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75-670: Great Langdale is a valley in the Lake District National Park in North West England , the epithet "Great" distinguishing it from the neighbouring valley of Little Langdale . Langdale is also the name of a valley in the Howgill Fells , elsewhere in Cumbria . It is a popular location for hikers , climbers, fell-runners and other outdoor enthusiasts who are attracted by the many fells ringing

150-528: A base for grouse shooting and for the gamekeepers who managed the extensive land owned by Egremont in Skiddaw Forest. Little is known of the house in the 19th century, but it was used by both gamekeepers and shepherds beyond 1860 and there were rooms for Egremont and the shooting parties. Canon Rawnsley , a founder of the National Trust , visited in about 1900 and mentions in one of his books

225-414: A broader floodplain may result. Deposition dominates over erosion. A typical river basin or drainage basin will incorporate each of these different types of valleys. Some sections of a stream or river valleys may have vertically incised their course to such an extent that the valley they occupy is best described as a gorge , ravine , or canyon . Rapid down-cutting may result from localized uplift of

300-533: A cirque glacier. During glacial periods, for example, the Pleistocene ice ages, it is in these locations that glaciers initially form and then, as the ice age proceeds, extend downhill through valleys that have previously been shaped by water rather than ice. Abrasion by rock material embedded within the moving glacial ice causes the widening and deepening of the valley to produce the characteristic U or trough shape with relatively steep, even vertical sides and

375-463: A dam. The water is used for public consumption in Great Langdale. Pavey Ark is 700 metres (2,297 feet) high. The main face is a little over 1 ⁄ 4 mile (400 metres) across and drops about 400 feet (120 metres). To the southwest, it merges into the crags of Harrison Stickle, while the northern end peters out into the valley of Bright Beck. Stickle Tarn is wholly within the territory of

450-406: A group of peaks on the northern side of the dale. From below, they appear as a sharp rocky ridge, though they are precipitous only on their southern side; to the north, the land sweeps gently to High Raise , the parent peak of the range. The Pikes themselves include (from west to east) Pike of Stickle, Loft Crag, Harrison Stickle and Pavey Ark. Pike of Stickle, also known as Pike o’ Stickle, reaches

525-618: A height of 709 metres (2,326 ft). The rearward slopes show evidence of the Pavey Ark Member, pebbly sandstone and breccia . The Langdale face displays several strata: from the top the Lingmell Formation, Crinkle Member and Bad Step Tuff. These are composed, respectively, of tuff , lapilli -tuff and breccia; rhyolitic tuff and breccia; and rhyolitic lava -like tuff. The altitude places Loft Crag and Gimmer Crag within sightlines to east-southeast while Bowfell

600-598: A hotel, timeshare lodges and leisure facilities, operates in the valley. The Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel was originally a farm and inn. It was bought by the historian Professor G.M. Trevelyan who donated it to the National Trust , and who was later buried in Holy Trinity Church in Chapel Stile . The hotel and the Hikers Bar have a long association with climbing and many famous climbers have stayed at

675-411: A man who so loves you as your fond S.T. Coleridge." Skiddaw is mentioned in the fourth book of John Keats 's poem Endymion : "…with all the stress / Of vision search'd for him, as one would look […] from old Skiddaw's top, when fog conceals / His rugged forehead in a mantle pale, / With an eye-guess towards some pleasant vale / Descry a favourite hamlet faint and far." Skiddaw is also mentioned in

750-540: A narrow valley with steep sides. Gill is used to describe a ravine containing a mountain stream in Cumbria and the Pennines . The term combe (also encountered as coombe ) is widespread in southern England and describes a short valley set into a hillside. Other terms for small valleys such as hope, dean, slade, slack and bottom are commonly encountered in place-names in various parts of England but are no longer in general use as synonyms for valley . The term vale

825-510: A north–south ridge about 1 ⁄ 2 mile (800 metres) long, with steep slopes to east and west. The ridge continues northwards over Broad End to Bakestall , a fell overlooking the Whitewater Dash waterfall. Further ridges fan out east and west from the southern end of Skiddaw. To the south-east are Skiddaw Little Man , Lonscale Fell and Latrigg , an easily accessible viewpoint for Keswick and Derwentwater . Beyond these fells are

