Lingmoor Fell

Published 17 October 2011

The author sitting at the top of Lingmoor Fell

As part of a week-long trip to the Lakes, I’d spent the night camping in Coniston, I decided to relocate to the beautiful Langdale. And there was only one way to get there. Well actually there were many, but I decided to walk. And visit some Wainwrights on the way, starting with Black Fell, then Holme Fell, before finishing up with the glorious Lingmoor.

I was heading with a heavy rucksack and tent between Coniston and the National Trust’s Langdale campsite and had some fells in the way on my journey. And when you have fells in the way, you just have to go up them.

Having spent a happy morning in May doing Holme Fell I was heading with a heavy rucksack and tent between Coniston and the National Trust’s Langdale campsite and I walked on to Little Langdale in order to spend the afternoon tackling Lingmoor Fell.

Many will debate which is the best of Wainwright’s three ways to the top of the 469m high fell, but for my money you have to start at Little Langdale. The reason is a good, solid path that gently zig-zags up to a high height through a myriad of old quarries.

That’s nice but it gets better as you get higher. For suddenly you find yourself next to a crown of rock, a large slag head (or is it a giant cairn?) and a bench. And you sit and admire a view of Coniston Water, Wetherlam, Holme Fell and Coniston Water. Wow. What a summit you think, only to walk on and realise that it’s actually the mother of all false summits and actually you’ve still got a way to go.

Eventually though you get to the real peak. The view of Coniston Water has disappeared as you clamber over a fence but instead there’s something even better. The Langdale Pikes, Bow Fell, Crinkle Crags and the other wonders of Langdale. Sitting on top you can only look and wonder at it all.

Of course at some point you must come down, and as you do Langdale is laid bare in front of you. There’s the Band and Blea Tarn. Oh and the Esk Hause pass. All the wonderful things I’d be able to do if the weather holds! Oh and there’s one of the finest walkers pubs in Britain.

No one’s going to shake your hands or slap your back having done Lingmoor. Its ascent is not the stuff of legends. But the views when you do get up there, well they are legendary.

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