The Main Face of Pike of Stickle in Langdale has it all, a dramatic situation, a proper summit and enough interest to make it worth the effort.
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Pike of Stickle Main
Face, Langdale - Lake District
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Grade:2
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Overview: An inspiring route up the
main face of one of Lakeland's most photographed
peaks.
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Equipment: Ropes and protection is
recommended in the more exposed higher
sections.
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On line map
link
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Views: 2
Technicality: 2 -
Exposure: 2
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GIBBER FACTOR*
*out of
five.
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Overview Langdale is one of the most popular of the Lake District
valleys and Pike of Stickle is arguably the most dramatic of its
peaks in scrambling terms. The Main Face is an inspiring grade two
route that takes a massively photogenic line up a beautifully
situated face.
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Pik eof Stickle lording
it over a grassy Langdale valley - nice peak,
great situation. Full
version by David Thompson from
the gallery
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The early stages follow a gully but you soon break out onto exposed,
but technically easy, scrambling all the way to the summit. A great
way to the top of a satisfyingly mountain-like peak.
Approach The normal approach is from the car park at the
Old
Dungeon Ghyll. Take the Mickledon path past the base of Pike
of Stickle to just past Traughton Ghyll, where a steep track zig zags
its way up towards Martcrag Moor.
Leave Traughton Gill at the large grass shelf and traverse round
to your right on a faint path that crosses the scree slope before
reaching a large terrace. Continue right along the terrace to an
obvious grassy gully.
Route - The route can be broken up naturally into two or three
distinct sections, of which the first is the grassy gully.
This appears dark, damp and forbidding, but in reality once you
get into it you can find the stream bed easily enough and, apart from
a couple of steep step-ups, there's no real difficulty. When you
reach a moss-covered wall, move right to pass it, then back left into
the gully.
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From the side, you can
see the dramatic profile of the face
Full
version by David
Thompsonfrom the gallery
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After 200 ft continue on up the gully as it passes through a
crescent of rocks and carry on to an obvious track. Take the track up
to the right to the base of steep rocks.
Look for a series of dark vertical cracks then move 20ft right.
Move right then left up the nose to reach a platform above the
cracks. Cross up and left to another terrace then move slightly right
to a recess. Climb the slabs, moving left around the overhang to an
escape up a large groove.
From the exit of the groove walk a few yards right and climb the
obvious perched block. Continue upwards to a break in the wall where
a careful traverse on slabs brings you round to the main face.
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A well-earned summit with
dramatic views :-)
Full
version by Marcus Crompton
from the gallery
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Now follow the line of flakes up to your left to an obvious large
leaning block. Immediately to the right of the block take the line of
large ledges and shelves up right to easy ground and the summit of
Pike of Stickle.
Caution Scrambling is potentially dangerous and, particularly
at the higher grades, requires technical skills and equipment to
minimise the risk. We suggest that you take professional instruction
or climb with an experienced partner.