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900-499: A number of stone windshelters have been erected. Skiddaw has a subsidiary summit, Little Man , which lies about 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) south-south-east of the main peak. Despite its limited independence, Wainwright listed it as a separate fell in his influential Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells , a convention which is often followed. Skiddaw Little Man has its own subsidiary summit, known as Lesser Man. The view

975-432: A relatively flat bottom. Interlocking spurs associated with the development of river valleys are preferentially eroded to produce truncated spurs , typical of glaciated mountain landscapes. The upper end of the trough below the ice-contributing cirques may be a trough-end . Valley steps (or 'rock steps') can result from differing erosion rates due to both the nature of the bedrock (hardness and jointing for example) and

1050-465: A slower rate than that of the main valley floor; thus the difference in the two valleys' depth increases over time. The tributary valley, composed of more resistant rock, then hangs over the main valley. Trough-shaped valleys also form in regions of heavy topographic denudation . By contrast with glacial U-shaped valleys, there is less downward and sideways erosion. The severe downslope denudation results in gently sloping valley sides; their transition to

1125-478: A treeless plateau, or valley, at an elevation of about 400 metres (1,300 feet); flowing outwards from here are the rivers that divide the area into three sectors. "Forest" is used here in its original sense, meaning land used for hunting, rather than a woodland. The south-western sector, between the Glenderaterra Beck and Dash Beck, contains Skiddaw and its satellites. Skiddaw itself takes the form of

1200-427: A valley between its sides is referred to as the valley floor. The valley floor is typically formed by river sediments and may have fluvial terraces . The development of a river valley is affected by the character of the bedrock over which the river or stream flows, the elevational difference between its top and bottom, and indeed the climate. Typically the flow will increase downstream and the gradient will decrease. In

1275-456: A variation to the tourist route. From the north-west a tough but picturesque ascent can be made to the northern end of Longside Edge before following the ridge route to the summit. Finally, ascents from due east are possible for the walker who first makes for Skiddaw House, a good distance from either Keswick, Threlkeld or Peter House. Once Skiddaw House is reached a fairly direct line is possible, climbing over either Sale How or Hare Crag. From

1350-510: A variety of transitional forms between V-, U- and plain valleys can form. The floor or bottom of these valleys can be broad or narrow, but all valleys have a shoulder. The broader a mountain valley, the lower its shoulders are located in most cases. An important exception is canyons where the shoulder almost is near the top of the valley's slope. In the Alps – e.g. the Tyrolean Inn valley –

1425-670: A watercourse only rarely. In areas of limestone bedrock , dry valleys may also result from drainage now taking place underground rather than at the surface. Rift valleys arise principally from earth movements , rather than erosion. Many different types of valleys are described by geographers, using terms that may be global in use or else applied only locally. Valleys may arise through several different processes. Most commonly, they arise from erosion over long periods by moving water and are known as river valleys. Typically small valleys containing streams feed into larger valleys which in turn feed into larger valleys again, eventually reaching

1500-405: Is a tributary valley that is higher than the main valley. They are most commonly associated with U-shaped valleys, where a tributary glacier flows into a glacier of larger volume. The main glacier erodes a deep U-shaped valley with nearly vertical sides, while the tributary glacier, with a smaller volume of ice, makes a shallower U-shaped valley. Since the surfaces of the glaciers were originally at

1575-804: Is as panoramic as might be expected, given Skiddaw's topographic prominence . From High Man the north east quadrant is filled by the quiet fells of Back o'Skiddaw, with the Border hills, the Cheviots and the North Pennines behind them. To the south east are Blencathra, the Far Eastern Fells and the Helvellyn range ; behind these are vistas of the Yorkshire Dales and Forest of Bowland . The Coniston Fells are visible directly to

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1650-587: Is formed by the deep ravine of Dungeon Ghyll, which cuts through the parapet of the Langdale Pikes and into the lower hinterland of Harrison Combe. Across the Ghyll westwards are Thorn Crag, Loft Crag, and finally Pike of Stickle. Below the steep eastern face of Harrison Stickle lie Stickle Tarn and its Ghyll, thus ensuring that all drainage from the fell is to Great Langdale. The tarn is a water-filled corrie about 50 feet (15 metres) deep, this being enhanced by

