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703 m · Wainwright — Southern Fells · Birketts to bag nearby, parking, buses, my hikes and live summit weather.

Wainwright — Southern FellsAlso a Birkett

Pike of Blisco

Pike of Blisco at 705m (2,313ft) is a shapely, rocky little summit above the head of Great Langdale, beloved by Wainwright for its excellent views and its distinctive, pointed profile when seen from the valley.

703 m
Height
~3–4 h
Typical time
+13
Bonus Birketts
See routes & download GPX →

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703 mWainwright — Southern Fells✓ summit is also a Birkett+13 bonus Birketts within 3 km Straightforward in cloud

Is it worth going? — Today’s conditions & 7-day summit forecast

Modelled guidance for the 703 m summit. Always check the Met Office mountain forecast and MWIS before you set off.

On the summit today (Tue 28 Jul): 14° to 13°C, gusts to 39 mph, 9.7 mm of rain forecast.

Tue 28 Jul
🌧️
14° / 13°
💨 39 mph
🌧 9.7 mm (100%)
Wed 29 Jul
🌧️
13° / 11°
💨 32 mph
🌧 7.2 mm (100%)
Thu 30 Jul
🌦️
12° / 5°
💨 28 mph
🌧 1.3 mm (78%)
Fri 31 Jul
🌤️
14° / 1°
💨 24 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (78%)
Sat 1 Aug
🌦️
14° / 3°
💨 15 mph
🌧 3.6 mm (54%)
Sun 2 Aug
🌫️
15° / 5°
💨 19 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (24%)
Mon 3 Aug
🌦️
15° / 6°
💨 16 mph
🌧 0.2 mm (23%)

Forecast snapshot from 28 Jul 2026, 04:58 UTC — refreshed nightly and updated live in your browser. Temperatures and gusts adjusted to the 703 m summit altitude via Open-Meteo. Summit conditions are always harsher than the valley — check the professional mountain forecasts before you go.

Pro mountain forecasts: MWIS · Met Office mountain forecast

About the walk

Key information

Pike of Blisco

Pike of Blisco, a Lake District fell
Photo: The original uploader was StephenDawson at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Pike of Blisco at 705m (2,313ft) is a shapely, rocky little summit above the head of Great Langdale, beloved by Wainwright for its excellent views and its distinctive, pointed profile when seen from the valley. He regarded it as one of the most satisfying of the smaller southern fells — compact, interesting underfoot and wonderfully positioned above Red Tarn. The ascent from the Old Dungeon Ghyll via Oxendale is a classic short route, with the option of continuing to Crinkle Crags and Bowfell. The summit commands fine views of the Langdale Pikes opposite and down the full length of Great Langdale to the Windermere hills.

Routes up Pike of Blisco

Hand-mapped, with GPX to download — full maps further down.

Langdale Horseshoe
20.2 km · ~6.5 hr · Severe
The full Langdale Horseshoe — fifteen tops, 1,500 m of ascent and one of the hardest days in the Lakes that involves no rope. The Langdale Pikes, Bowfell, the whole Crinkle Crags ridge and Pike of Blisco in a single round. It is long, rough, and the Crinkles will try to lead you down the wrong side. Do not start it late.
Classifications & hill data
Wainwright
Southern
Birkett
Fellranger
Synge
Nuttall
Marilyn
703 m
Height
2,306 ft
In feet
NY 2711 0421
Grid ref

Map & nearby Birketts

Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap (switch layers top-right). Parking positions are approximate.

Nearest parking: Three Shire Stone, Wrynose Pass (verge), about 1.7 km from the summit (straight line). Full parking, toilets and bus details are below.

Birketts near Pike of Blisco (within 3 km)

These Birkett tops are not Wainwright summits — detour to them on this walk and they are pure profit. Distances are straight-line; allow extra for terrain.

