Walking in a Winter (Arctic) Wonderland 

Dungeon Ghyll to Grasmere via the Langdale Pikes, Blea Rigg & Easedale

9miles 2700ft

It was a bitter cold morning as I left the New Dungeon Ghyll hotel to climb Stickle Ghyll to the Langdale pikes. Fortunately I had my crampon/microspikes at the ready for the icy paths

Looking back down the ghyll as the sun came up...

....and ahead to the profile of Harrison Stickle 2415ft

Zooming in on Harrison Stickle in full winter conditions

Arriving at Stickle tarn with Pavey Ark as backdrop...

...zooming in it with Jack's Rake bottom right to top left and the very difficult 'Easy Gully' rising steeply right to the north ridge

Zooming in on 'Easy Gully' 

Looking down into Langdale and ....

.....to Stickle tarn as I gained height

Arriving at the summit of Pavey Ark 2297ft

The view down the climb from Langdale

Stickle tarn below the summit

The view east across the summit to the Helvellyn and Fairfield ranges....

....and west along the ridge to Harrison Stickle

After crossing Blea Rigg I began the descent to Easedale tarn and Grasmere

Easedale tarn with Tarn Crag behind.....

.....continuing down Sour Milk Gill

Passing the impressive falls....

....and looking back to them

The final approach to Grasmere.

This was a tough but exhilarating day on the fells in full winter conditions. The fell top assessors later reported that the wind chill today had been -18c and it certainly felt like!!