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The Crinkle Crags from Wrynose Pass

Lake District Walk

Nat Park - Lake District - Lake District Southern Fells

Wainwrights - Crinkle Crags

County/Area - Cumbria

Author - Lou Johnson

Length - 5.0 miles / 8.1 km    Ascent - 1700 feet / 515 metres

Time - 4 hours 10 minutes    Grade - easy/mod

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Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - The Crinkle Crags from Wrynose Pass
Click image to visit gallery of 12 images.

This Lake District walk starts from the Three Shires Stone (grid ref. NY277027) at the top of the Wrynose Pass. The Stone is a replacement for the original, which was damaged when someone reversed their car into it and broke it in two. By using this starting point you are already at 393 metres above sea level and s significant amount of ascent has been avoided. On the negative side the approach is probably less dramatic but it does mean the Crinkle Crags can be completed in a half day walk.

Parking at the Three Shires Stone can be hard to find on busy days so and early or late start is recommended. After parking locate the clear path heading almost due north from the road across undulating fellside. There have been recent improvements to the path and initial progress is relatively fast. Ahead the slopes of Pike of Blisco rise on your right with Cold Pike to your left. The path starts to descend and you arrive at Red Tarn (grid ref. NY266039) with the adjacent junction of paths making it a busy place.

Turn left on the main path. This leads without any navigational difficulties to the Crinkle Crags. As you climb the scenery improves but the initial climb away from red Tarn is rather dull. Once past the subsidiary top of Great Knott on your right, you get a much greater feel for the superb rugged mountain terrain you are crossing.

Reaching the first "crinkle" follow the clear path. All together you have five "crinkles" to conquer of which the second offers the greatest challenge with an awkward scramble or bad step to be overcome. If scrambling skills are insufficient then there is an easy way round the obstacle to the left. Once on the summit of the first crinkle you will realise the amount of ascent involved in covering all five min-summits. Note that the second "crinkle" is the highest.

Once you have had a thorough exploration of all the summits it is time to return to the Three Shires Stone. You can either return the way you came over the tops or alternatively take the avoiding path on the western flank of the summits. If you are feeling energetic then you can include a diversion over Cold Pike by leaving the main path around grid ref. NY256041 and making a beeline for the summit. Descent from Cold Pike to Wrynose needs a little care mainly to avoid the extensive areas of wet ground. If you do intend to visit Cold Pike then it is worth weighing up the potential descent routes as you make your way up to Red Tarn.

Other walks nearby

Walk 1144 Lingmoor Fellmoderate8.0 miles
Walk 1171 Pike o' Bliscomoderate5.0 miles
Walk 2582 Pike o' Stickle, Harrison Stickle & Pavey Arkmoderate6.0 miles
Walk 2033 Tilberthwaite & Wetherlammoderate5.0 miles
Walk 1132 Great Langdale & The Crinkle Cragsmod/hard7.0 miles
Walk 1157 Bowfell and Esk Pikehard8.8 miles
Walk 2037 Bowfell & Rosset Pike via the Climber's Traversehard7.5 miles
Walk 2818 Bowfell Circular from Great Langdalemod/hard7.0 miles
Walk 1739 Crinkle Crags and Bowfell (Oxendale Horseshoe) hard7.8 miles
Walk 1134 Wetherlam and The Carrs from Little Langdalemod/hard10.8 miles

Recommended Books & eBooks

Lake District: Low Level and Lake Walks

Lake District: Low Level and Lake WalksThis guidebook describes 30 of the best low-level walks in the Lake District. From delightful wooded glades and sparkling tarns, to waterfalls and glacier-carved valleys towered over by craggy mountains. The walks described aim to seek out the best walking that the lower areas of the Lake District have to offer.
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Walking the Lake District Fells - Keswick

Walking the Lake District Fells - KeswickPart of the Walking the Lake District Fells series, this guidebook covers a wide range of routes to 30 Lakeland summits that can be climbed from Keswick, Whinlatter, Bassenthwaite, Caldbeck, Mungrisdale and Threlkeld, with highlights including Skiddaw and Blencathra. Includes suggestions for longer ridge routes.
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