1725-412: Is grass and heather. Wainwright noted that "Its lines are smooth, its curves graceful; but because the slopes are steep everywhere, the quick build-up of the “massif” from valley levels to central summit is appreciated at a glance — and it should be an appreciative glance, for such massive strength and such beauty of outline rarely go together." The bedrock of Skiddaw, commonly known as Skiddaw Slate ,

1800-409: Is hard to devise a challenging approach in good conditions. The most popular tourist route starts from Keswick and first ascends behind Latrigg, before the climb continues over the slopes of Little Man to the summit. About 200 metres (660 ft) of ascent can be saved by driving to the top of Gale Road and beginning from the public car park just behind the summit of Latrigg. Another popular route (and

1875-501: Is only 50 meters (160 ft) deep while the main fjord is around 1,300 meters (4,300 ft) at the same point. Glaciated terrain is not the only site of hanging streams and valleys. Hanging valleys are also simply the product of varying rates of erosion of the main valley and the tributary valleys. The varying rates of erosion are associated with the composition of the adjacent rocks in the different valley locations. The tributary valleys are eroded and deepened by glaciers or erosion at

1950-510: Is possible that a Cumbric solution is to be sought." Below Sale How is Skiddaw House, a stone building which has variously served as a shooting lodge, a shepherd's bothy and a Youth Hostel . Its windbreak comprises the only trees in Skiddaw Forest, and it is reached by a long access track up the Dash Valley . Built around 1829 by the Earl of Egremont , it was originally a keeper's lodge:

2025-492: Is the Kirkstile Formation. This Ordovician rock is composed of laminated mudstone and siltstone with greywacke sandstone. At the summit this is overlain by scree and to the south are areas where the underlying Loweswater Formation surfaces. The summit ridge bears a number of tops, which from north to south are known as North Top, High Man (the summit), Middle Top and South Top. All now bear cairns and

2100-410: Is the compass-walk due south from Cock Up (505 metres (1,657 ft)); reversing this route provides a safe descent, especially in bad weather. Scramblers may prefer simply to walk up Southerndale and climb Longside via a distinctive crevice seen easily from Skiddaw summit. From the south-west at Millbeck, Carlside Col can be reached directly. A start from nearby Applethwaite can also be used to provide

2175-424: Is the word cwm borrowed from Welsh . The word dale occurs widely in place names in the north of England and, to a lesser extent, in southern Scotland. As a generic name for a type of valley, the term typically refers to a wide valley, though there are many much smaller stream valleys within the Yorkshire Dales which are named "(specific name) Dale". Clough is a word in common use in northern England for

2250-584: Is thought to be significant is also variously ranked as the third- and the sixth-highest in England. It lies just north of the town of Keswick , Cumbria , and dominates the skyline in this part of the northern lakes. It is the simplest of the Lake District mountains of this height to ascend (as there is a well-trodden tourist track from a car park to the north-east of Keswick, near the summit of Latrigg ) and, as such, many walking guides recommend it to

2325-404: Is three kilometres (two miles) west-southwest. The Southern Fells and Skiddaw are also potentially visible. Loft Crag has a summit elevation of 2,238 feet (682 metres). It lies between Harrison Stickle and Pike of Stickle. The fell has a small sharp summit, below which rises Gimmer Crag, which is one of the top rock climbing venues in the Lake District. The crag is made of Rhyolite rock and

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2400-574: Is used in England and Wales to describe a wide river valley, usually with a particularly wide flood plain or flat valley bottom. In Southern England, vales commonly occur between the outcrops of different relatively erosion-resistant rock formations, where less resistant rock, often claystone has been eroded. An example is the Vale of White Horse in Oxfordshire. Some of the first human complex societies originated in river valleys, such as that of

2475-533: The Glenderaterra Beck and the Blencathra group. The south-western ridge curves round through 180 degrees to run north above the shore of Bassenthwaite Lake . This gives Skiddaw an 'outer wall', comprising Carl Side , Long Side and Ullock Pike , collectively referred to as Longside Edge. The final member of the Skiddaw Group is Dodd , a satellite of Carl Side. Between Skiddaw and Longside Edge are

