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About Harrison Stickle
Harrison Stickle
is a fell in the central part of the English Lake District, situated
above Great Langdale. The fell is one of the three (although the number
is debated) fells which make up the picturesque Langdale Pikes, the
others being Pike of Stickle and Loft Crag.
Together they make up
one of the most picturesque and probably the best known mountain groups
in the District. A "stickle" is a hill with a prominent rocky top.
The Langdale Pikes form a raised rocky parapet around the southern
and eastern edges of a high tableland centred upon Thunacar Knott.
Harrison Stickle is the high point of this system and its crags fall
south and east from the summit, presenting an arresting view from the
valley floor 2,000 ft below or from further afield.
To the north,
the main ridge of the central fells passes over Thunacar Knott before
climbing to High Raise.
The craggy eastern face of this ridge
continues north as far as Harrison's near neighbour, Pavey Ark, visually
the most impressive face in the area.
The south western border of
Harrison Stickle is formed by the deep ravine of Dungeon Ghyll, which
cuts through the parapet of the Langdale Pikes and into the lower
hinterland of Harrison Combe.
Across the Ghyll westwards are
Thorn Crag, Loft Crag and finally Pike of Stickle.
Below the
steep eastern face of Harrison Stickle lie Stickle Tarn and its ghyll,
thus ensuring that all drainage from the fell is to Great Langdale.
The tarn is a waterfilled corrie about 50 ft deep enhanced by a dam.
The water is used for public consumption in Great Langdale.
The
summit is a short rocky ridge with a cairn at each end, the northern one
being higher.
The view from Harrison Stickle is as good as the
view of it — a surprisingly rare occurrence — with all of the major fell
groups visible.
The fell is usually climbed from New Dungeon
Ghyll Hotel in Great Langdale and there are a number of possible routes
up.
The simplest first follows Stickle Beck to Stickle Tarn where
a path then leads up the western side of Pavey Ark to reach the summit.
The fell is almost invariably combined with other nearby peaks to
make a longer circular walk.
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