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Walk 1

Chapel Stile (Langdale) -> Sawrey's Wood -> Dale End -> Lingmoor Fell -> Blea Tarn House -> Side Pike -> Side House -> Oak Howe -> Chapel Stile

As per walk 1 in the Autumn 03 section, this walk has some of the most picturesque views of any in The Lake District. Whatever the season there is always a profusion of colour and fabulous vistas round every corner. It's an easy walk with nicely graded ascents on old mining tracks and several obvious break points on Lingmoor Fell and at Side Pike.

It's interesting how views that were spectacular in October were no longer so in December but that new photo opportunities had presented themselves as you can see.

Walk 2

New Dungeon Ghyll (Langdale) -> Stickle Ghyll -> Stickle Tarn -> Harrison Stickle -> Loft Crag -> Pike o' Stickle -> Martcrag Moor -> Stake Pass -> Mickleden -> Old Dungeon Ghyll -> New Dungeon Ghyll

This is a classic Lakeland walk. The climb up Stickle Ghyll has become a bit of a motorway and due to erosion it has now been slabbed with large rocks which makes for a tiring and unnatural ascent. However, there are fabulous waterfalls and great views down Langdale. At the top of the ghyll you arrive at Stickle Tarn with the great, glowering wall of Pavey Ark behind. We turned left and climbed up to Harrison Stickle then made our way along to Loft Crag and Pike o' Stickle. The ascent of Pike o' Stickle was quite challenging in the ice but the views were worth it and we enjoyed a great picnic in the sun. We then descended to Martcrag Moor and looked out towards Skiddaw, the change in rock between Langdale and Skiddaw being highly noticeable. The Skiddaw range looked like a Tibetan mountain range with its jagged snow caps. We descended to Mickleden from Stake Pass with its wonderful drumlins etched by shadows. From Mickleden we returned round the edge of Langdale to The New Dungeon Ghyll car park.

Walk 3

Chapel Stile (Langdale) -> Megs Gill -> Hammerscar Plantation -> Loughrigg Terrace -> Jobson Close (cave) -> Loughrigg Fell -> Loughrigg Tarn -> Crag Head -> Elter Water -> Elterwater -> Chapel Stile

This is a great walk for when it's too icey to get on the tops as it was for us on this day. Megs Gill is a lovely path with plenty of interesting ice formations on the many waterfalls.

From the gill, the path takes you over the tops to the Red Bank road and the lovely Loughrigg Terrace with views of Grasmere and Rydal Water. From there the path contours round the base of Loughrigg Fell to the impressive cave at Jobson Close where we ate our picnic. From the cave we wound our way up along one of the many paths that criss-cross Loughrigg Fell until we eventually dropped down to the lovely Loughrigg Tarn. This really is one of the most beautiful tarns in The Lake District and the campsite is glorious (and basic!) in warm weather.

From Loughrigg Tarn we climbed up and round Crag Head and dropped down to the footpath by the side of Elter Water that took us back to Chapel Stile.