steep and narrow, and not for nervous drivers.