Great Langdale via Red Tarn up Cold Pike: route map, distance and time
700 m · Cumbria
Cold Pike is a rocky fell above Wrynose Pass with three small tops, an easy add-on to Pike of Blisco from Red Tarn.
Climb the steep path to Red Tarn, then turn south-west up the rocky slope to Cold Pike.
Great Langdale via Red Tarn starts at about 97 m and gains 595 m over 4.9 km to 680 m on the track. The first 2 km are the easy part, averaging 3%. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 3 km, which climbs 265 m at an average of 26%, with a 500 m stretch from 2.2 km at about 37%. It keeps climbing at 16% to the top. About 20% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Great Langdale via Red Tarn at a glance
| Distance | 4.9 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 610 m |
| Climb on the track | 595 m up, 13 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 97 m to 680 m (summit 700 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 37%, from 2.2 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 20% of the way |
| Time up | 2h 0m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 3h 0m, down the same way |
| Grade | Moderate |
| Start | Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park |
| Start grid reference | NY 285 060 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 262 036 |
| Parking | Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park |
Great Langdale via Red Tarn 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
- Walker's Bar1.0 km
- Sticklebarn1.0 km
- Public toilets1.0 km
- Great Langdale Campsite0.3 km
From OpenStreetMap, within 2 km. Check opening times before you rely on them.
Download the Great Langdale via Red Tarn 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 Red Tarn 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 | 111 m | +14 m | 1% | NY 277 056 |
| 2 km | 149 m | +38 m | 4% | NY 270 052 |
| 3 km | 413 m | +265 m | 26% steep | NY 266 044 |
| 4 km | 529 m | +116 m | 12% | NY 266 038 |
| 4.9 km | 680 m | +151 m | 16% | NY 262 036 |
How long Great Langdale via Red Tarn takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 1h 40m | 2h 25m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 2h 0m | 3h 0m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 2h 25m | 3h 40m |
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 14:08 to be down before dark, allowing 3h 0m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:48, sunset 18:06. Start by 14:06 to be down before dark, allowing 3h 0m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Cold Pike summit weather for this route
There is no recent summit forecast cached for Cold Pike right now. The main Cold Pike page loads the live forecast when you open it. Open the live Cold Pike forecast.
Before you go, also check: MWIS Lake District forecast · Met Office mountain forecast · Weatherline fell top conditions.
About Cold Pike
Cold Pike is a rocky fell above Wrynose Pass with three small tops, an easy add-on to Pike of Blisco from Red Tarn. More about Cold Pike, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Hewitt, Nuttall, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- Cold Pike West Top (683 m), 0.4 km west
- Great Knott (695 m), 0.7 km north-west
- Cold Pike Far West Top (669 m), 0.7 km west
- Pike of Blisco (703 m), 1 km north-east
- Little Stand (740 m), 1.3 km west
- Crinkle Crags South Top (834 m), 1.6 km north-west
Challenges that include Cold Pike
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.
- Great Langdale via Rossett Gill up Allen Crags
- Old Dungeon Ghyll via The Band up Bowfell
- Climbers' Traverse up Bowfell
- 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 Cold Pike
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wrynose Pass via Red Tarn | 2.8 km one way | 321 m | 1h 5m | Moderate |
| Wrynose walking paths and the Cold Pike ridge | 5.7 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 285 060, the summit at NY 262 036), 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 Red Tarn: questions and answers
How far is Great Langdale via Red Tarn?
Great Langdale via Red Tarn is 4.9 km one way to the summit of Cold Pike, with 610 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 9.8 km.
How long does Great Langdale via Red Tarn take?
About 2h 0m to the summit of Cold Pike and 3h 0m 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 3h 40m for the round trip.
How steep is Great Langdale via Red Tarn?
The steepest 500 m averages about 37%, starting 2.2 km from the start, and 20% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Great Langdale via Red Tarn climbs 595 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Great Langdale via Red Tarn?
Great Langdale via Red Tarn starts from Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park. The grid reference is NY 285 060. Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park
Is Great Langdale via Red Tarn 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 Red Tarn today?
By 14:08 at the latest. Sunset on Cold Pike today is 18:08, Great Langdale via Red Tarn takes about 3h 0m 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 Red Tarn?
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.