Great Langdale
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Great Langdale is a valley in the Lake District National park in the county of Cumbria, in the northwest of England. It is often simply referred to as Langdale, the epithet Great distinguishing it from the neighbouring valley of Little Langdale.
Langdale is a popular location for hikers, climbers, fell-runners and other outdoor enthusiasts, who are attracted by the many fells that ring the head of the valley. England's highest mountain, Scafell Pike, can be climbed by a route from Langdale. It has spectacular views, in particular, Dungeon Ghyll Force waterfall, Harrison Stickle and Pike of Stickle.
The mouth of the valley is located at Skelwith Bridge, which lies about 2 miles west of the town of Ambleside. The Langdale valley contains 2 villages; Chapelstile and Elterwater and a hamlet at Highclose.
It is a U-shaped valley formed by glaciers while Little Langdale is a hanging valley.
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[edit] The Langdale Pikes and other Fells
One of the best known feature of Great Langdale are the Langdale Pikes, a group of peaks on the northerrn side of the dale. From below they appear as a sharp rocky ridge, though they are only precipitous on their southern side: to the north the land sweeps gently to High Raise, parent peak of the range. The Pikes themselves include (from west to east) Pike of Stickle, Loft Crag, Harrison Stickle, and Pavey Ark.
Langdales highest fell is Bowfell, other notable fells are crinkle crags at the head of the Oxendale vallay and Pike O'Blisco
[edit] History
[edit] Neolithic
Langdale is known to archaeologists as the source of a particular type of Neolithic polished stone axe head, created on the slopes of Pike of Stickle, and traded all over prehistoric Great Britain and Europe. It also supplied stone for some Bronze Age items such as stone wrist-guards.
Neolithic cup and ring marks are found on the Langdale Boulders.
[edit] Roman
The remains of Hardknot pass Fort roman fort can be seen at the top of hardknot pass. The roman name for the fort was Mediobogdum[1]
[edit] Slate industry
Langdale and Elterwater were centres of the Lake District slate industry. Two slate workings have been more or less continually working using modern methods, which are: Elterwater Quarry, and Spout Cragg Quarry. Elterwater is the bigger of the two, and 'like Spout Cragg is operated by Burlington Stone. The are various other quarries now disused in the area such as: Lingmoor, Banks, Thrang Crag and Colt Howe.
Langdale is also the name of a valley in the Howgill Fells, elsewhere in Cumbria.
[edit] Langdale Leisure Limited
Langdale Leisure Limited operates in the valley. It consists of a hotel, timeshare lodges and leisure facilities. [[1]]
[edit] References
- ^ Ihttp://www.edgeguide.co.uk/cumbria/forts.html
[edit] See also
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![[1]](http://www.aberfoyleholidays.com/pics/langdale2.jpg){kind=link}