New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle Tarn up Loft Crag: route map, distance and time
682 m · Cumbria
Loft Crag is a 682 m rocky top in the Langdale Pikes, between Pike of Stickle and Harrison Stickle, with Gimmer Crag on its flank.
Climb beside Stickle Ghyll to Stickle Tarn, go over Harrison Stickle and drop south-west to Loft Crag.
New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle Tarn starts at about 89 m and gains 658 m over 3.3 km to 668 m on the track. It is steep from the start: the first kilometre climbs 230 m (23%). The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 1 km, which climbs 230 m at an average of 23%, with a 500 m stretch from 1.9 km at about 38%. It keeps climbing at 13% to the top. About 45% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle Tarn at a glance
| Distance | 3.3 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 670 m |
| Climb on the track | 658 m up, 78 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 89 m to 700 m (summit 682 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 38%, from 1.9 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 45% of the way |
| Time up | 1h 45m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 2h 25m, down the same way |
| Grade | Moderate |
| Start | New Dungeon Ghyll car park |
| Start grid reference | NY 295 064 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 277 071 |
| Parking | New Dungeon Ghyll car park |
New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle 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
- Walker's Bar0.1 km
- Sticklebarn0.1 km
- Old Dungeon Ghyll Climbers Bar1.0 km
- Public toilets0.1 km
- Great Langdale Campsite1.0 km
From OpenStreetMap, within 2 km. Check opening times before you rely on them.
Download the New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle 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.
New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle 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 | 319 m | +230 m | 23% steep | NY 288 070 |
| 2 km | 527 m | +208 m | 21% steep | NY 284 074 |
| 3 km | 629 m | +102 m | 10% | NY 279 071 |
| 3.3 km | 668 m | +39 m | 13% | NY 277 071 |
How long New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle Tarn takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 1h 25m | 2h 0m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 1h 45m | 2h 25m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 2h 10m | 3h 0m |
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 14:43 to be down before dark, allowing 2h 25m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:48, sunset 18:05. Start by 14:40 to be down before dark, allowing 2h 25m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Loft Crag 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 14 mph gusting 17 mph, 0% chance of rain. Rated Good. Sunrise 07:47, sunset 18:08.
-
Good Tomorrow Monday 19 October
Light drizzle, up to 8°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -3°C, summit wind 24 mph gusting 30 mph, 47% chance of rain. Rated Good. Sunrise 07:48, sunset 18:05.
Best day of the next seven for New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle Tarn: Sunday 18 October, with summit gusts around 17 mph and a 0% chance of rain.
Hour-by-hour Loft Crag forecast
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 Loft Crag
Loft Crag is a 682 m rocky top in the Langdale Pikes, between Pike of Stickle and Harrison Stickle, with Gimmer Crag on its flank. More about Loft Crag, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Nuttall, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- Pike of Stickle (708 m), 0.4 km north-west
- Harrison Stickle (735 m), 0.5 km north-east
- Thunacar Knott (723 m), 0.9 km north
- Pavey Ark (702 m), 1 km north-east
- Sergeant Man (736 m), 2 km north-east
- Codale Head (732 m), 2.2 km north-east
Challenges that include Loft Crag
More walks from New Dungeon Ghyll 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 Stickle Tarn up Blea Rigg
- New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle Tarn up Harrison Stickle
- New Dungeon Ghyll via Pike How up Harrison Stickle
- Great Langdale via Stickle Tarn and Sergeant Man up High Raise
- New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle Tarn and North Rake up Pavey Ark
- New Dungeon Ghyll via Loft Crag up Pike of Stickle
- Stickle Gill and Stickle Tarn walking paths up Pike of Stickle
- Great Langdale via Stickle Tarn up Sergeant Man
- New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle Tarn up Thunacar Knott
Other routes up Loft Crag
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes | 3.0 km one way | 600 m | 1h 35m | Hard |
In an emergency
Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at NY 295 064, the summit at NY 277 071), 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.
New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle Tarn: questions and answers
How far is New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle Tarn?
New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle Tarn is 3.3 km one way to the summit of Loft Crag, with 670 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 6.6 km.
How long does New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle Tarn take?
About 1h 45m to the summit of Loft Crag and 2h 25m 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 0m for the round trip.
How steep is New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle Tarn?
The steepest 500 m averages about 38%, starting 1.9 km from the start, and 45% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle Tarn climbs 658 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle Tarn?
New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle Tarn starts from New Dungeon Ghyll car park. The grid reference is NY 295 064. New Dungeon Ghyll car park
Is New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle 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 New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle Tarn today?
By 14:43 at the latest. Sunset on Loft Crag today is 18:08, New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle Tarn takes about 2h 25m there and back, and that leaves an hour for stops. Start earlier in winter or if the forecast turns.
Is there a GPX for New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle 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.