Rossett Pike: 651m Height, Walks and Langdale Views

Rossett Pike stands above the head of Mickleden, a rocky summit easily overshadowed by its higher neighbours. At 651m, it offers a rewarding perspective on Great Langdale without belonging to the valley’s highest ranks. Walkers often encounter it on longer days around Bowfell and Esk Pike, but its outlook towards the Langdale Pikes and its position above Rossett Gill give it a character worth stopping for.

A rocky summit above Mickleden

Rossett Pike occupies the ridge between Mickleden, one of Great Langdale’s two upper valleys, and the head of Langstrath. Its summit is a rocky rise rather than a broad plateau, with steeper ground falling towards the valleys below. From Mickleden, the fell helps close the valley’s head, while the much larger mass of Bowfell dominates the ground to its south-west.

The outlook is a large part of its appeal. Looking down Mickleden gives a strong sense of the valley’s length and glacial shape, with the Langdale Pikes rising along its northern side. Bowfell and Crinkle Crags provide a contrasting view of higher, rougher ground. Nearby Angle Tarn lies in a hollow to the north-west, beneath the surrounding fells: a familiar landmark for walkers crossing this part of the district.

Rossett Pike in the Southern Fells

At 651 metres, or 2,136 feet, Rossett Pike ranks 114th among the 214 Wainwrights. It appears in The Southern Fells, the fourth volume of Alfred Wainwright’s Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells. Its summit grid reference is NY249075.

This is a fell best understood through its position among its neighbours. Bowfell, Esk Pike, Allen Crags and Crinkle Crags all belong to the surrounding Southern Fells landscape, though they differ considerably in scale and outline. Rossett Pike sits lower than each of them, offering a more enclosed perspective on their slopes rather than an uninterrupted panorama over their summits. That relative modesty is useful: it gives walkers a clear view of how valley, tarn and high ridge fit together around the head of Langdale.

Rossett Gill and the wider walking country

Rossett Gill is closely associated with the fell. The path beside it links Mickleden with the higher ground near Angle Tarn, making this an established approach from Great Langdale towards Esk Hause and the central high fells. The ascent is steep and stony, and the surrounding terrain deserves the same care as the higher summits nearby.

Rossett Pike is often included in longer walks involving neighbouring Wainwrights, rather than treated as the sole objective. Even so, the summit is distinct from the through-route past the gill and tarn. For anyone planning a visit, a dedicated walking guide and a current map are better companions than judging the outing by the fell’s height alone.

Where Rossett Pike stands

Summit at grid reference NY249075 · open full map

The real Rossett Pike

Walking Rossett Pike

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

• Rossett Pike (andrewswalks.co.uk)
• Rossett Pike, Angle Tarn, Esk Pike and Bowfell (walklakes.co.uk)
• Rossett Pike - Walk the Wainwrights (walkwainwrights.co.uk)

Weather on Rossett Pike

Conditions estimated at summit height (651 m) via Open-Meteo. For a walker's forecast, use the Mountain Weather Information Service.

Rossett Pike on your wall

A painting of Rossett Pike can bring a familiar corner of Langdale into the home: the rocky ground above Mickleden, the neighbouring fells, and the changing light that gives their slopes depth. It is a way to keep the shape of a well-remembered walk in view.

Own “Sunlit Slopes on Rossett Pike” — our painting of Rossett Pike → or browse all Fells & Mountains artwork

Neighbouring Wainwrights in The Southern Fells

• Bowfell 903 m
• Esk Pike 885 m
• Allen Crags 785 m
• Crinkle Crags 859 m

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