2550-603: The Latin terms for 'valley, 'gorge' and 'ditch' respectively. The German term ' rille ' or Latin term 'rima' (signifying 'cleft') is used for certain other elongate depressions on the Moon. See also: Skiddaw Skiddaw is a mountain in the Lake District National Park in England . Its 931-metre (3,054 ft) summit is traditionally considered to be the fourth-highest peak but depending on what topographic prominence

2625-504: The Nile , Tigris-Euphrates , Indus , Ganges , Yangtze , Yellow River , Mississippi , and arguably the Amazon . In prehistory , the rivers were used as a source of fresh water and food (fish and game), as well as a place to wash and a sewer. The proximity of water moderated temperature extremes and provided a source for irrigation , stimulating the development of agriculture . Most of

2700-471: The Solway Firth via Carlisle . Two smooth spurs on this eastern flank of Skiddaw, Sale How and Hare Crag, are listed in separate tops in some guidebooks. Sale How is also a Nuttall . Skiddaw's slopes are generally rounded and convex, looking from a distance as though a thick velvet blanket has been draped over a supporting frame. On the ridges the general terrain is of loose stones, but elsewhere all

2775-668: The first civilizations developed from these river valley communities. Siting of settlements within valleys is influenced by many factors, including the need to avoid flooding and the location of river crossing points. Numerous elongate depressions have been identified on the surface of Mars , Venus , the Moon , and other planets and their satellites and are known as valles (singular: 'vallis'). Deeper valleys with steeper sides (akin to canyons) on certain of these bodies are known as chasmata (singular: 'chasma'). Long narrow depressions are referred to as fossae (singular: 'fossa'). These are

2850-547: The Ark, a corrie tarn which has been dammed to create additional capacity. The stone-faced barrage is low enough not to spoil the character of the pool, and the water is used for public consumption in the hotels and homes below. The tarn has a depth of around 50 feet (15 metres). Great Langdale's highest fell is Bow Fell . Other notable Langdale fells are Crinkle Crags , at the head of the Oxendale valley, and Pike o' Blisco on

2925-569: The Lakeland slate industry . Two slate workings, Elterwater Quarry and Spout Cragg Quarry, have been more or less continually working using modern methods. Elterwater is the larger of the two, and like Spout Cragg, is operated by the Burlington Stone Company. There are various other local quarries now fallen into disuse, such as Lingmoor, Banks, Thrang Crag and Colt Howe. Great Langdale had a productive stone axe industry during

3000-487: The Langdale Boulders at Copt Howe. The mouth of the valley is located at Skelwith Bridge, which lies about two miles (three kilometres) west of Ambleside . The Langdale valley contains two villages, Chapel Stile and Elterwater , and a hamlet at High Close. Great Langdale is a U-shaped valley formed by glaciers , while Little Langdale is a hanging valley . Great Langdale and Elterwater were centres of

3075-589: The Neolithic period. The area has outcrops of fine-grained greenstone suitable for making polished axes which have been found distributed across the British Isles. The rock is an epidotised greenstone quarried or perhaps just collected from the scree slopes in the Langdale Valley on Harrison Stickle and Pike of Stickle. Among the best-known features of Great Langdale are the Langdale Pikes,

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3150-524: The Scandinavian ice sheet during the various ice ages advanced slightly uphill against the lie of the land. As a result, its meltwaters flowed parallel to the ice margin to reach the North Sea basin, forming huge, flat valleys known as Urstromtäler . Unlike the other forms of glacial valleys, these were formed by glacial meltwaters. Depending on the topography , the rock types , and the climate ,

3225-511: The actual valley bottom is unclear. Trough-shaped valleys occur mainly in periglacial regions and in tropical regions of variable wetness. Both climates are dominated by heavy denudation. Box valleys have wide, relatively level floors and steep sides. They are common in periglacial areas and occur in mid-latitudes, but also occur in tropical and arid regions. Rift valleys, such as the Albertine Rift and Gregory Rift are formed by

3300-612: The expansion of the Earth 's crust due to tectonic activity beneath the Earth's surface. There are many terms used for different sorts of valleys. They include: Similar geographical features such as gullies , chines , and kloofs , are not usually referred to as valleys. The terms corrie , glen , and strath are all Anglicisations of Gaelic terms and are commonly encountered in place-names in Scotland and other areas where Gaelic

