Rossett Pike
Encyclopedia
Rossett Pike is a fell
in the English
Lake District
. It is located at the head of Mickleden, one of two tributary valleys of Great Langdale.
and Central Fells
, running from Bow Fell in the Scafells
to Pike of Stickle
, one of the Langdale Pikes. Rossett Pike is the high point of this ridge, bordered by Mickleden in the south and Langstrath to the north.
A narrow ridge falls north east from Bow Fell, constricted between Angle Tarn
and the steep defile
of Rossett Gill rising up from Mickleden. Angle Tarn is a feeder of the Langstrath and occupies a circular corrie
beneath Hanging Knotts, small trout lurking in its 50 ft depths.. Beyond this pinch point the ridge steps down over the three tops of Rossett Pike, Buck Pike (1,988 ft) and Black Crag (1,929 ft). All are considered to be part of the same fell by most writers. although this view is not universal, with Black Crags having enough re-ascent to qualify as a separate hill by some measures.
The ridge continues north east, narrowing again above Langdale Combe. At this point it is crossed by Stake Pass, a walkers' thoroughfare running from Great Langdale to Borrowdale
via the Langstrath. It now sees increased traffic as a part of the popular Cumbria Way long distance route. Beyond the Stake with its small summit tarn the ridge turns east and broadens, becoming indistinct as it crosses Martcrag Moor before rising to the Langdale Pikes.
The Mickleden flanks of Rossett Pike rise above an array of green moraine
s to a tier of crags running below the ridgeline. In addition to Black Crag there is Rossett Crag, set just beneath the summit. The northern face is less steep, falling only half as far to the upper gathering grounds of the Langstrath.
of the Seathwaite Fell Formation predominates, with the pebbly sandstone and breccia
of the Pavey Ark Member exposed on the Langdale face.
and gives fine views of the Langdale Pikes although the looming presence of Bow Fell restricts the westward vista. A slightly lower cairn to the east brings the abyss of the head of Mickleden into view.
, it is now more commonly used as a fellwalkers' springboard to the Scafells. Alfred Wainwright
pilloried the route in his influential Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells
, describing it as "almost certainly the least liked [foot-pass], due not to its steepness but its stoniness (a condition worsening year by year as swarming legions of booted pedestrians grind away the scanty vestiges of grass and soil)." He suggested renewed use of the old 'Pony Route' which makes a more circuitous climb to the south. In more recent times the more direct route has seen considerable stone pitching and is much improved.
Direct climbs of Rossett Pike are almost invariably made via one of the neighbouring passes. Rossett Gill provides the shorter route from Great Langdale, but the Stake is also perfectly practicable. From Stonethwaite in Borrowdale, Stake Pass is the primary means of ascent although Angle Tarn can also be reached. Rossett Pike is also popular as an indirect climb when taken as a top in the round of Great Langale, a long but glorious ridge walk.
Fell
“Fell” is a word used to refer to mountains, or certain types of mountainous landscape, in Scandinavia, the Isle of Man, and parts of northern England.- Etymology :...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Lake District
Lake District National Park
The Lake District National Park is located in the north-west of England and is the largest of the English National Parks and the second largest in the United Kingdom. It is in the central and most-visited part of the Lake District....
. It is located at the head of Mickleden, one of two tributary valleys of Great Langdale.
Topography
A bridge of high ground connects the SouthernSouthern Fells
Image:Annotated Scafell range.jpg|thumb|300px|The Scafellsrect 23 372 252 419 Slight Side rect 173 794 560 834 Scafell East Buttressrect 707 787 893 861 Esk Pike or Crag rect 245 303 409 358 Sca Fell rect 408 238 637 280 Mickledore Image:Annotated Scafell range.jpg|thumb|300px|The Scafellsrect 23...
and Central Fells
Central Fells
The Central Fells are a group of hills in the English Lake District. Reaching their highest point at High Raise , they occupy a broad area to the east of Borrowdale. Perhaps unexpectedly the Central Fells are generally lower than the surrounding hills, the Lake District's general dome-like...
, running from Bow Fell in the Scafells
Scafells
Image:Annotated Scafell range.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Scafell range as seen looking west from Crinkle Crags. rect 23 372 252 419 Slight Side rect 173 794 560 834 Scafell East Buttress...
to Pike of Stickle
Pike of Stickle
Pike of Stickle, also known as Pike O’ Stickle, is a fell in the English Lake District. It reaches a height of 709 metres and is situated in the central part of the national park in the valley of Great Langdale...
, one of the Langdale Pikes. Rossett Pike is the high point of this ridge, bordered by Mickleden in the south and Langstrath to the north.
