Climbing up To Stickle Tarn with a Family – Our Experience

We are a family who loves to walk and be active. We are often out on long dog walks, we enjoy cycling and paddleboarding and we usually book holidays or trips that have plenty of exciting areas to explore. When we first visited the Lake District around four years ago, we absolutely fell in love with it. With its stunning scenery, beautiful lakes, hilly hikes and peaceful atmosphere, it had something for all of us; and we’d been eager to get back ever since. So we took the last-minute decision to make it happen during May half term – and what a week it was! I mean, I am sat here now writing this utterly exhausted because we just did. Not. Stop! But we did so much and saw so much and made the most amazing memories. One of my favourite being our climb up to Stickle Tarn.

What is Stickle Tarn?

A tarn is a small mountain pond or lake often carved out by ancient glaciers. Stickle Tarn is a natural pond that was enlarged into the lake we see today in 1838 by the construction of a large dam to provide a water supply to the residents of Langdale below. Now a National Trust site, it is a popular hike via Stickle Ghyll (valley), for a wide variety of visitors to the Lake District.

What You Will Need

• A good pair of walking boots/shoes
• Comfortable clothing that is weather appropriate (thermals for winter, light layers for spring/summer, hats etc)
• Layered clothing – the hike is tough and you will get very warm at some points but you may get chilly once you stop at the top so it is essential to have items you can easily take off and put back on
• Hiking poles if you need the support and especially on wet days to prevent you slipping
• Sun cream
• Plenty of water in reusable bottles
• Snacks/picnic food
• First aid kit with the basics
• Sturdy backpack
• Towels and swimwear if you plan to get in the water
• Bags for your waste
• Lead, water bowl and dog poo bags for dogs

Arrival

There is a good-sized car park located at the base of Stickle Ghyll.

Address: Stickle Ghyll car park, Great Langdale, near Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 9JU.

If this is full, there is another down the road at New Dungeon Ghyll (you will pass it as you drive in). Parking is pay and display and there are public toilets available to use. There are picnic tables, National Trust staff members, trail information and also a pub located next door for refreshments.

Climbing up To Stickle Tarn

This hike isn’t for the faint-hearted, believe me, as someone who climbed Ben Nevis last year, taking on Stickle Ghyll on a hot day was really hard work, so do be prepared. Take everything you’ll need for the particular time of year you choose to tackle this and ensure you stay hydrated and well-fuelled for the climb ahead. The full trail is around 2 miles long and approximately 400 metres up, so even though it may sound short, it is steep and tricky and will take you around 2 hours to complete.

The climb does begin immediately; there isn’t a flat start and it doesn’t really ease you in. From the moment you go through the gate, the rocky steps await, and as you climb higher, some of the terrain gets a lot tougher. Now, don’t get me wrong, it may be a challenge, but the views and rolling countryside, nature and end result all make it so worthwhile.

Rest Stops

The stream that runs down the hill makes for a great place to sit down for a rest and on a hot day, the ideal way to cool off. With each set of steps, remember to stop, turn around and take in those views because it just keeps getting better and better. There are plenty of grassy areas where you could sit and have a picnic or to catch your breath. On a cooler day I think we would have found it much more bearable, but unfortunately, the abnormal May heat wave that took place coincided with our week away. I would definitely opt for a cool, maybe light breezy but clear day if you were looking to do this.

Kids, Dogs and Accessibility

We did take our two children (aged 8 and 12 at the time) and also our border terrier (aged 5). All of them did so well, even our little dog until we hit the larger rocky climbs and then she had to be carried up and over. Dogs should be kept on leads due to livestock grazing nearby, however this was tricky on the way back down due to her lead becoming a pull and trip hazard so do bear yours and your pet’s safety in mind. Plenty of other families were also hiking, so it is doable for all ages as long as they are fit and healthy. Please note that it is not pushchair or wheelchair accessible and on wet days the rocks do become very slippery and on hot days there is very little shade.

Reaching the Top

The feeling you get when you realise the top is nearing is just amazing and as we came over the last hill and saw the mountain lake in front of us, we were just absolutely blown away. It is simply stunning on a sunny day and something most of us may never see. There are areas around the water where you can sit, relax, eat and take in the views, and if you are brave enough to enter the chilly water, you can paddle or swim until you have fully cooled down from your challenging hike.

We didn’t have time (or the energy) to walk around the Tarn or to look for other trails but we could see people venturing off around us and higher up to Pavey Ark and Harrison Stickle. There were also lots of activity groups taking part in mountain climbing, abseiling and gorge scrambling which looked a lot of fun… Maybe something for us to book next time.

The Descent

Coming down always feels much easier than climbing up but do be warned that some rocks are slippy even on dry days and rushing could lead to an accident. Slow and steady, taking stops to allow others to pass by you on their way up and carefully choosing the best step down is the way to go. As I mentioned before, coming down with a dog on a lead was very dangerous in places, so do take care and if you have a small dog, it may be easier to carry them.

The best part about coming down is that the views are now directly in front of you, so definitely take all of that in and seize every opportunity to get the camera out! The walk down felt much faster than up and didn’t feel as hard on our legs. The reward once back down on flat ground is the cold pub drinks and meals – highly recommend!

If Scafell Pike feels like too big a challenge for you and your family, then I would say that the Stickle Ghyll trail up to Stickle Tarn is a fantastic alternative hike.

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