3375-443: The flow slower and both erosion and deposition may take place. More lateral erosion takes place in the middle section of a river's course, as strong currents on the outside of its curve erode the bank. Conversely, deposition may take place on the inside of curves where the current is much slacker, the process leading to the river assuming a meandering character. In the lower valley, gradients are lowest, meanders may be much broader and

3450-450: The head of the valley. Among the best-known features of Great Langdale are the Langdale Pikes, a group of peaks on the northern side of the dale. England's highest mountain, Scafell Pike , can be climbed by a route from Langdale. Langdale has views of, in particular, Dungeon Ghyll Force waterfall , Harrison Stickle and Pike of Stickle . Great Langdale was an important site during the Neolithic period for producing stone axes and, later,

3525-668: The hills of Galloway such as Merrick and Criffel , and Broad Law in the Scottish Borders . Goat Fell on Arran can be seen at an angle of 313 degrees, 105 miles (170 km) away. The most distant view is of Slieve Meelmore in the Mountains of Mourne in County Down , Northern Ireland, 120 miles (195 km) distant. By moving to South Top a superb view of Borrowdale can be brought into sight. Many routes of ascent have been devised for Skiddaw; indeed, it

3600-416: The hospitality of the shepherd's family at that time. Sir Hugh Walpole , author of the Lake District novel Rogue Herries , was a visitor in the 1920s and 30s and used the house as the scene, set in 1854, of the murder by Uhland. These arrangements for accommodation continued until the early 1950s. Several families brought up their children there until they were able to go to school, but the longest tenure

3675-840: The hotel or drunk in the bar. In climbing circles it is known as the "ODG". Further down the valley there is the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, built in 1862. Campsites in the area include the National Trust site near Dungeon Ghyll and the Baysbrown Farm campsite at Chapel Stile. 54°26′57″N 3°04′24″W  /  54.44912°N 3.07333°W  / 54.44912; -3.07333 Valley At lower latitudes and altitudes, these glacially formed valleys may have been created or enlarged during ice ages but now are ice-free and occupied by streams or rivers. In desert areas, valleys may be entirely dry or carry

3750-427: The land surface or rejuvenation of the watercourse as a result for example of a reduction in the base level to which the river is eroded, e.g. lowered global sea level during an ice age . Such rejuvenation may also result in the production of river terraces . There are various forms of valleys associated with glaciation. True glacial valleys are those that have been cut by a glacier which may or may not still occupy

3825-491: The mountains and eulogises on the excellent trout fishing in the river. There are several popular fell walking routes including Bowfell, Crinkle Crags, the Langdale Pikes and England's highest mountain, Scafell Pike . There are also rock-climbing spots on the valley floor, such as Raven Crag, Gimmer Crag, and White Ghyll, providing some of the most spectacular rock routes in the UK. The Langdale Leisure Limited company, consisting of

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3900-535: The name for the slate derived from that region: Skiddaw slate . Skiddaw slate has been used to make tuned percussion musical instruments or lithophones , such as the Musical Stones of Skiddaw held at the Keswick Museum and Art Gallery . The Northern Fells make up a roughly circular upland area approaching 10 miles (16 kilometres) in width. At the centre is the marshy depression of Skiddaw Forest,

3975-529: The name from the include Skythou in c.1260 and Skydehow in 1247. According to Eilert Ekwall , Skiddaw's name is derived from the Old Norse elements skyti or skut + haugr meaning either "archer's hill" or "jutting crag hill". Diana Whaley likewise interprets it as "the mountain with the jutting crag", but also offers the alternative that the first element may be a personal name or Old Norse skítr 'dung, filth, shit'. Richard Coates suggests that "it

4050-516: The north-east an unmarked but quite easy and fairly well-worn path starts at Whitewater Dash waterfall (on the Cumbrian Way ) where the walker can follow the fence (along Birkett Edge just south of Dead Crags) past the Bakestall outcrop, and follow the fence until just before the unnamed top at 831 metres (2,726 ft). From the 831m top, a path leads directly to Skiddaw Man. Early forms of

