Pike o'Blisco, or Pike of Blisco is one of a series of Wainwright walks in the picturesque and popular Langdale area, with this Lake District fell located between the Great Langdale and Little Langdale valleys. Although it is officially known as Pike of Blisco by the Ordnance Survey, A. Wainwright much preferred the name Pike o'Blisco, a 'swashbuckling' name, and consequently the name that appears on our Wainwright Maps. Offering splendid views of the Langdale Pikes, understandably Pike o'Blisco is a particularly popular Lake District Wainwright walk - given the fine panorama available from its conical summit.

A Wainwright Lake District walk to the top of Pike o'Blisco can be made from either Great or Little Langdale. A popular route begins at Dungeon Ghyll in Great Langdale, along Oxendale beck and to the top via Red Tarn. This route is a particularly good Wainwright walk to take in Pike o'Blisco as the Lake District walking route takes you right around the foot of the fell, giving great views of the summit. Unusually for the Wainwright Fells, the top of Pike o'Blisco is visible from the valley below - meaning the cairn built at the top of the mountain can be seen from Great Langdale. This of course means there are superb views over the surrounding landscape and valleys.

An alternative route to climb Pike o'Blisco can be taken from Little Langdale using the public footpath that begins at Wrynose Bridge, while the recommended Wainwright walking route involves a scramble away from public footpaths to the crags above the valley. Not being far from the Wrynose Pass, hikers wanting to tick Pike o'Blisco off on their Wainwright Maps will find the easiest and shortest route is to park on the pass at Three Shire Stone, which lets the car do some of the work! Those interested in Wainwright walks in the fells he described in his guides can also take in the summit of the neighbouring Cold Pike with a circular route from Little or Great Langdale, making an excellent day's hiking (and ticking off two Wainwright Map fells in one swoop).

More information on the walks that take in Pike o'Blisco can be found in Book Four: The Southern Fells by Alfred Wainwright, part of the Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells.

A view from Pike o'Blisco, looking down Langdale - a popular area for Wainwright Walks - Photograph by Jack Towers