Far Eastern Fells · Book 2

Angletarn Pikes

Angletarn Pikes is a Wainwright, one of the 214 Lake District fells in Alfred Wainwright’s Pictorial Guides. At 567 m (1,860 ft) it is the 143rd highest of the 214 and the 26th highest in the Far Eastern Fells.

Height: 567 m; 1,860 ft
Rank: 143; of 214
In area: 26; of 36
Difficulty: Moderate

Angletarn Pikes in the Far Eastern Fells of the Lake District — Photo: Toby Speight

About Angletarn Pikes

Twin-topped drama above Angle Tarn, one of the Lakes’ finest waters. Craggy knolls, easy scrambles and constant views across the Far Eastern skyline. A photographer’s dream on a calm day.

Two rocky towers give the fell its plural name. They stand about 200 yards apart with a strip of peat bog between them. The northern one is the true summit at 567 m. The southern one is a couple of metres lower, but it looks straight down on Angle Tarn.

From Patterdale, cross Goldrill Beck and climb to Boredale Hause, a meeting point of paths from Patterdale, Hartsop and Boredale. On the map you will see a tiny ruin there called Chapel in the Hause. From the hause the ridge rises south over Stony Rigg to the pikes. The Coast to Coast path from Patterdale towards High Street passes just below the tops, so they make a short detour from it.

Hartsop is the other good start. Walk Lakes describes a 12 km round from the car park at the end of the village road, where there is a donations box: up past Hayeswater to Brock Crags, on to Angletarn Pikes, then down to Boredale Hause and back beside Angletarn Beck. Expect rough, boggy going and indistinct paths in places. You can also come up from Martindale Old Church by the Beda Fell ridge.

Angle Tarn

The tarn sits in a hollow in the middle of the ridge. It is about a quarter of a mile long, with a ragged shoreline and an island, and it drains west through the ravine of Angletarn Beck. Beyond it you see the Helvellyn range and the long spine of the Far Eastern Fells across Martindale, and Brothers Water lies below to the south west. On the Bannerdale side the fell drops in crags, the biggest of them Heck Crag.

In winter

The ground around Angle Tarn is a jumble of knolls, small crags and peat, and Walk Lakes advises against its Hartsop round over these tops in mist for that reason. In snow the bog between the two summit towers hides under drifts, so pick your line across it with care.

Great Views
Potentially Dangerous

Sources: Wikipedia: Angletarn Pikes, Walk Lakes: Brock Crags and Angletarn Pikes from Hartsop, Walk Lakes: Beda Fell and Angletarn Pikes from Patterdale. Updated 24 September 2026.

Summit

OS grid ref: NY 413 148
Latitude: 54.52530° N
Longitude: 2.90798° W
Area: Far Eastern Fells

Walking up Angletarn Pikes

The nearest car park on foot is White Lion Car Park, 2.9 km (1.8 miles) from the summit along mapped paths. Directions to the car park

Route from White Lion Car Park

Distance: 2.9 km; 1.8 miles, one way
Ascent: 413 m; Total climb to the summit
Time up: 1 h 13 min; Allow 1 to 2 hours

Height in metres along the path from White Lion Car Park to the summit.

Times use Naismith’s rule, 5 km/h on the flat plus extra time for the climb, with Langmuir’s corrections. It’s a rule of thumb for the way up only, so add stops, weather and the walk back down.

The route follows paths mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors and isn’t a guided line. This car park was picked automatically and hasn’t been checked by hand yet, so compare it with a map. Check the mountain forecast before you go and carry a map and compass.

Angletarn Pikes questions

Is Angletarn Pikes a Wainwright?

Yes. Angletarn Pikes is one of the 214 fells Alfred Wainwright described in his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, in Book 2, The Far Eastern Fells.

How high is Angletarn Pikes?

Angletarn Pikes is 567 metres (1,860 feet) high. That makes it the 143rd highest of the 214 Wainwrights and the 26th highest in the Far Eastern Fells.

Where do you park for Angletarn Pikes?

The nearest car park on foot is White Lion Car Park, 2.9 km (1.8 miles) from the summit along mapped paths.

How long does it take to climb Angletarn Pikes?

From White Lion Car Park it is 2.9 km with 413 m of ascent. Naismith's rule, with Langmuir's corrections, puts the climb at about 1 h 13 min, so allow 1 to 2 hours to reach the summit at your own pace, plus the walk back down.

How hard is Angletarn Pikes?

Upfell rates Angletarn Pikes as moderate, and parts of it can be dangerous in poor weather or visibility. Check the mountain weather forecast before you set out and carry a map and compass.

Which Wainwrights are near Angletarn Pikes?

The closest are Brock Crags (561 m, 1.2 km S), Arnison Crag (433 m, 2.0 km W) and The Nab (576 m, 2.1 km E).

What is the grid reference for the summit of Angletarn Pikes?

The summit is at OS grid reference NY 413 148, or 54.52530, -2.90798 in latitude and longitude.