Langdale via Red Tarn walking paths up Great Knott: route map, distance and time
695 m · Cumbria
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park.
Langdale via Red Tarn walking paths starts at about 97 m and gains 598 m over 5.1 km to 674 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%. The final 0.1 km eases to the top. About 20% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Langdale via Red Tarn walking paths at a glance
| Distance | 5.1 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 620 m |
| Climb on the track | 598 m up, 20 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 97 m to 682 m (summit 695 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 37%, from 2.2 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 20% of the way |
| Time up | 2h 5m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 3h 5m, down the same way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park |
| Start grid reference | NY 285 060 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 259 042 |
| Parking | Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park |
Langdale via Red Tarn walking paths 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 Langdale via Red Tarn walking paths 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.
Langdale via Red Tarn walking paths 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 | 534 m | +121 m | 12% | NY 265 038 |
| 5 km | 680 m | +146 m | 15% | NY 258 042 |
| 5.1 km | 674 m | -6 m | -5% | NY 259 042 |
How long Langdale via Red Tarn walking paths takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 1h 40m | 2h 30m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 2h 5m | 3h 5m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 2h 30m | 3h 45m |
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 07:49, sunset 18:06. Start by 14:01 to be down before dark, allowing 3h 5m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:50, sunset 18:03. Start by 13:58 to be down before dark, allowing 3h 5m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Great Knott summit weather for this route
There is no recent summit forecast cached for Great Knott right now. The main Great Knott page loads the live forecast when you open it. Open the live Great Knott forecast.
Before you go, also check: MWIS Lake District forecast · Met Office mountain forecast · Weatherline fell top conditions.
About Great Knott
More about Great Knott, with the live forecast.
Challenges that include Great Knott
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
- 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
Other routes up Great Knott
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wrynose walking paths and the Cold Pike ridge | 6.0 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 285 060, the summit at NY 259 042), 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.
Langdale via Red Tarn walking paths: questions and answers
How far is Langdale via Red Tarn walking paths?
Langdale via Red Tarn walking paths is 5.1 km one way to the summit of Great Knott, with 620 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 10.2 km.
How long does Langdale via Red Tarn walking paths take?
About 2h 5m to the summit of Great Knott and 3h 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 3h 45m for the round trip.
How steep is Langdale via Red Tarn walking paths?
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. Langdale via Red Tarn walking paths climbs 598 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Langdale via Red Tarn walking paths?
Langdale via Red Tarn walking paths starts from Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park. The grid reference is NY 285 060. Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park
Is Langdale via Red Tarn walking paths suitable for beginners?
Not as a first mountain. Peakify grades it Hard: steep, rough ground where a slip matters. Build up on an easier route first.
What time should I start Langdale via Red Tarn walking paths today?
By 14:01 at the latest. Sunset on Great Knott today is 18:06, Langdale via Red Tarn walking paths takes about 3h 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 Langdale via Red Tarn walking paths?
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.