Words & Photos Ian Battersby

December 03 2009

On this first snowy walk of the winter season I’d settled on a long ridge walk to the Langdales, partly because I hadn’t been that way since my teens, when my dad took me along what I can still remember as a long, broad ridge, confused with rocky outcrops, bothersome bogs and frustratingly false summits.

I was puzzled as to where we’d ended up. Sergeant Man rang a hesitant bell, but surely we’d have gone on to bag the trig point at High Raise?

Dawn was gaining over the starry night as I teetered along the icy lane, before veering off onto the crest, with snow crunching assuredly beneath my boots. Immediately the ridge’s confused character imposed itself, confirming my suspicions. We’d followed the main path before, but I’d set sights on a visit to Silver How – after all it’s another tick on the Wainwrights list – so I diverted, taking pleasure in its stunning view over the glassy surfaces of Grasmere and Rydal Water as light from the low winter sun brushed Fairfield’s gleaming brow.

After cutting back to Lang How I followed a set of day-old boot prints. The condition of the snow made it difficult to decide which was easier: to step into their icy bases, forcing my stride into that of a stranger, or to struggle over the frozen crust, which collapsed into leg-swallowing holes at the launch of each new step. Both methods sapped energy. The ridge went on, knocking me back at each step, while teasing me across unnecessary knolls and filthy bog, veiled beneath the snow.

It was a classic blue-sky, snowy day: cold in the breeze, hot out of it – not because of the weak sun, but from the effort required to keep going. Despite this my wiser (or dumber) head took each false summit with a pinch of salt, as I gazed over to the head of Mickleden and its crowning crinkle of crags. The steep faces of Pavey Ark and Harrison Stickle towered over Stickle Tarn when finally I reached Sergeant Man. Was this my dad’s goal that day? Its top is a delightful upthrust of rock, with a fine, airy prospect towards and beyond Windermere. Wainwright’s drawings show a fine upstanding cairn that could have rivalled the trig point on High Raise. I think we would have been satisfied there.

Today the cairn is gone, and as the sun sank it was time for me to trudge over the plateau to visit the dramatic viewpoints at Pavey Ark and Harrison Stickle, peaks that also bring a twinkle to my dad’s eye, but which he no longer visits. It’s up to me now, I thought, as I descended into Langdale’s gloom and bounced along the valley in the light of the half moon, mythering about the day when I’d no longer visit.

Distance: 11 miles/17km Ascent: 3325ft/1010m Time: 7-8 hours Start/finish: Elterwater (GR: NY 328051) Maps: Harvey 1:25,000 Superwalker, Lakeland Central; Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger sheet 90 (Penrith & Keswick, Ambleside) Information: Windermere TIC, 015394 46499

Technical Spec
Follow lane E towards Grasmere for 500m. Path NE to crest of ridge. Path generally NW along ridge passing Dow Bank, Silver How, Lang How, Castle How, and Blea Rigg to Sergeant Man. Path W but turning S to Thunacar Knott. E to Pavey Ark. SSW to Harrison Stickle. Head W for 200m, then path S descending steeply and turning E to New Hotel and B5343. Turn SW for 150m to bridge. Take track S over bridge to Side Ho. Path E then SE to Chapel Stile. B5343 E to Elterwater.