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2.66 km · ~34 m ascent · ~0.5–1 h · loop

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Blea Tarn (Little Langdale)

2.66 km
Distance
~0.5–1 h
Typical time
~34 m
Ascent
Download GPX →Maps & guidebooks

Key facts

Distance 2.66 km
Ascent ~34 m
Descent ~34 m
Time ~0.5–1 h
Type Loop
Start Blea Tarn car park, Little Langdale
A short, lovely loop around little Blea Tarn, with the classic view of the Langdale Pikes mirrored in the water — one of the most photographed scenes in the Lakes for very little effort.
✎️ 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 automated detail on this page — distance, climb, pacing and a first-pass difficulty read — is live. Hand-written field notes are being added.

Difficulty profile

LengthEasy2.66 km — a short outing.
SteepnessEasySteepest sustained pull about 5% around the 0.9 km mark.
TerrainModerateMostly good mountain path. desk assessment — not field-verified
NavigationModerateClear line, hard to stray. desk assessment — not field-verified
ExposureNot assessedExposure (drops, scrambling, how bad a slip would be) can’t be judged from gradient data alone, so we don’t guess. A rating appears once the route is editorially assessed or walked.

Five independent axes, not one score. “Desk” ratings come from maps and guidebooks, not yet walked — treat them as a guide, not a survey.

☀️ Daylight & turnaround

Daylight is short from October to February — check today’s sunrise and sunset before you set off, and carry a head-torch and spare batteries. On short days, decide your turn-back time before you start.

Why this matters: 78% of Mountain Rescue call-outs come after midday — the day runs out on the way home, not on the way up. See also walking in bad weather and today’s conditions.

OpenTopoMap
Elevation profile
Elevation profile Rises from about 193 m to 225 m over 2.7 km, with the summits marked in order. 225 m 193 m 0 km 2.7 km
~34 m
Total ascent
225 m
High point
199 m
Start height

Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap (switch layers top-right).

This walk covers about 2.66 km with around 34 m of ascent. The map above shows the line; the elevation profile and stage notes are below.

Access & barriers

Can a dog, a buggy or dodgy knees manage this route? A quick read from the gates and stiles mapped along the way.

Dog
Mostly gates
Buggy
Buggy: with care
Knees
Gentle descent
  • Dog: A stile of unmapped type — a dog may need lifting over.
  • Buggy: Do-able with a sturdy off-road buggy, with care.
  • Knees: No sustained steep descent — kind on the knees.

On the line: 6 gates · 1 kissing gate · 1 stile (type unmapped)

These are mapped barriers, from OpenStreetMap — coverage in the Lakes is good but not guaranteed complete. Spotted a stile or gate we’ve missed? Tell us and we’ll fix it. Barrier data as of 2026-07-09. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).

Pacing

SummitCumulativeAscentTime (fast–steady)
Finish2.7 km34 m0:35–0:47

Naismith-based estimate — a fast/steady range. Your pace will vary.

The walk, stage by stage

Blea Tarn car park, Little Langdale → Finish (2.7 km, 34 m)

Undulating section of about 2.7 km.

Stage-by-stage field notes coming soon.

Summits bagged (0)

    🅿️ Getting there & parking

    Blea Tarn (NT, paid) — 0.2 km from the start (straight line)
    Between the Langdales — Lingmoor, Pike o' Blisco, Blake Rigg side.
    Directions
    Old Dungeon Ghyll (NT, paid) — 1.9 km from the start (straight line)
    Head of Great Langdale — Bowfell, Crinkle Crags, Pike o' Blisco, the Langdale Pikes.
    Directions

    Positions are approximate. Lakeland car parks fill before 9am on fine weekends.

    💧 No mapped drinking water or shelter on this route — that doesn’t mean there is none, and never drink untreated from a beck. (Facilities data © OpenStreetMap contributors.)

    🚌 Buses

    Stagecoach 516 “Langdale Rambler”
    Ambleside – Skelwith Bridge – Elterwater – New Dungeon Ghyll – Old Dungeon Ghyll
    Catch it from: Ambleside · Windermere (change at Ambleside)
    The Langdale bus — Pikes, Bowfell, Crinkle Crags, Pike o' Blisco all walkable from the Dungeon Ghyll stops. Seasonal frequency varies; check before relying on the last bus back.

    Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com or Traveline before travelling.

    ⚠️ Safety & conditions

    Check live conditions in the “From the fells” panel, on MWIS and the Met Office mountain forecast before you set off.

    Make it easier or harder

    Easier and harder options coming soon.

    ⬇️ Download

    Download GPX

    GPX track for your GPS or phone.

    Appears in these collections
    Easy walks