Description
This is a single, ungraded, expert-level natural route crossing two mountain passes in the central Lake District, starting and finishing in Great Langdale. Expect two long hike-a-bike climbs and two steep, technical, rocky descents over a big day out.
The route climbs out of the head of Great Langdale over tough, rocky terrain to Angle Tarn, levels out past Sprinkling Tarn and Styhead Tarn, then drops via Styhead Gill to Seathwaite in the Borrowdale valley. The return leg follows the scenic banks of Langstrath Beck before a killer climb of Stake Pass, rewarded by a technical but rideable natural singletrack descent back into Great Langdale.
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Sty Head & Stake Pass
This is a single, ungraded, expert-level natural route crossing two mountain passes in the central Lake District, starting and finishing in Great Langdale. Expect two long hike-a-bike climbs and two steep, technical, rocky descents over a big day out.
The route climbs out of the head of Great Langdale over tough, rocky terrain to Angle Tarn, levels out past Sprinkling Tarn and Styhead Tarn, then drops via Styhead Gill to Seathwaite in the Borrowdale valley. The return leg follows the scenic banks of Langstrath Beck before a killer climb of Stake Pass, rewarded by a technical but rideable natural singletrack descent back into Great Langdale.
The Trails
- Great Langdale to Angle Tarn - climbing over rocky ground through Mickleden, between the Langdale Pikes and Green Tongue, up Rosset Gill. Rideable at first, becoming a push/carry to the top.
- Angle Tarn to Seathwaite - a short fun descent to Angle Tarn, a further push/carry section, then natural singletrack and rock past Sprinkling Tarn to Sty Head, and a steep, rocky, fun bridleway descent down Styhead Gill to Seathwaite in Borrowdale.
- Seathwaite to Stake Pass - road and track via the Cumbria Way, then a lovely singletrack section following Langstrath Beck south before the steep push/carry climb of Stake Pass.
- Stake Pass back to Great Langdale - a natural, snaking singletrack descent through Mickleden back to the start.
Getting Here
- Primary parking: Langdale National Trust Car Park (pay and display), Great Langdale, Ambleside, LA22 9JX, opposite the Sticklebarn Tavern and New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel.
- Alternative: a further National Trust car park a short distance beyond the pubs. In summer a local landowner sometimes opens a field for cheaper parking, though this is informal and not guaranteed.
- Public transport: the Stagecoach 516 Langdale Rambler runs hourly, seven days a week, from Ambleside to Dungeon Ghyll (calling at Skelwith Bridge and Elterwater en route), stopping right at the car park.
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