Blea Tarn and Side Pike Circuit

Blea Tarn sits in a small hanging valley between Great and Little Langdale, its far shore fringed with Scots pine and rhododendron and the Langdale Pikes rising behind it. The extended loop adds an airy scramble up Side Pike, 362m, for one of the great picture-book views in the Lakes, before dropping back to the tarn on good path. It is a dog friendly walk, short and sweet for the basic loop and a proper little adventure with the Side Pike addition.

Park at the National Trust Blea Tarn car park (pay and display, free for members). The tarn and valley are heavily grazed by Herdwick sheep, and red deer and ground-nesting birds inhabit the higher ground, so dogs must be on a short lead throughout. The main tarn loop is well-made path and boardwalk, easy for any dog, but the Side Pike ascent includes a narrow rocky squeeze known as the Side Pike squeeze that is not suitable for larger dogs. There are no facilities at the car park, so bring supplies; the Three Shires Inn in Little Langdale and Sticklebarn in Great Langdale are dog friendly.