Lake District
Lang How
414M
1358FT
About Lang How
Rising above Grasmere on the undulating ridge toward Silver How, this rocky Birkett summit offers a more rugged character than its more famous neighbour. The terrain is a maze of small crags and peat hags, rewarding those who stray from the main path with a quieter, high-vantage perspective of the Central Fells.
Key Statistics
Rank
576th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Central Fells
Prominence
?
29m
Nearest Town
Chapel Stile
Geology
You are walking on ancient, solidified lava known as andesite. This rock formed when molten material cooled and hardened within a massive volcanic system.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NY318070
Latitude
54.4542°N
Longitude
3.0529°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is derived from the Old Norse 'langr' and 'haugr', literally translating to 'Long Hill'. This refers to the extended, undulating ridge that forms the western skyline above the village of Grasmere.
- •While most walkers head for the famous Wainwright summit of Silver How, Lang How is the true highest point of the ridge. Bill Birkett recognised it as a distinct peak in its own right, sitting about 500 metres north-west of its more popular neighbour.
- •The summit provides a spectacular vantage point for viewing the Langdale Pikes; from this angle, Harrison Stickle and Pavey Ark appear as a formidable wall of rock rising sharply above the hidden trough of Great Langdale.
- •Both Bill Birkett and Tim Synge classified this as a separate peak, acknowledging its status as the topographical high point of the massif, even though Alfred Wainwright chose to focus his description on the lower southern end of the ridge.
- •It is the ultimate summit for the pedantic walker, providing the satisfaction of standing 19 metres higher than the crowds on the neighbouring fell who are busy celebrating at the 'wrong' top.