Crinkle Crags

Overview

Crinkle Crags is one of the most distinctive mountains in Lakeland. It has a unique profile of crags which can be identified from most other summits and offers the walker some light scrambling along the top. The summit is called Long Top with a small tarn nearby called Long Top Tarn which is the highest tarn in Lakeland. The mountain is made up of 5 separate peaks.

Wainwright lists Crinkle Crags in his Top 6 Summits of Lakeland and also the ridge walk along the top and up onto Bowfell as the ‘Best Ridge Mile’ in Lakeland.

Getting There

The most interesting routes up Crinkle Crags are from Great Langdale which is a couple of miles west of Ambleside (whih is along the A591 about 14 miles south of Keswick). There is a National Trust car park at Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel at the end of Great Langdale along the B5343.

To get to The Lake District itself, from the north follow the M6 south past Carlisle and to Penrith. Take the A66 West and you will arrive in Keswick in the North Lakes after about 18 Miles. From the East the best road to take is the A66 across the Pennines to Penrith and then continue to Keswick. From the South you can either take the M6 north to Kendal and then the A591 to Windermere and Ambleside, or continue to get the A66 and then west to Keswick. Of coming from the south east then the A1(m) North is the best route to Scotch Corner and then follow the A66 west to Penrith and then to Keswick.

Red Tape

No red tape.

Camping

The nearest campsite is the National Trust site in Great Langdale just south of Old Dungeon Ghyll.

External Links

Crinkle Crags Images and Information

Routes

Route 1 (Purple)
The map shows only the end of a route that starts off at the bottom of Wrynose/Hardknott Pass. The route heads up Mosedale (or an alternativfe start in Eskdale) and heads up to the col at Three Tarns before traversing the many summits to the south.

Route 2 (Red)
This route starts at the summit of Wrynose Pass and follows a path up between Pike O'Blisco and Cold Pike. At Red Tarn the path turns north west along a high plateau and approaches Long Top from the south.

Route 3 (Green)
Starting in Great Langdale this route heads up Oxendale and then south along Browney Gill up to Red Tarn. From there it heads North West to Crinkle Crags.

Route 4 (Yellow)
This is a variation on the Green Route. Starting in Great Langdale the route heads up Oxendale and continues towards Whorneyside Force. After passing the waterfall the path follows Buscoe Sike up to Three Tarns and then heads south along the summit. (This is one of the quietest routes)

Route 5 (Blue)
Again starting in Great Langdale, this route follows a wide ridge called The Band (which is actually the eastern flanks of Bowfell). It is a simple and easy to follow path that takes you straight to Three Tarns and then south to Crinkle Crags. (This is one of the most popular routes)

Images

View Crinkle Crags Image Gallery - 10 Images