0.9 km ESEWrynose Fell - Long Crag547 m · Southern
1.2 km WGreat Knott695 m · Southern
1.4 km ESEBlake Rigg (Little Langdale)535 m · Southern
2.1 km NNWWhite Stones - The Band568 m · Southern
2.1 km WCrinkle Crags South Top (First Crinkle)834 m · Southern
2.2 km WStonesty Pike765 m · Southern
2.2 km WSWLittle Stand740 m · Southern
2.3 km WNWCrinkle Crags - Fourth Crinkle832 m · Southern
2.3 km WNWCrinkle Crags - Gunson Knott (Fifth Crinkle)822 m · Southern
2.4 km WNWShelter Crags815 m · Southern
2.5 km ENESide Pike362 m · Central
2.6 km SHell Gill Pike662 m · Southern
2.7 km SLittle Carrs692 m · Southern

Routes over Pike of Blisco

Langdale HorseshoePlanned
20.2 km · ~1497 m ascent · loop · ~6.5–8.5 h · Severe
Summits: Pavey ArkHarrison StickleThorn CragLoft CragPike of StickleBlack Crags (Mickleden)Rossett PikeBowfellShelter CragsCrinkle Crags - Gunson Knott (Fifth Crinkle)Crinkle Crags - Fourth CrinkleCrinkle Crags - Long Top (Second Crinkle)Crinkle Crags South Top (First Crinkle)Cold PikePike of Blisco

⬇️ Download GPX

⚠️ Warnings: The Bad Step (Crinkle Crags, Long Top). A short, awkward rock step that turns a walk into a scramble and regularly stops people dead. There is a bypass path to the left — use it if you are unsure.; Do not attempt Jack’s Rake on Pavey Ark unless you know what you are taking on. It is a graded scramble with real exposure, not a path. The walkers’ line goes round.; 20 km, 1,497 m and fifteen tops. This is a full, committing day. Start early, and decide your turn-back time before you leave the car.; The Crinkles are the classic place to descend the wrong side in cloud. Know which valley you want before you are in it.

Full route guide ↗

✎️ Planned route — drawn but not personally walked or checked yet.

A planned line is a suggestion, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate independently and carry a map & compass.

The View from Pike of Blisco

A computed 360° skyline — every visible named top labelled by distance and bearing, from the terrain model in perfect clarity, not photographed. Drag to pan; reveal the far four-nations horizon.

