Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes 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.
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park.
Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes starts at about 97 m and gains 578 m over 3.0 km to 669 m on the track. The first kilometre climbs 56 m. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 2 km, which climbs 284 m at an average of 28%, with a 500 m stretch from 1.2 km at about 35%. It keeps climbing at 23% to the top. About 43% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes at a glance
| Distance | 3.0 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 600 m |
| Climb on the track | 578 m up, 7 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 97 m to 669 m (summit 682 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 35%, from 1.2 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 43% of the way |
| Time up | 1h 35m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 2h 10m, down the same way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park |
| Start grid reference | NY 286 061 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 277 071 |
| Parking | Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park |
Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes 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 Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes 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.
Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes 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 | 153 m | +56 m | 6% | NY 291 065 |
| 2 km | 437 m | +284 m | 28% steep | NY 284 066 |
| 3 km | 669 m | +231 m | 23% steep | NY 277 071 |
How long Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 1h 20m | 1h 50m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 1h 35m | 2h 10m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 1h 55m | 2h 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 07:48, sunset 18:05. Start by 14:55 to be down before dark, allowing 2h 10m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:50, sunset 18:03. Start by 14:53 to be down before dark, allowing 2h 10m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Loft Crag summit weather for this route
-
Good Today 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.
-
Marginal Tomorrow Tuesday 20 October
Slight rain, up to 8°C at the summit, feeling as cold as 2°C, summit wind 23 mph gusting 29 mph, 69% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:50, sunset 18:03.
Best day of the next seven for Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes: Monday 19 October, with summit gusts around 30 mph and a 47% 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.
- Waterproof jacket and overtrousers: 47% chance of rain.
- 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 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
- Great Langdale via Red Tarn up Pike of Blisco
- Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes up Pike of Stickle
Other routes up Loft Crag
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle Tarn | 3.3 km one way | 670 m | 1h 45m | Moderate |
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 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.
Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes: questions and answers
How far is Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes?
Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes is 3.0 km one way to the summit of Loft Crag, with 600 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 6.0 km.
How long does Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes take?
About 1h 35m to the summit of Loft Crag and 2h 10m 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 2h 40m for the round trip.
How steep is Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes?
The steepest 500 m averages about 35%, starting 1.2 km from the start, and 43% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes climbs 578 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes?
Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes starts from Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park. The grid reference is NY 286 061. Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park
Is Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes 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, such as New Dungeon Ghyll via Stickle Tarn.
What time should I start Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes today?
By 14:55 at the latest. Sunset on Loft Crag today is 18:05, Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes takes about 2h 10m there and back, and that leaves an hour for stops. Start earlier in winter or if the forecast turns.
Is there a GPX for Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Langdale Pikes?
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.