Cocooned in the spectacular chasm of Great Langdale’s enclosed trough of a valley, The Old Dungeon Ghyll’s Hikers Bar at the start of the route has drawn countless walkers to its welcoming room since 1949, when it was converted from a shippon (cattle-shed). The extraordinary location of this watering hole lends itself easily to countless walks; this route keeps to the low levels, offering a taste of mountain walking without the serious exertion. There are awesome views, a sprinkling of tarns, miner’s tracks and pretty bridges and an unforgettable final return to the pub along the Cumbria Way’s much-loved route in the shadows of some of the finest mountains in England.
[1] From the hotel, return to the lane, turn right and then left, continuing to the next bend by a gated campsite. Take the handgate signed ‘Side Pike’ and skirt the right edge of the campsite, shortly using the first of four hand-gates onto the route that leads above trees into a snaking uphill path. At the top, cross straight over the lane (don’t use the cattle-grid) and use the hand-gate, joining a graded path which meanders easily down to woodland-fringed Blea Tarn.
Pause a moment to ponder the magnificent, alpine-like view from the far end across this little tarn to the shapely Langdales.
At the far end of the tarn, look for the handgate on the right, giving into a braided path beside Bleamoss Beck on your left. It’s uneven and boggy underfoot, and gradually drifts away from the beck, charting a course beside a wall and then through bracken before crossing a grassy, marshy hollow to gain the lane at the foot of the Wrynose Pass.
[2] Turn left and trace this lane round bends to Fell Foot Farm. Some 100m around the left bend here, take the gated track right over an ancient arched bridge and through to a secluded cottage. Beyond this the track roughens; remain with it, rising gently. Keep left at forks high above Little Langdale Tarn to drop back down on a walled track behind a cottage, then more steeply to and past a second house. In a further 200m, just past slatey spoil tips, keep your eyes peeled for a handgate and stile on the left. The path from here arrows to cross the lovely little Slater Bridge, a memorable hump and slab combination. Take the left path beyond, rising beside the wall to a farm driveway, then left to a lane.
[3] Look left for the cycle route 37 fingerpost showing the way up the narrow lane virtually opposite. This rises steadily and roughens beyond a farm. Stick with it, and a later sign for Elterwater, to the gateway at the woodland edge. Just through this, fork left on the bridleway through the woods. Keep ahead across a main cross-track, dropping to a house. Turn right, then left immediately beyond the house, looking for good waymarking through this working Elterwater Quarry. Pay particular attention at the far side, looking carefully for the bridleway arrow left, drawing the way down a falling path to a footbridge over Great Langdale Beck. Go left to the Wainwright Inn.
[4] Some 50m past the pub, take the waymarked campsite path left, then keep left on a tarred drive to a fold of cottages. The well-waymarked walled path leads to a fork, then left along the farm lane and over a humped bridge. Just over the cattle-grid, turn right on the riverside way. At the far end of the camping ground, use the gate and remain with the farm track all the way to the remote Oak Howe Farm.
[5] Pass this and turn right beyond the barn, the path signed for Dungeon Ghyll. At Side House, turn right, cross the footbridge and walk the track to the valley lane. Look left for the Stickle Pike car-park entrance, use this and then go left on the waymarked field path to return to the start.