Angletarn Pikes

Angletarn Pikes overlook one of the most beautiful tarns in the Lake District, unsurprisingly called Angle Tarn! It is an idyllic place to loiter alongside its tranquil waters or scramble on the twin pikes above. All this with the higher High Street Ridge and many Wainwrights on the doorstep.

The Walk

There so many excellent walk near Patterdale it is often tricky to narrow them down and find the best (they are all good). Almost without fail they offer the most interesting walks in the Lake District. Throw in Angletarn Crags and it is guaranteed to be special. Principally this is due to the magnificent tarn which sits between the crags and Brock Crags. Angle Tarn is not smooth sided, deep and cold as many Lakeland Tarns are but enjoys a wide, shallow basin surrounded by low craggy hills and punctured by inlets and grassy knolls. It has been scooped out gently rather than scoured deeply. No doubt it will silt up eventually.

The Pikes themselves are often ignored by those intent on seeking the pleasures of the tarn or the higher fells beyond (High Street). However it is a pleasant scramble to the twin summits. The highest point is on the northern outcrop albeit with the smaller cairn.

Hartsop is a pleasant starting point. My route heads initially towards Ullswater and Boredale Hause, which lies between Place Fell and Angletarn Crags, and returns via Hayeswater. The walk is along an obvious rough path, steep at times, but very rewarding. At Boredale Hause the route joins a section of the Coast to Coast. The C2C eventually emerges on to the High Street ridge and the spectacular summit of Kidsty Pike before plunging in to Haweswater. It is my favourite day of the full long distance walk.

Recommend

Add Brock Crags to the walk for the best views over the upper end of the Ullswater valley.

Angletarn Pikes is one of my Favourite 25 walks in the Lake District

Navigation Tips on Angletarn Crags

Unless you return via the same way (always a bad idea) any descent in to Hartsop is a little off piste. Sheep tracks lead the walker astray so just follow your instinct on to the descent. On the descent a sheep track does lead to Brock Crags (recommended) and from here follow the wall south on your descent to a path just above a second wall.