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The walk starts at Ulpha Bridge. Ulpha Bridge is a lovely stone arch crossing the River Duddon at the quaint village of Ulpha. To reach Ulpha Village you must either approach from the north where Ulpha is a few miles south of the village of Seathwaite or come from the south after turning right off the A595 trunk road at Duddon Bridge and reaching Ulpha after a several miles. There are a few parking places in the village itself and a dozen or so over the other side of the bridge. If there are no spaces there then simply drive up the road a little and there is a much larger car park which is also marked on Ordnance Survey maps.
Ulpha Bridge
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River Duddon
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From Ulpha Bridge head up the road ignoring the road to the school off to the left and instead taking a slightly rougher track to the left just thirty metres further up the road. Ascend this track towards Birks House. When you reach the back of the house take the footpath that heads uphill to the right round the top edge of Birks Wood, which should then be to your left. After a steep and rough start the path eventually flattens out and takes a much steadier route with fantastic views now opening up to the left over the Duddon Valley.
Duddon Valley
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Hollow Moss Beck
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After an easy ascent you should reach the point where the path crosses Hollow Moss Beck. There are a few paths that now head in a direct line to the right up to Stickle Pike, avoid these paths and instead head left over Hollow Moss Beck and head slightly downhill now and heading back down towards the stone wall at the top of the farm fields below. The path will now edge the stone wall and follow it until it reaches a steep tarmac road. When you reach the road turn right and head steep uphill for about two hundred metres. Here you will see a path go off to the left towards the taller mountain of Caw, instead turn right off the road following the footpath signs to Stickle Pike & Stickle Tarn.
Caw
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Stickle Tarn
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Once on the path off the road, instead of heading across towards the obvious ascent of Stickle Pike, head slightly off to the left and you will eventually reach the pretty shore of Stickle Tarn. This is one of the most idyllic tarns in the Lake District, rarely frequented by human life and often just still and quiet looking pretty basking in the sunshine with gorgeous views and protected by the brooding mass of Stickle Pike behind it. Often the only thing moving here is the abundance of smaller wildlife with frogs, newts and thousands of dragonflies and damselflies. The tarn is often covered in tall pond grasses and beautiful white lillie's contrasted in the summer months by the yellow flowers of the Bog Asphodel. Once you have taken in the tarn head back on yourself slightly then left and you will be able to take on the very steep and short scramble to the summit of Stickle Pike.
Stickle Tarn
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Stickle Pike
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The summit of Stickle Pike has a stone cairn. The views from the summit are fantastic on a good day, the Duddon Valley being by far the most captivating with views along it south towards the sea at the Duddon Estuary and north up the valley getting higher all the time and ascending to the dizzy heights of the Scafell range, the highest mountains in England. Also visible closer by is the bizarre micro landscape of the Dunnerdale Fells with Great Stickle directly to the south and the aptly named Tarn Hill just to its right with its many small tarns. They are small yet very wild hills the Dunnerdale Fells and once you are in them they seem a lot more vast than they seem on the map. Great Stickle is the next target and below from Stickle Pike you should see the obvious path that crosses the fell towards its general direction.
Peregrine Falcon
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Great Stickle
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To descend from Stickle Pike you can take the path back down towards Stickle Tarn then meet the path to Great Stickle at the bottom of the steep initial descent then head right round Stickle Pike. Or if you are feeling slightly more adventurous there is a quick scramble down its steep south eastern edge straight to the path. Follow the path across open fell and keep an eye out for the local birds of prey. When I did this walk we watched in awe at a Peregrine Falcon diving in the skies above the cliffs to the right at the far north end of Tarn Hill. The path will head south first crossing Hare Hell Beck and then turning left then right beside the marshy area at the head of Red Moss Beck. Now ascend straight up to the obvious high point above you eventually reaching it at the trig point pillar on Great Stickle.
Descending Black Stones
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River Duddon
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To descend from Great Stickle head south west then south heading downhill on a fairly obvious path until you get to a flat area with a strange little rocky knoll sticking out in front. At this point turn right now heading in a westerly direction and picking up the bridleway. After about half a kilometre you should reach a point where a path goes left and another heads right through some rocks. Head right down the bridleway into Black Stones and then follow it downwards heading through very thick bracken and crossing a few small streams on the way down to a tarmac road by the River Duddon. When you finally reach the road turn right and follow the road all the way back to Ulpha Bridge where you left it earlier. In the quieter seasons the River Duddon here is absolutely a must see as it has a few interesting spots near the road and by the bridge. For the best end to this walk head north to Seathwaite and enjoy refreshments at the Newfield Inn.
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Duration : 3 Hrs
