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This walk starts from the Three Shire Stone on the Wrynose Pass. The Wrynose Pass is a small road that heads across the South Lakes crossing two seriously steep and winding mountain passes. To find the pass take the A593 road between Coniston and Ambleside and just a mile south and uphill from Skelwith Bridge head off down the road signposted for Elterwater and Little Langdale. After reaching the bottom of that valley and crossing the river take the steep road off to the left signposted for Little Langdale. You should pass through the beautiful Little Langdale village and the Three Shire Inn and eventually see picturesque Little Langdale Tarn on your left. After crossing a cattle grid keep to the road on the left signposted to Wrynose and ignore the road to the right to Langdale. Drive slowly through the idyllically located Fells Foot Farm, a 17th century Grade II listed National Trust property. The road now ascends the steep gradient and eventually reaches the summit where a dozen or so road side parking places can be found.
Three Shire Stone |
Wrynose Pass |
The Three Shire Stone is an impressive triangular limestone pillar that marks the position where until 1974 the old counties of Lancashire, Cumberland and Westmorland once met. The stone is carved with the name Lancashire on one side and W.F. 1816 on the other which is the initials of the Furness roadmaster William Field for whom the stone was made in 1816. The stone wasn't erected until 1860 and stood the test of time until 1997 when it was damaged by a motor vehicle, it was soon restored by Gordon Greaves of Troutbeck Bridge a year later. There are several other Three Shire Stones in Britain which were used for the same boundary marking purposes.
Car parked by Three Shire Stone on the Wrynose Pass |
The Three Shire Stone is situated on the summit of the Wrynose Pass road. The Wrynose Pass summit reaches a lofty height of three hundred and ninety three feet above sea level making it an ideal starting point for a mountain walk with the Coniston Fells easily accessible from a path leading off it to the South and the rest of the Central Fells easily accessible from a path leading off it to the North. The views from the pass are incredible with a view over the Little Langdale valley when descending back towards Ambleside and a view into the Upper Duddon Valley when descending west towards the even steeper and windier Hardknott Pass. The Wrynose Pass is one of the steepest roads in England, and is no place for an inexperienced driver in winter conditions so do take care.
Crossing Streams |
Huge Boulder |
From Three Shire Stone take the path that heads north towards Red Tarn. After approximately four hundred and fifty metres, on about the third right bend in the path and below a boulder next to the path a faint path heads off to the left down towards a stream crossing. The faint path crosses a stream then heads on in the direction of Cold Pikes south side. The path crosses another stream and then heads directly uphill in a west to north west direction passing a huge boulder in the way of the path and then passing by the top of Rough Crags.
Pike of Blisco above small tarn on Cold Pike |
The path now starts to get a little steeper as it rounds the south shoulder of Cold Pike and climbs on to the grassy ridge. You will reach one tarn and then another which has a cracking view across it to Pike of Blisco. You can now look ahead and see a few false summits which as you reach them will become clear and as you get higher the real at the north end of the top will come into view. There isn't much of a cairn up there but a small pile of rocks on a natural summit rock. The first obvious view is that across Red Tarn to Pike of Blisco and then to the north the view across to the neighbouring Great Knott with Crinkle Crags behind and Bowfell beyond.
Cold Pike summit |
Pike of Blisco |
The views stretch for miles from Cold Pike, if you look out to sea from here you will even see the huge Ormonde wind farm near the Duddon Estuary. The Coniston Fells lie to the south from here and from left to right you will be able to make out Wetherlam, Swirl How, Great Carrs and Grey Friar. Looking beyond the neighbouring Pike of Blisco you will see the far eastern fells and to the left of them the mighty Helvellyn range. Down below and to the left of Pike of Blisco you should have a good view down into the Langdale Valley and the Langdale Pikes towering above it.
Crinkle Crags & Bowfell from Cold Pike |
To Descend from Cold Pike head off the top in a north then north east direction to pickup the path that comes up from Red Tarn. Follow the path down to Red Tarn and cross its outflow the Browney Gill. After crossing the gill head right along the top of the tarn in a south direction. This path will lead you back to the Three Shire Stone at Wrynose Pass where care should be taken on your drive back down the steep road. The Three Shire Inn in Little Langdale now awaits you with local real ales and freshly made food.
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Duration
: 2.5 Hrs
