Esk Pike and Great End

The walk, stage by stage

1. 1

   Start → Esk Pike (7.2 km, 817 m)

   Climb of about 817 m over 7.2 km (around 11% average).

   Depart the valley floor and make the long, gradual approach along the main track before beginning the steep, stepped ascent via the pitched path up Rossett Gill. The gradient eases at the top of the pass, and the path drops a little to Angle Tarn. Beyond the tarn this route leaves the main path to Esk Hause: it climbs west, then turns south beneath the crags of Hanging Knotts to Ore Gap, the col between Bowfell and Esk Pike. From Ore Gap, turn north-west and climb the rocky ridge to the summit of Esk Pike. Esk Hause comes after the summit, on the way to Great End.

   Waypoints

   Valley floor track, the pitched path up Rossett Gill, Angle Tarn, Ore Gap (the col between Bowfell and Esk Pike), Esk Pike summit (885m).

   Decision point

   The pitched stone path is a clear guide for the ascent out of the valley. Beyond Angle Tarn, the main path carries on towards Esk Hause; this route leaves it for Ore Gap. At Ore Gap, the summit of Esk Pike lies north-west, up the rocky ridge.

   Easy to get wrong

   The initial valley approach can be boggy after heavy rain, but the real physical test is the relentless, pitched stone path up the gill, which can be treacherous and icy in winter conditions. The upper slopes of Esk Pike are littered with fractured rock, boulders, and loose scree, requiring careful footwork and focus, particularly when the clag drops and the rock is slick from rain.

   If you need to get off

   Before reaching the high tarn, simply turn around and descend the pitched path back to the valley. If weather closes in on the final summit push, go back the way you came, down to Ore Gap and on to Angle Tarn, and descend the pitched path from there. Do not drop off the far (south-west) side of Ore Gap, which leads down into upper Eskdale, a long way from the start.

2. 2

   Esk Pike → Great End (2.1 km, 161 m)

   Descent of about 121 m, then a climb of about 161 m, over 2.1 km.

   Descend the rough, rocky northern ridge of Esk Pike, taking care on the loose stones, to reach the busy junction at Esk Hause. From the hause, pick up the prominent path heading north-west towards the Scafell massif, branching right at Calf Cove to ascend the broad, boulder-strewn back of Great End to its flat, expansive summit plateau.

   Waypoints

   Esk Pike northern descent ridge, Esk Hause (759m), Calf Cove junction, Great End summit plateau (910m), North West and Central cairns.

   Decision point

   The red, iron-rich soil around Esk Hause is a distinctive visual marker in the saddle. On the ascent to Great End, follow the cairns threading through the boulder field; in poor visibility, a strict compass bearing is absolutely essential on the plateau to locate the true summit and avoid the lethal northern crags.

   Easy to get wrong

   The descent off Esk Pike is notably rough and loose underfoot. The ascent up Great End is notoriously bouldery; navigating the expansive, featureless summit plateau in thick clag is highly disorientating. It is absolutely critical to stay well back from the sheer northern and north-western crags (Great End Crag), which drop away vertically and present a fatal hazard.

   If you need to get off

   The Esk Hause junction is your primary bail point. If the weather turns foul on the way up Great End, abort the summit push and retreat back down to Esk Hause and follow the route's own way down, past Angle Tarn and Rossett Gill, to Langdale. The path north from Esk Hause goes down into Borrowdale, a different valley from the start and a long way round by road. Never attempt to descend the craggy northern or western faces of Great End under any circumstances.

3. Great End → Finish (8.4 km, 125 m)

   Descent of about 801 m, with about 125 m of climbing, over 8.4 km.

   Navigate carefully off the rocky summit plateau of Great End, retracing your route south-east to avoid the crags, and descend back into Calf Cove and towards the main junction at Esk Hause. From here, begin the long, primary descent back down to the valley, rejoining the main arterial path past the tarn and down the gill. The route undulates slightly over lower ground before picking up the long, flat valley track back to the start point.

   Waypoints

   Great End summit, Calf Cove, Esk Hause, high mountain tarn, main descent gill, valley floor track, finish point.

   Decision point

   Ensure the sheer drop of the crags remains well to your north/north-west on the initial descent off the plateau. Once back at the main hause, the pitched path and the line of the descending gill provide a continuous handrail all the way back down to the valley floor.

   Easy to get wrong

   The initial descent off Great End demands absolute navigational accuracy to bypass the sheer crags, especially in low visibility. The long descent down the pitched gill is punishing on the knees and can be slippery. In summer, the lower valley sections can be choked with thick bracken, sometimes concealing the edges of the path and hiding potential trip hazards.

   If you need to get off

   As this is the final descent stage, the route itself acts as your escape path. If a member of the party is struggling with the steep, stepped descent down the gill, take it slowly and use walking poles to relieve knee strain; ensure you stay strictly on the main path, as dropping into adjacent, pathless gullies can quickly lead to dangerously steep, craggy ground.