drag to pan · arrow keys
Computed 360-degree skyline from Pike of Blisco36 labelled tops shown (6 distant behind the far-horizon toggle). Theoretical visibility in perfect clarity; computed from terrain, not photographed.eye levelNNEESESSWWNWScafell Pike · 6 kmHelvellyn · 13 kmSkiddaw · 25 kmFairfield · 12 kmDollywaggon Pike · 12 kmGreat Dodd · 18 kmGrasmoor · 19 kmHigh Street · 18 kmHigh Raise · 20 kmSwirl How · 4 kmAllen Crags · 6 kmGlaramara · 7 kmHarter Fell · 20 kmGrey Friar · 4 kmWetherlam · 4 kmHigh Raise · 5 kmBlack Sails · 4 kmBuck Pike · 7 kmJenkin Hill · 23 kmYoke · 17 kmHarter Fell · 7 kmDovenest Top · 7 kmBowfell · 4 kmBlack Combe · 23 kmCrinkle Crags · 2 kmCrinkle Crags South Top · 2 kmCrinkle Crags · 2 kmBuck Barrow · 18 kmLittle Stand · 2 kmHarrison Stickle · 3 kmGreat Knott · 1 kmIngleborough · 56 km · clear daysWhernside · 52 km · clear daysWard's Stone · 56 km · clear daysThe Calf · 40 km · clear daysSwinklebank Crag · 23 kmBroad Crag · 6 kmHelvellyn Lower Man · 13 kmNethermost Pike · 12 kmStybarrow Dodd · 16 kmCrag Hill · 18 kmHart Crag · 12 kmDove Crag · 12 kmMardale Ill Bell · 19 kmIll Bell · 17 kmSeat Sandal · 10 kmCombe Head · 7 kmLong Side · 24 kmLonscale Fell · 23 kmShipman Knotts · 20 kmWhitfell · 16 kmPike de Bield · 4 kmGreat Carrs · 3 kmCold Pike · 1 kmHell Gill Pike · 3 kmWhite Combe · 21 kmWrynose Fell · 1 kmWild Boar Fell · 49 km · clear daysCaw · 11 kmThe Forest · 26 kmBirk Fell Man · 4 kmPen-y-ghent · 65 km · clear daysBinsey · 32 km · clear daysHigh Fell · 4 kmGreat Knoutberry Hill · 54 km · clear daysStickle Pike · 13 kmBlack Fell · 7 kmBirch Fell · 20 kmSnowdon · 164 km · a handful of days a yearTinto · 134 km · a handful of days a yearYr Eifl · 183 km · a handful of days a yearPendle Hill · 82 km · a rare clear dayGreat Whernside · 79 km · a rare clear dayHart Fell · 110 km · a rare clear day
What you can see from Pike of Blisco, by direction
  • North: High Raise (5 km), Glaramara (7 km), Little Dodd (18 km), Skiddaw Lesser Man (23 km), Skiddaw Little Man (24 km), Skiddaw South Top (24 km), Skiddaw Middle Top (25 km), Skiddaw (25 km), Skiddaw North Top (25 km)
  • North-east: Fairfield (12 km), Dollywaggon Pike (12 km), High Crag (12 km), Hart Crag (12 km), Dove Crag (12 km), Nethermost Pike (12 km), Helvellyn (13 km), Helvellyn Lower Man (13 km), St Sunday Crag (13 km), Raise (15 km), Stybarrow Dodd (16 km), Watson's Dodd (17 km), Great Dodd (18 km), Rampsgill Head (19 km), Kidsty Pike (20 km), High Raise (20 km)
  • East: Red Screes (13 km), Stony Cove Pike (16 km), High Street (18 km), Harter Fell (20 km)
  • South-east: Wetherlam (4 km)
  • South: Swirl How (4 km), Grey Friar (4 km)
  • North-west: Allen Crags (6 km), Ill Crag (6 km), Broad Crag (6 km), Scafell Pike (6 km), Looking Steads (6 km), Wandope (18 km), Crag Hill (18 km), Grasmoor (19 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Snowdon (164 km, Wales), Carnedd Llewelyn (152 km, Wales), Moel Siabod (160 km, Wales), Tinto (134 km, Scotland), Yr Eifl (183 km, Wales), Craig Cwm Silyn (171 km, Wales), Pendle Hill (82 km, England), Gyrn Ddu (180 km, Wales).

Computed from terrain in perfect clarity, not photographed · distances are straight-line.

Computed from Copernicus GLO-30 terrain; distant tops from the Database of British and Irish Hills (CC BY 4.0). See how we compute the view · and the summit intervisibility report below.

What you can see from Pike of Blisco

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.
82Wainwrights in view+8 marginal
164 kmFurthest sightlineSnowdon (Yr Wyddfa) · possible under favourable refraction
—Sea in viewnone from here

On the clearest days the view reaches across to Wales.

Far horizons
  • Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) WalesSSW · 164 km clear
  • Carnedd Llewelyn WalesSSW · 148 km clear
  • Ingleborough Yorkshire DalesESE · 56 km clear
  • Whernside Yorkshire DalesESE · 52 km clear
All 82 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