A narrow ridge falls north east from Bow Fell, constricted between Angle Tarn
Tarn (lake)
A tarn is a mountain lake or pool, formed in a cirque excavated by a glacier. A moraine may form a natural dam below a tarn. A corrie may be called a cirque.The word is derived from the Old Norse word tjörn meaning pond...
and the steep defile
Defile (geography)
Defile is a geographic term for a narrow pass or gorge between mountains or hills. It has its origins as a military description of a pass through which troops can march only in a narrow column or with a narrow front...
of Rossett Gill rising up from Mickleden. Angle Tarn is a feeder of the Langstrath and occupies a circular corrie
Cirque
Cirque may refer to:* Cirque, a geological formation* Makhtesh, an erosional landform found in the Negev desert of Israel and Sinai of Egypt*Cirque , an album by Biosphere* Cirque Corporation, a company that makes touchpads...
beneath Hanging Knotts, small trout lurking in its 50 ft depths.. Beyond this pinch point the ridge steps down over the three tops of Rossett Pike, Buck Pike (1,988 ft) and Black Crag (1,929 ft). All are considered to be part of the same fell by most writers. although this view is not universal, with Black Crags having enough re-ascent to qualify as a separate hill by some measures.
The ridge continues north east, narrowing again above Langdale Combe. At this point it is crossed by Stake Pass, a walkers' thoroughfare running from Great Langdale to Borrowdale
Borrowdale
Borrowdale is a valley and civil parish in the English Lake District in the Borough of Allerdale in Cumbria, England.Borrowdale lies within the historic county boundaries of Cumberland, and is sometimes referred to as Cumberland Borrowdale in order to distinguish it from another Borrowdale in the...
via the Langstrath. It now sees increased traffic as a part of the popular Cumbria Way long distance route. Beyond the Stake with its small summit tarn the ridge turns east and broadens, becoming indistinct as it crosses Martcrag Moor before rising to the Langdale Pikes.
The Mickleden flanks of Rossett Pike rise above an array of green moraine
Moraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
s to a tier of crags running below the ridgeline. In addition to Black Crag there is Rossett Crag, set just beneath the summit. The northern face is less steep, falling only half as far to the upper gathering grounds of the Langstrath.
Geology
The volcaniclastic sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
of the Seathwaite Fell Formation predominates, with the pebbly sandstone and breccia
Breccia
Breccia is a rock composed of broken fragments of minerals or rock cemented together by a fine-grained matrix, that can be either similar to or different from the composition of the fragments....
of the Pavey Ark Member exposed on the Langdale face.
Summit and view
The summit is marked by a small cairnCairn
Cairn is a term used mainly in the English-speaking world for a man-made pile of stones. It comes from the or . Cairns are found all over the world in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops, near waterways and on sea cliffs, and also in barren desert and tundra areas...
and gives fine views of the Langdale Pikes although the looming presence of Bow Fell restricts the westward vista. A slightly lower cairn to the east brings the abyss of the head of Mickleden into view.
Ascents
Rossett Gill provides a second major walking route out of Great Langdale, this path heading via Angle Tarn to Esk Hause. Whilst perhaps conceived as a means of reaching distant WasdaleWasdale
Wasdale is a valley and civil parish in the western part of the Lake District National Park in Cumbria, England. The River Irt flows through the valley to its estuary at Ravenglass. A large part of the main valley floor is occupied by Wastwater, the deepest lake in England...
, it is now more commonly used as a fellwalkers' springboard to the Scafells. Alfred Wainwright
Alfred Wainwright
Alfred Wainwright MBE was a British fellwalker, guidebook author and illustrator. His seven-volume Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, published between 1955 and 1966 and consisting entirely of reproductions of his manuscript, has become the standard reference work to 214 of the fells of the...
pilloried the route in his influential Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells
Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells
A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells is a series of seven books by A. Wainwright, detailing the fells of the Lake District in northwest England...
, describing it as "almost certainly the least liked [foot-pass], due not to its steepness but its stoniness (a condition worsening year by year as swarming legions of booted pedestrians grind away the scanty vestiges of grass and soil)." He suggested renewed use of the old 'Pony Route' which makes a more circuitous climb to the south. In more recent times the more direct route has seen considerable stone pitching and is much improved.
Direct climbs of Rossett Pike are almost invariably made via one of the neighbouring passes. Rossett Gill provides the shorter route from Great Langdale, but the Stake is also perfectly practicable. From Stonethwaite in Borrowdale, Stake Pass is the primary means of ascent although Angle Tarn can also be reached. Rossett Pike is also popular as an indirect climb when taken as a top in the round of Great Langale, a long but glorious ridge walk.