It was a fantastically clear day in the Lake District today and the evening was looking as though there would be a great sunset. Come on Dougal & Fletcher, let’s get up to Stickle Pike to witness it!
Dunnerdale Fells
Start Point: Kiln Bank Cross (SD 215 933)
Kiln Bank Cross – Stickle Tarn – Great Stickle (OF) – Tarn Hill (OF) – Stickle Pike (OF) – Kiln Bank Cross
Distance: 2.5 miles Total Ascent: 235 metres Time Taken: 1 hour 30 minutes Start Time: 09:00
Weather: Mild but very windy, 8°C
There isn’t much real winter weather around but I suppose that does have its own merits. Today was relatively mild but the wind was surprisingly strong once above valley level.
Stickle Pike
Start point: Kiln Bank Cross (SD 215 933)
Kiln Bank Cross – Stickle Tarn – Stickle Pike (OF) – Kiln Bank Cross
Distance: 1 miles Total Ascent: 105 metres Time Taken: 25 minutes Start Time: 12:20
Weather: Grey with a strong wind and showers. 12C
The weather this morning was less than fabulous with strong winds and showers. Even at lunchtime when I went for a walk up to Stickle Pike it was almost dark and the wind up on the top was pretty strong as expected and the rain came down in a big way just as I made it back down to the car.
Stickle Pike
Start point: Kiln Bank Cross (SD 215 933)
Kiln Bank Cross – Stickle Tarn – Stickle Pike (OF) – Kiln Bank Cross
Distance: 1 miles Total Ascent: 105 metres Time Taken: 45 minutes Start Time: 13:35
Weather: Cool and clear. 1°C
It was another beautiful day today and there was time for a short walk up to old favourite Stickle Pike. The views were once again glorious from up there with a haze layer lying over the Duddon Estuary to the south. Although the temperature was low it was really quite warm in the sunshine, especially when climbing the steep south face of the fell.
Stickle Pike
Start point: Kiln Bank Cross (SD 215 933)
Kiln Bank Cross – Stickle Tarn – Stickle Pike (OF) – Kiln Bank Cross
Distance: 1 mile Total Ascent: 105 metres Time Taken: 1 hour
Weather: Cold and clear. 2°C
We had a short walk today up to Stickle Pike to help blow away some of the Christmas cobwebs. It was a lovely morning, very still with no one around and we had great fun walking in the crisp snow and ‘daring’ to walk across the frozen Stickle Tarn.

Looking back along the road we came up which was treacherous sheet ice. To the south the cloud was building up and the sun was trying to break through it.

Winter sun over the Duddon Estuary, Barrow-in-Furness and Walney Island. On the horizon is the Barrow Offshore Wind farm (BOW).
Stickle Pike
Start point: Kiln Bank Cross (SD 215 933)
Kiln Bank Cross – Stickle Tarn – Stickle Pike (OF) – Kiln Bank Cross
Distance: 1 mile Total Ascent: 105 metres Time Taken: 40 minutes
Weather: Sunny spell, breezy on top. 20C.
The schools have now finished and Connie only has eight weeks left to occupy herself! We decided to walk up Stickle Pike on this first day of the holidays and it was really sunny and warm when we set off in the car. All that had changed though by the time we made it to Kiln Bank Cross and all thoughts of a swim or a paddle went out of the window with the strong breeze that was blowing across the fells. It’s always a good one, though, is Stickle Pike with fab views all around.
Stickle Pike
Start point: Kiln Bank Cross (SD 215 933)
Kiln Bank Cross – Stickle Tarn – Stickle Pike (OF) – Kiln Bank Cross
Distance: 1 mile Total Ascent: 105 metres Time Taken: 30 minutes
Weather: Cold wind, snow. 4°C
The rain was heavy throughout last night which of course fell as snow above 300m. I walked Stickle Pike but the view to the high fells was mostly obliterated by the angry looking snow clouds today. Just because Stickle Pike is small in stature, it doesn’t make the climb or descent any easier when there is wet, slippery snow around – as I found out to my cost!

Climbing to Stickle Pike summit looking towards cloud covered Harter Fell across Stickle Tarn. I managed to rip my gloves when I slipped on this section of the climb...just great!

