Harrison Stickle

Harrison Stickle stands in the central Lake District above Great Langdale, forming the highest point of the Langdale Pikes. The fell rises above Stickle Tarn, a deep corrie dammed for drinking water, and its rocky summit ridge offers views across the central fells. To the east the crags drop sharply toward Pavey Ark, one of the most striking faces in the area. The south-western side is cut by Dungeon Ghyll, a deep ravine separating Harrison Stickle from Pike of Stickle and Loft Crag. All water from the fell drains into Great Langdale through the tarn and its ghyll. The fell’s geology includes pebbly sandstone and breccia of the Pavey Ark Member, and its slopes hold evidence of Neolithic axe-making. Archaeologists have found greenstone knapping sites below the summit, part of the Langdale axe industry. Roughly shaped axes were traded across the country, with finished examples discovered as far away as Buckinghamshire and East Anglia. The industry exploited local tuff, and axes varied widely in size and shape for different uses. Many were designed to take wooden or bone handles. The summit is a short rocky ridge topped by two cairns, the northern one higher than the other. From here every major fell group in the Lake District is visible, making the view as impressive as the sight of the fell itself. Walkers usually start from New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, following Stickle Beck to the tarn before climbing the western side of Pavey Ark. The fell is often combined with nearby peaks for a longer circular route through the Langdale Pikes.