4125-475: The occasional walker wishing to climb a mountain. This is the first summit of the fell running challenge known as the Bob Graham Round when undertaken in a clockwise direction. The mountain lends its name to the surrounding areas of Skiddaw Forest and Back o' Skidda, and to the isolated Skiddaw House, situated to the east, formerly a shooting lodge and subsequently a youth hostel . It also provides

4200-463: The ocean or perhaps an internal drainage basin . In polar areas and at high altitudes, valleys may be eroded by glaciers ; these typically have a U-shaped profile in cross-section, in contrast to river valleys, which tend to have a V-shaped profile. Other valleys may arise principally through tectonic processes such as rifting . All three processes can contribute to the development of a valley over geological time. The flat (or relatively flat) portion of

4275-422: The one recommended by Wainwright ) is to follow Longside Edge, first ascending Ullock Pike, Longside and Carl Side before making the steep climb up from Carlside Col. Also from the north, a somewhat tougher alternative is to walk up Buzzard Knott between Southerndale and Barkbethdale: after crossing to the southern edge of the shoulder above Randel Crag ascend due east to the summit. Rather easier than either of these

4350-421: The play of sunlight across the landscape: "yon small flaky mists that love to creep / Along the edges of those spots of light, / Those sunny islands on thy smooth green heights." Coleridge also mentioned Skiddaw in the valediction of his mnemonic poem "Metrical Feet," which he addressed to his son Derwent , who had been born nearby; he wrote, "Could you stand upon Skiddaw, you would not from its whole ridge / See

4425-436: The power of the moving ice. In places, a rock basin may be excavated which may later be filled with water to form a ribbon lake or else by sediments. Such features are found in coastal areas as fjords . The shape of the valley which results from all of these influences may only become visible upon the recession of the glacier that forms it. A river or stream may remain in the valley; if it is smaller than one would expect given

4500-527: The quiet valleys of Southerndale and Barkbethdale, separated by the spur of Buzzard Knott. These drain the western flanks of the fell to Bassenthwaite Lake. The eastern side of Skiddaw drains into Skiddaw Forest, much of the water reaching Candleseaves Bog. This marsh is the source of both the Dash Beck flowing north west to Bassenthwaite and the River Caldew , beginning its long journey north-eastward to

4575-446: The same elevation , the shallower valley appears to be 'hanging' above the main valley. Often, waterfalls form at or near the outlet of the upper valley. Hanging valleys also occur in fjord systems underwater. The branches of Sognefjord are much shallower than the main fjord. The mouth of Fjærlandsfjord is about 400 meters (1,300 ft) deep while the main fjord nearby is 1,200 meters (3,900 ft) deep. The mouth of Ikjefjord

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4650-550: The shoulders are quite low (100–200 meters above the bottom). Many villages are located here (esp. on the sunny side) because the climate is very mild: even in winter when the valley's floor is filled with fog, these villages are in sunshine . In some stress-tectonic regions of the Rocky Mountains or the Alps (e.g. Salzburg ), the side valleys are parallel to each other, and are hanging . Smaller streams flow into rivers as deep canyons or waterfalls . A hanging valley

4725-533: The site will be rewetted by blocking drains and holding back water so that the peat remains saturated. The purchase was partly funded by a £5m grant from Aviva , with a public appeal being launched to raise the balance. Skiddaw was a civil parish , in 1931 the parish had a population of 5. On 1 April 1934 the parish was abolished and merged with Underskiddaw . In "A Stranger Minstrel" (published 1800), Samuel Taylor Coleridge remarks on Skiddaw's characteristic "helm of cloud", and observes atmospheric effects and

4800-849: The size of its valley, it can be considered an example of a misfit stream . Other interesting glacially carved valleys include: A tunnel valley is a large, long, U-shaped valley originally cut under the glacial ice near the margin of continental ice sheets such as that now covering Antarctica and formerly covering portions of all continents during past glacial ages. Such valleys can be up to 100 km (62 mi) long, 4 km (2.5 mi) wide, and 400 m (1,300 ft) deep (its depth may vary along its length). Tunnel valleys were formed by subglacial water erosion . They once served as subglacial drainage pathways carrying large volumes of meltwater. Their cross-sections exhibit steep-sided flanks similar to fjord walls, and their flat bottoms are typical of subglacial glacial erosion. In northern Central Europe,

