Great Langdale via Rossett Gill up Allen Crags: route map, distance and time
785 m · Cumbria
Allen Crags is a rocky fell at the head of Borrowdale and Langstrath, rising north of Esk Hause at the main crossroads of the central Lakeland fells.
Walk up Mickleden and climb the pitched path beside Rossett Gill, then pass Angle Tarn and continue to Esk Hause before turning north.
Great Langdale via Rossett Gill starts at about 97 m and gains 716 m over 7.1 km to 766 m on the track. The first 3 km are the easy part, averaging 2%. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 5 km, which climbs 213 m at an average of 21%, with a 500 m stretch from 3.6 km at about 27%. The final 0.1 km eases to the top. About 23% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Great Langdale via Rossett Gill at a glance
| Distance | 7.1 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 750 m |
| Climb on the track | 716 m up, 49 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 97 m to 766 m (summit 785 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 27%, from 3.6 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 23% of the way |
| Time up | 2h 40m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 4h 5m, down the same way |
| Grade | Moderate |
| Start | Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park |
| Start grid reference | NY 286 061 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 236 085 |
| Parking | Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park |
Great Langdale via Rossett Gill map
The track from the start (green) to the summit (blue), with a marker at each kilometre.
Height profile and getting to the start
Near the start
- Old Dungeon Ghyll Climbers Bar0.1 km
- Sticklebarn0.9 km
- Walker's Bar1.0 km
- Public toilets0.9 km
- Great Langdale Campsite0.3 km
From OpenStreetMap, within 2 km. Check opening times before you rely on them.
Download the Great Langdale via Rossett Gill GPX
Ascent only: plan your way down. A planning track, not checked on the ground; it doesn't show safe scrambling moves. Track data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), heights from a terrain model.
Great Langdale via Rossett Gill kilometre by kilometre
Height, climb and average gradient for each kilometre of the track, with a grid reference at the end of each one to check your position on the map.
| At | Height | Climb | Gradient | Grid ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 119 m | +22 m | 2% | NY 276 061 |
| 2 km | 129 m | +10 m | 1% | NY 268 066 |
| 3 km | 169 m | +40 m | 4% | NY 261 073 |
| 4 km | 372 m | +203 m | 20% steep | NY 252 072 |
| 5 km | 585 m | +213 m | 21% steep | NY 248 074 |
| 6 km | 640 m | +55 m | 6% | NY 241 080 |
| 7 km | 765 m | +125 m | 12% | NY 236 084 |
| 7.1 km | 766 m | +1 m | 2% | NY 236 085 |
How long Great Langdale via Rossett Gill takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 2h 10m | 3h 20m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 2h 40m | 4h 5m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 3h 15m | 5h 5m |
Times leave out stops. Coming down the same way, the table counts the ascent once; steep descents on rough ground can be as slow as the climb.
- Today: sunrise 07:47, sunset 18:08. Start by 13:03 to be down before dark, allowing 4h 5m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:06. Start by 13:01 to be down before dark, allowing 4h 5m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Allen Crags summit weather for this route
-
Good Today Sunday 18 October
Partly cloudy, up to 6°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -3°C, summit wind 12 mph gusting 19 mph, 0% chance of rain. Rated Good. Sunrise 07:47, sunset 18:08.
-
Marginal Tomorrow Monday 19 October
Light drizzle, up to 8°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -2°C, summit wind 36 mph gusting 46 mph, 49% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:06.
Best day of the next seven for Great Langdale via Rossett Gill: Sunday 18 October, with summit gusts around 19 mph and a 0% chance of rain.
Hour-by-hour Allen Crags forecast · 14-day forecast · Is it safe to climb Allen Crags?
Before you go, also check: MWIS Lake District forecast · Met Office mountain forecast · Weatherline fell top conditions.
What to take today
- An insulated jacket, hat and warm gloves: it feels like -3°C on top.
- A waterproof jacket. It can rain on the tops in any forecast.
- Microspikes for icy paths. In snow, an ice axe and crampons and the skills to use them.
- Map and compass, and the skills to use them. A phone is a backup, not a plan.
- A head torch, food, water, a charged phone and a small first aid kit.
About Allen Crags
Allen Crags is a rocky fell at the head of Borrowdale and Langstrath, rising north of Esk Hause at the main crossroads of the central Lakeland fells. More about Allen Crags, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Hewitt, Nuttall, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- High House Tarn Top (683 m), 0.8 km north-east
- Great End (910 m), 1 km west
- Esk Pike (885 m), 1 km south
- Red Beck Top (720 m), 1.3 km north-east
- Seathwaite Fell South Top (631 m), 1.3 km north-west
- Seathwaite Fell (631 m), 1.5 km north-west
Challenges that include Allen Crags
More walks from Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park
Routes in Peakify's guides that start within 500 m of this one, for another day from the same car park.
- Old Dungeon Ghyll via The Band up Bowfell
- Climbers' Traverse up Bowfell
- Great Langdale via Red Tarn up Cold Pike
- Old Dungeon Ghyll via Oxendale and Red Tarn up Crinkle Crags - Long Top
- Langdale via The Band and Three Tarns up Crinkle Crags - Long Top
- Great Langdale via Rossett Gill and Esk Hause up Esk Pike
- Langdale via Rossett Ghyll and Angle Tarn up Glaramara
- Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes up Harrison Stickle
- Mickleden via Stake Pass up High Raise
- Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes up Loft Crag
- Great Langdale via Red Tarn up Pike of Blisco
- Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes up Pike of Stickle
Other routes up Allen Crags
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seathwaite via Grains Gill and Esk Hause | 5.3 km one way | 686 m | 2h 10m | Moderate |
| Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause | 8.3 km one way | 730 m | 2h 55m | Hard |
| Rosthwaite and the Glaramara ridge | 8.0 km one way | — | — | Hard |
In an emergency
Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at NY 286 061, the summit at NY 236 085), what happened and how many are in your group. If you have no signal for a call, a text to 999 works once you have registered your phone with emergencySMS: text "register" to 999 before you go.
Great Langdale via Rossett Gill: questions and answers
How far is Great Langdale via Rossett Gill?
Great Langdale via Rossett Gill is 7.1 km one way to the summit of Allen Crags, with 750 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 14.2 km.
How long does Great Langdale via Rossett Gill take?
About 2h 40m to the summit of Allen Crags and 4h 5m there and back by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops. A relaxed group takes nearer 5h 5m for the round trip.
How steep is Great Langdale via Rossett Gill?
The steepest 500 m averages about 27%, starting 3.6 km from the start, and 23% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Great Langdale via Rossett Gill climbs 716 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Great Langdale via Rossett Gill?
Great Langdale via Rossett Gill starts from Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park. The grid reference is NY 286 061. Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park
Is Great Langdale via Rossett Gill suitable for beginners?
Yes, for fit walkers on a clear day. Peakify grades it Moderate: a long climb on a made path, but the top is high, exposed and colder than the start. Turn back if the cloud comes down and you can't navigate.
What time should I start Great Langdale via Rossett Gill today?
By 13:03 at the latest. Sunset on Allen Crags today is 18:08, Great Langdale via Rossett Gill takes about 4h 5m there and back, and that leaves an hour for stops. Start earlier in winter or if the forecast turns.
Is there a GPX for Great Langdale via Rossett Gill?
Yes. Download it from this page. It is an ascent-only planning track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths and not checked on the ground.