Home | Search Routes | Map a route | Routes Forum

Pinnacle Ridge


by Dave Mycroft
1 more image
Short description
One of the Lake District's classic scrambles. A long walk in is required, but the results are well worth it with superb scrambling on solid rock in an impressive position.

GPS data available for download:

Anquet file
GPX file

Route details

Region: Lake District
Start at: Patterdale
Circular Route
Grid ref: NY382156
Difficulty: Medium
Scramble element: Scramble
Grade:
Distance: 3.8 kilometres
Total ascent: 676 meters
Approx. time needed: 2 hrs 30 mins
   
OS
Road
Satellite
Hybrid
Terrain
Profile

Long description
Approach: Take the path up Grisedale to just beyond Elmhow then move left to pick up the feint zig zag trackto a platform. Move right again and pick up another feint track to another platform and onwards to the scree slope. Climb alongside the scree to the obvious jumble of boulders that marks the start of Pinnacle Ridge.
Route: The route starts from a cairn by the side of a gully and takes the series of blocks forming the edge of the buttress. The buttress becomes more exposed as you climb higher above the gully, but the rock underfoot improves as you get higher, giving solid foot and handholds. The first obstacle is the large block ahead like a gun barrel sticking out above a slab wall. Climb the slab below the gun until it becomes too smooth for to make easy headway, then move right behind an obvious large block.
Follow the crest of the ridge up to a large pinnacle, which you bypass by moving left. Behind the pinnacle take a greasy corner in the steep wall ahead before moving left and out of the corner. Move back right to rejoin the crest of the ridge and continue to a slab on the left. Climb the slab to rejoin the crest of the ridge and continue on exposed ground to a large slab which merges into a slab wall. Move left over the top then downclimb another slab to gain an easy vegetated slope. Move left again to steeper ground and climb the large blocks to the top.
The summit of St Sunday Crag lies a short distance off to the right, with options to contune on to Cofa Pike and Fairfield if time allows.
Printer-friendly version
If you walk this route, please come back to the site afterwards to review it and add your own photos
Disclaimer:
All routes are undertaken at your own risk. Magicalia accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any injury, death, or damage to your personal property that occurs as a result of following a route on this website. This applies whether the accident occurs as a result of your own errors or of errors in the information contained on this site. While we do endeavor to ensure the accuracy of details printed here, these routes have not been drawn up by Magicalia employees but by members of the public and we cannot guarantee their absolute accuracy.

Discuss this route

Routes talkback: Pinnacle Ridge

First Name:
Last Name:
Email:
Security Image:
Enter the code shown:
I agree to the site's Terms and Conditions & Code of Conduct:

Sign up to our twitter feed

Latest news

GPS help and user guide

Shopping partners