Harrison Stickle: 735.3m Height, Walks and Views

Harrison Stickle is the highest of the Langdale Pikes, rising to 735.3m above Great Langdale. Its craggy face gives it a commanding presence from the dale, while the summit opens out towards the surrounding Central Fells and the higher western skyline. Walkers value it both as a summit in its own right and as part of a day linking the closely grouped Langdale tops.

The highest of the Langdale Pikes

Harrison Stickle is one of the defining summits above Great Langdale. At 735.3m (2,412ft), it is the highest of the Langdale Pikes, a group whose steep faces and distinct rocky tops make an immediately recognisable skyline. Seen from the dale, the fell looks rugged and imposing; from the higher ground behind it, its relationship with the neighbouring summits is much easier to understand.

The contrast between those two sides is central to its character. Crags dominate the valley-facing slopes, while the ground towards Thunacar Knott connects Harrison Stickle with the broader uplands of the Central Fells. Its rocks belong to the Borrowdale Volcanic Group, the ancient volcanic bedrock responsible for much of the rugged scenery in central Lakeland.

Stickle Tarn and the summit views

Stickle Tarn lies below the eastern side of Harrison Stickle, with the long crag of Pavey Ark standing above the water to the north. Tarn, crag and summit form one of Langdale’s best-known combinations. Harrison Stickle provides a different perspective from the familiar view upwards beside Stickle Beck: the tarn is now below, and the surrounding fells become part of a much wider landscape.

From the summit, Great Langdale falls away beneath the crags. Across the dale, the Coniston Fells form a substantial part of the southern outlook, while Bowfell and the Crinkle Crags stand prominently towards the west. Nearby, Pike of Stickle has a particularly distinctive profile. These close views of individual tops are as rewarding as the more distant panorama, giving walkers a clear sense of how the Langdale fells fit together.

Harrison Stickle in the Central Fells

Alfred Wainwright included Harrison Stickle in The Central Fells, the third book of his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells. It ranks 70th in height among the 214 Wainwrights. Its neighbouring Wainwrights are Thunacar Knott, Pavey Ark, Loft Crag and Pike of Stickle, making it a natural focus for walks that take in several summits rather than treating each fell separately.

Great Langdale is the familiar starting area for walks to Harrison Stickle, though the fell also belongs to the wider network of upland walks across the Central Fells. The compact grouping of summits should not disguise the terrain: steep ascents, rocky ground and navigation in poor visibility all deserve respect. A dedicated route guide and a suitable map are the right companions for planning a day here.

Where Harrison Stickle stands

Summit at grid reference NY281074 · open full map

The real Harrison Stickle

Walking Harrison Stickle

We make artwork, not route guides — these are the guides we'd point a friend to:

• Harrison Stickle from Stickle Tarn (go4awalk.com)
• Walks in the Lake District - The Langdale Pikes (walkingenglishman.com)
• Pavey Ark, Harrison Stickle, Pike of Stickle and Stake Pass ... (alltrails.com)

Weather on Harrison Stickle

Conditions estimated at summit height (735 m) via Open-Meteo. For a walker's forecast, use the Mountain Weather Information Service.

Harrison Stickle on your wall

A painting of Harrison Stickle can recall more than the summit: the climb above Stickle Beck, the tarn below, or that familiar skyline from Great Langdale. On paper or canvas, its rocky outline gives a room a lasting connection to days among the fells.

Own “Sunlit Crags of Harrison Stickle” — our painting of Harrison Stickle → or browse all Fells & Mountains artwork

Neighbouring Wainwrights in The Central Fells

• Thunacar Knott 723 m
• Pavey Ark 702 m
• Loft Crag 682 m
• Pike of Stickle 708 m

Part of our guide to all 214 Wainwrights — see the full index.