Cold Pike, Crinkle Crags - Long Top (Second Crinkle), Loft Crag, Pike of Stickle, Lingmoor Fell (Brown How), Great Carrs, Harrison Stickle, Bowfell, Wetherlam, Swirl How, Thunacar Knott, Pavey Ark, Grey Friar, Rossett Pike, Blea Rigg, High Raise (High White Stones), Allen Crags, Holme Fell, Silver How, Tarn Crag (Easedale), Dow Crag, Glaramara, Harter Fell (Eskdale), Black Fell, Helm Crag, Loughrigg Fell, Rosthwaite Fell - Bessyboot, Steel Fell (Dead Pike - Steel Fell), Nab Scar, Stone Arthur, Heron Pike (Rydal), Grey Knotts, Seat Sandal, Great Rigg, Great Crag (Stonethwaite), Low Pike, High Pike (Scandale), Fairfield, Dollywaggon Pike, Hart Crag, Dove Crag, Grange Fell (Brund Fell), Nethermost Pike, Helvellyn, Baystones (Wansfell), Red Screes, St Sunday Crag, Middle Dodd, Robinson, Raise, Troutbeck Tongue, Sour Howes, Stony Cove Pike (Caudale Moor), Stybarrow Dodd, Sallows, Watson's Dodd, Yoke, Ill Bell, Froswick, Gray Crag, Wandope, Great Dodd, Crag Hill (Eel Crag), High Street, Mardale Ill Bell, The Knott (High Street), Grasmoor, Rampsgill Head, Kidsty Pike, Harter Fell (Mardale), Kentmere Pike, High Raise (High Street), Shipman Knotts, Lonscale Fell, Dodd (Skiddaw), Skiddaw Little Man, Carl Side, Long Side, Ullock Pike, Skiddaw, Knott, Binsey

How Pike of Blisco’s view compares with all 214 — the View Report: every Wainwright ranked by what you can see from the top.

Sightlines from a bare-earth terrain model (forests and buildings not included), corrected for the Earth’s curvature and average atmospheric refraction. “Distant” sightlines and any over 100 km depend on exceptionally clear air. Modelled from Copernicus GLO-30 open elevation data — a guide to the view, not a guarantee of any single one.

Best parking to hike Pike of Blisco

Where we have the data, each parking spot also shows the nearest public toilets and facilities (cafés, pubs, shops).

Three Shire Stone, Wrynose Pass (verge) — 1.7 km from summit (straight line)
High-level start for Pike o' Blisco, Cold Pike, Wet Side Edge and the Greenburn fells.
Directions
Blea Tarn (NT, paid) — 2.3 km from summit (straight line)
Between the Langdales — Lingmoor, Pike o' Blisco, Blake Rigg side.
Directions
🚺 Public toilets (1613m) — Free🚺 Public toilets (1680m) — Free

Positions are approximate — zoom the map to confirm. Lakeland car parks fill before 9am on fine weekends.

Tip: pan and zoom the interactive map at the top of this page to spot other potential parking near your route.

Water & shelter on the way up

On the Langdale Horseshoe route:

💧 possible water source (5 m)💧 possible water source (6 m)💧 possible water source (81 m)🚺 map (10 m)🚺 map (11 m)🚌 New Dungeon Ghyll (144 m)

💧 Treat water from the fell before you drink it. A mapped point is usually a tap or public supply, but never drink untreated from a beck, stream or tarn — even clear-looking hill water can carry giardia or cryptosporidium from livestock or a carcass upstream and leave you seriously ill. Run it through a filter or purifier (a LifeStraw, Sawyer Squeeze or HydraPak) or bring it to a rolling boil first.

On-route facilities © OpenStreetMap contributors, per route — an absent marker doesn’t mean none.

Buses to Pike of Blisco from Penrith / Ambleside / Windermere

No regular bus serves the start points for this fell — this is one for the car (or a long approach from the nearest served valley). The nearest hubs are Penrith (X4/X5 & 508), Ambleside and Windermere (555, 505, 516).

Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com or Traveline before relying on a last bus.

Navigating Pike of Blisco in cloud

Straightforward

A rough, rocky summit ringed by crags, with no single obvious way off in poor visibility. Navigation here is relatively straightforward even in cloud — but carry map and compass and know how to use them; a low score never means “safe”.

In winter — snow, whiteout, cornices, buried features — every top demands full winter navigation skills whatever its band, and a broad, gentle summit can be the worst place of all. See walking in bad weather and the navigation guide.

How Pike of Blisco compares with all 214 — the Clag Index: navigating in cloud. A relative, deliberately cautious guide; the site can’t navigate for you.

Other fells near Pike of Blisco

Maps & guidebooks for Pike of Blisco

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