The Duddon Estuary over Great Stickle. Look at those clouds over Black Combe to the right - that is a big snow shower and it's coming straight for us.

Having a look into Dunnerdale, but that's not the way for us today Casper. We made a quick descent to the north, but perhaps quicker than strictly necessary as the snow on that steep section was wet and slippery. As I slipped and slid down on my backside, I did wonder if I would ever stop but thankfully I managed to grab a passing boulder!
Winter Walk
Red Tarn from Three Shire Stone then Kiln Bank Cross – Stickle Tarn – Stickle Pike (OF) – Kiln Bank Cross
Weather: Sunny above the cloud, cold with snow. 0C.
We were under cloud at home this morning but I knew those conditions were likely to lead to clear skies once above it and we had some great views today with blue skies and snow and a big temperature inversion over the South Lakes.

Little Stand from a frozen Duddon Valley. Originally we set of for Hard Knott today but half way up the pass we were blocked by a van that couldn't get up the icy road. So, a change of plan...

The view from the top of Wrynose Pass. We had to pass lots of stuck cars to get up here! Note there is no one else around yet either.

Cold Pike on the left, Pike o' Blisco on the right and the path we were going to follow up the middle.

Looking back to the Coniston fells from the top of Browney Gill. It looks like someone has been skiing there.

It was warm in the sunshine and time to cast a few layers, gloves, hats - you name it. I wonder who ended up carrying that little lot? Much as I would have loved to have climbed higher, I knew we weren't equipped for it today so we descended back by the same route.

Swirl How and Great Carrs across Wrynose Pass. When we were at home earlier, we were under a thick blanket of freezing fog so I wondered whether it would have lifted by the time we got back. As we climbed to Kiln Bank Cross in the car, I knew it hadn't as there was a magnificent temperature inversion spreading southwards. Of course, there was only one thing to do and that was to climb Stickle Pike to get a better view...

A difficult shot to get in the direct sunlight but a good silhouette of Great Stickle and a tarn on Tarn Hill glinting in the sun. To the right is Black Combe.
Caw
Start point: Seathwaite, Dunnerdale (SD 228 960)
Seathwaite – Park Head Road – Stickle Tarn – Stickle Pike (OF) – Caw (OF) – Pikes (OF) – Green Pikes (OF) – Seathwaite
Distance: 7 miles Total Ascent: 700 metres Time Taken: 5 hours
Weather: Cool and clear. 4°C
Today I met up with Roger and Ann Hiley and their two dogs for a walk to Stickle Pike and Caw from Seathwaite in the Duddon Valley. The weather was almost unbelievably different to the wet and windy weather we have experienced over the last week or so as it was cool and clear. The views were superb from everywhere today; if only it would stay like this for a while!
A clear view to Harter Fell with the Scafell range, Esk Pike and Bow Fell beyond from the summit of Stickle Pike
Group summit photo - Angus, Casper, Bethan and Harry. It's bad enough getting two dogs to keep still, never mind four!
Stickle Pike
Start point: Kiln Bank Cross (SD 215 933)
Kiln Bank Cross – Stickle Tarn – Stickle Pike (OF) – Kiln Bank Cross
Distance: 1 mile Total Ascent: 153 metres Time Taken: 30 minutes
Weather: A drizzly, grey morning. 16°C.
It was grey with drizzle this morning – there wouldn’t be any views, anywhere – so we went for a short walk up to our often visited favourite, Stickle Pike above Broughton Mills and the Duddon Valley. There was no company this morning either as the children are back at school, so it was back to the old team once again!
Stickle Pike
Start point: Kiln Bank Cross (SD 215 933)
Kiln Bank Cross – Stickle Tarn – Stickle Pike (OF) – Kiln Bank Cross
Distance: 1 mile Total Ascent: 153 metres Time Taken: 50 minutes
Weather: Brighter than this morning, 14oC.
As it was a bit brighter this afternoon, we had another short walk up to Stickle Pike above Broughton Mills. We were joined by Connie after she was sprung from school for Easter at lunchtime – much better than sitting in a classroom I think!
Stickle Pike is described in Wainwright’s Stickle Pike chapter in his book ‘The Outlying Fells of Lakeland’, page 126.