Langdale is a place name of Norse origin, meaning "Long Valley," found primarily in England and Canada. The most notable locations are the valley of Great Langdale in the Lake District, Cumbria, and the community of Langdale, British Columbia.
Great Langdale (England)
Great Langdale is a valley in the Lake District National Park in North West England. The name is likely derived from Old Norse, translating to "Long Valley." The epithet "Great" distinguishes it from the neighbouring valley of Little Langdale. A separate Langdale valley also exists in the Howgill Fells, elsewhere in Cumbria.
Great Langdale was a significant site during the Neolithic period, known for a productive stone axe industry. The area has outcrops of fine-grained greenstone (epidotised greenstone) suitable for making polished axes, which have been found distributed across the British Isles and as far as the River Thames, Cornwall, and Orkney. These are known to archaeologists as "Group VI axes." The Neolithic carvings on the Langdale Boulders at Copt Howe, dated to c. 3300–2900 BC, preserve England's largest and most complex assemblage of Neolithic rock carvings, showing stylistic affinities with Irish passage tomb art such as that at Newgrange.
Later, Great Langdale was also a centre of the Lakeland slate industry, with workings at Elterwater Quarry and Spout Cragg Quarry still operating today.
The valley is a popular destination for hikers, climbers, fell-runners, and other outdoor enthusiasts. Among its best-known features are the Langdale Pikes, a group of peaks on the northern side of the dale, including Pike of Stickle (709 m), Loft Crag (682 m), Harrison Stickle (the high point of the Pikes), and Pavey Ark (700 m). Other notable fells include Bowfell (the valley's highest), Crinkle Crags, and Pike o' Blisco. England's highest mountain, Scafell Pike, can also be climbed via a route from Langdale.
The valley contains the villages of Chapel Stile and Elterwater, and the hamlet of High Close. The Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, known in climbing circles as the "ODG," has a long association with mountaineering.
Langdale, British Columbia (Canada)
Langdale is a small unincorporated residential community in British Columbia, Canada, located within the territory of the Squamish Nation and part of the Sunshine Coast Regional District. It is situated on the north side of Howe Sound, on the southeast coast of the Sechelt Peninsula.
The settlement is named after Robinson Henry Langdale (1835–1908), who preempted land on Langdale Creek in 1892.
Langdale has no significant industry other than the Langdale Ferry Terminal, operated by BC Ferries. The terminal provides vehicle transport connecting the Sunshine Coast region to Vancouver's Horseshoe Bay, as well as foot-passenger service to Keats Island and Gambier Island. The community is also the location of Langdale Elementary School.
Other Uses
- Langdale, Alabama – an unincorporated community in Chambers County, Alabama, United States.
- Langdale – a surname of English origin.
