Mickleden via Stake Pass up Sergeant Man: route map, distance and time
736 m · Cumbria
Sergeant Man is a rocky knob on the rim of the High Raise plateau, climbed from Grasmere by Easedale Tarn or from Great Langdale by Stickle Tarn.
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park.
Mickleden via Stake Pass starts at about 97 m and gains 691 m over 8.0 km to 716 m on the track. The first 3 km are the easy part, averaging 2%. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 4 km, which climbs 211 m at an average of 21%, with a 500 m stretch from 3.4 km at about 26%. The final kilometre eases to the top. About 19% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Mickleden via Stake Pass at a glance
| Distance | 8.0 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 720 m |
| Climb on the track | 691 m up, 75 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 97 m to 756 m (summit 736 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 26%, from 3.4 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 19% of the way |
| Time up | 2h 50m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 4h 25m, down the same way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park |
| Start grid reference | NY 286 061 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 286 088 |
| Parking | Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park |
Mickleden via Stake Pass 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 Mickleden via Stake Pass 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.
Mickleden via Stake Pass 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 | 380 m | +211 m | 21% steep | NY 259 079 |
| 5 km | 477 m | +96 m | 10% | NY 265 086 |
| 6 km | 526 m | +50 m | 5% | NY 271 090 |
| 7 km | 733 m | +206 m | 21% steep | NY 279 094 |
| 8 km | 716 m | -17 m | -2% | NY 286 089 |
How long Mickleden via Stake Pass takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 2h 20m | 3h 40m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 2h 50m | 4h 25m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 3h 25m | 5h 25m |
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 12:40 to be down before dark, allowing 4h 25m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:50, sunset 18:03. Start by 12:38 to be down before dark, allowing 4h 25m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Sergeant Man summit weather for this route
-
Marginal Today Monday 19 October
Slight rain, up to 8°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -1°C, summit wind 31 mph gusting 39 mph, 56% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:48, sunset 18:05.
-
Marginal Tomorrow Tuesday 20 October
Slight rain, up to 8°C at the summit, feeling as cold as 1°C, summit wind 25 mph gusting 31 mph, 76% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:50, sunset 18:03.
Best day of the next seven for Mickleden via Stake Pass: Thursday 22 October, with summit gusts around 29 mph and a 72% chance of rain.
Hour-by-hour Sergeant Man 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 -1°C on top.
- Waterproof jacket and overtrousers: 56% chance of rain.
- A windproof layer, and poles for balance in gusts to 39 mph.
- 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 Sergeant Man
Sergeant Man is a rocky knob on the rim of the High Raise plateau, climbed from Grasmere by Easedale Tarn or from Great Langdale by Stickle Tarn. More about Sergeant Man, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- Codale Head (732 m), 0.3 km north-east
- High Raise (763 m), 0.8 km north-west
- Pavey Ark (702 m), 1 km south
- Thunacar Knott (723 m), 1.1 km south-west
- Harrison Stickle (735 m), 1.6 km south
- Tarn Crag (549 m), 1.8 km east
Challenges that include Sergeant Man
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 Sergeant Man
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grasmere via Easedale Tarn | 7.0 km one way | 674 m | 2h 30m | Moderate |
| Great Langdale via Stickle Tarn | 3.7 km one way | 639 m | 1h 50m | Moderate |
| Rosthwaite via Greenup Gill and Greenup Edge | 8.1 km one way | 710 m | 2h 50m | 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 286 088), 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.
Mickleden via Stake Pass: questions and answers
How far is Mickleden via Stake Pass?
Mickleden via Stake Pass is 8.0 km one way to the summit of Sergeant Man, with 720 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 16.0 km.
How long does Mickleden via Stake Pass take?
About 2h 50m to the summit of Sergeant Man and 4h 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 5h 25m for the round trip.
How steep is Mickleden via Stake Pass?
The steepest 500 m averages about 26%, starting 3.4 km from the start, and 19% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Mickleden via Stake Pass climbs 691 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Mickleden via Stake Pass?
Mickleden via Stake Pass starts from Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park. The grid reference is NY 286 061. Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park
Is Mickleden via Stake Pass 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 Grasmere via Easedale Tarn.
What time should I start Mickleden via Stake Pass today?
By 12:40 at the latest. Sunset on Sergeant Man today is 18:05, Mickleden via Stake Pass takes about 4h 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 Mickleden via Stake Pass?
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.