Stickle Gill, Stickle Tarn and Blea Rigg from Chapel Stile

Limited parking is available in Chapel Stile, do not park in private places or block any narrow roads. On busy days you will have to park further afield.

This GPX and route is described as starting and finishing at the parking beside the village shop. Please note this is only for illustrative purposes as the centre of the village. The parking here is for patrons of the shop and tea room only; it is not for long term parking whilst you go walking..

(S/E) From the parking, turn left and walk down the road in the direction of Wainwrights Inn. Just after some trees and before the inn there is a path on the right hand side of the road.

(1) Turn right and follow the path which leads behind the school, through Thrang Farm and which joins the track leading over the bridge to the campsite. Keep walking along the good track past the campsite to the next bridge.

(2) Cross the bridge and continue along the track until there is a path on the left. Follow the path with a stream on your left to another track, turn left and follow this to the car park opposite the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel. Cross the road to the Hotel.

(3) Follow the Cumbria Way through the hotel grounds and once beyond the fell wall make sure that you take the turning right and uphill (leaving from the Cumbria Way) on a path that follows Stickle Ghyll. The stream will be on your right as you start the ascent but you will cross the ghyll part way up and then re-cross it again just before the dam and Stickle Tarn.

(4) Enjoy the views of the tarn and Pavey Ark, this is a good place to have a break and a snack. Follow the path on the right as if going around the tarn in an anticlockwise direction until you come to a junction with a path on the right.

(5) Take the path on the right; there are a couple of variations possible but both lead uphill to Blea Rigg. Paths lead either side of the rocky ridge but smaller paths lead directly along the ridge top.

(6) From the ridge top, follow the path in a generally easterly direction, passing some boggy ground to Little Castle How. The path turns south of south east and descends under Swinescar Pike to a junction just above a small tarn.

(7) From the junction, go either in front of or behind the tarn (the path behind is drier) to where the paths join again on the other side.

(8) On the other side of the tarn follow the path along the side of the ridge, looking down on Chapel Stile. The path will cross Megs Gill and join the prominent path leading from Chapel Stile to Grasmere.

(9) At the junction, turn right and take the path downhill, slanting across the hillside to Chapel Stile, heading towards the old quarry. Join at track beside the quarry.
(From (9) it is also possible to head straight down the hillside and join the minor road above the village.)

(10) Turn left and follow the track back into the village and back to your parking (S/E)

Refreshments are available at the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel.

Once out of the valley there are no shelters. Check the weather and dress accordingly, whilst this is not a long or challenging walk the ridge can be cold in windy weather. I would always advise taking a windproof / waterproof and as it is wet underfoot in places boots that will keep the water out out. In dry conditions it is possible to do this in approach shoes.