4875-547: The south. On the other side of South Top is a fine view of the Scafells , Western and North Western Fells , with a portion of Snowdonia visible between Kirk Fell and Pillar . The Isle of Man is visible 60 miles (100 kilometres) away, as are the Mourne Mountains 120 miles (195 km) away (on exceptionally clear days). The final quarter is taken up by the coastal plain and the distant Solway Firth, backed by

4950-531: The southern side of the valley. Dungeon Ghyll is a ravine on the north side of the valley, starting on the fell slopes between Harrison Stickle and Loft Crag/Pike of Stickle. It is narrow, and a No Through Route for walkers. Much more open is Stickle Ghyll, which descends from Stickle Tarn. There is a well–trodden path from the Stickle Ghyll car park opposite the New Dungeon Ghyll hotel up to

5025-475: The tarn, parts of which have been improved with stone slabs to reduce erosion . Another waterfall , known as Dungeon Ghyll Force, is up a path behind the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel. Middle Fell Bridge here is the bridge centring in the plot of the 1945 film Brief Encounter . Letitia Elizabeth Landon 's poetical illustration, Langdale Pikes (1832), to a picture by Thomas Allom , ignores

5100-407: The upper valley, the stream will most effectively erode its bed through corrasion to produce a steep-sided V-shaped valley. The presence of more resistant rock bands, of geological faults , fractures , and folds may determine the course of the stream and result in a twisting course with interlocking spurs . In the middle valley, as numerous streams have coalesced, the valley is typically wider,

5175-407: The valley at the present day. Such valleys may also be known as glacial troughs. They typically have a U-shaped cross-section and are characteristic landforms of mountain areas where glaciation has occurred or continues to take place. The uppermost part of a glacial valley frequently consists of one or more 'armchair-shaped' hollows, or ' cirques ', excavated by the rotational movement downslope of

5250-469: Was also one of the centres of the Lakeland slate industry . Great Langdale is known to archaeologists as the source of a particular type of Neolithic polished stone axe head, created on the slopes of the Pike of Stickle and traded all over prehistoric Great Britain and Europe. It also supplied stone for some Bronze Age items, including stone wrist-guards . Neolithic cup and ring marks are found on

5325-678: Was intermittent use by various schools and outdoor groups. In 1986 the house was leased by John Bothamley, who had created the YHA Carrock Fell Hostel a few miles away; and eventually the building was handed over to the YHA. It closed in 2002 following a disagreement over the lease. In 2007 it re-opened as an independent hostel run by the Skiddaw House Foundation, under the YHA's Enterprise franchising model. In 2024, 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) of Skiddaw Forest

5400-414: Was once widespread. Strath signifies a wide valley between hills, the floor of which is either level or slopes gently. A glen is a river valley which is steeper and narrower than a strath. A corrie is a basin-shaped hollow in a mountain. Each of these terms also occurs in parts of the world formerly colonized by Britain . Corrie is used more widely by geographers as a synonym for (glacial) cirque , as

5475-527: Was pioneered in the early 1880s by Walter Parry Haskett Smith . Harrison Stickle is the high point of the Langdale Pikes, and its crags fall south and east from the summit, presenting a view from the valley floor 2,000 feet (610 metres) below, or from further afield. To the north, the main ridge of the central fells passes over Thunacar Knott before climbing to High Raise. The craggy eastern face of this ridge continues north as far as Harrison's near neighbour, Pavey Ark . The southwestern border of Harrison Stickle

5550-577: Was possibly that of Pearson Dalton, a shepherd and bachelor from the Caldbeck area, who came to stay for a month in 1952 and left in 1969 aged 75. He lived there alone for five days a week, only going home for long weekends with his sister in Caldbeck, then returning on the Monday to resume his duties. By that time farming practices had changed and the house was no longer needed; it declined, although there

5625-481: Was purchased by the Cumbria Wildlife Trust for £6.25m, as part of a long-term rewilding project, which the trust says will see the re-introduction of hen harriers, black grouse, water voles, aspen and rare upland bumblebees. The plan includes planting 300,000 native trees over 250 hectares (620 acres) of the site (but specifically excluding the summit of Skiddaw). The peat bogs that cover one third of

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