Drive to Langdale and park in the National Trust Car Park near the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel.  If this car park is full then you can park at the National Trust Car Park by the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel and Sticklebarn and then walk through the fields to the Old Dungeon Ghyll.

Go around to the right of the hotel and round the back.  A path leads through a gate and alongside a wall towards Mickleden.  This path is very stony at first but is very easy to follow.  The path traverses the valley of Mickelden for over two kilometres.

After about forty minutes you will reach a footbridge over another Gill.  This is Stake Gill.  The path splits just after the bridge with the main path going straight ahead towards the higher fells of Rossett Pike and Esk Pike. 

Take the path that goes right and starts to ascend the fellside following the course of Stake Gill.  This path zig zags up the fellside with some steep sections.  There are some good views of Pike of Stickle to the right of the ascent. Eventually the ascent gets less steep and you will walk through a delightful small valley (Langdale Combe). Continue along the path and you eventually reach a large cairn.  Shortly after the cairn you will come to the small tarn at the top of Stake Pass.  This is a great place for lunch.

To return, retrace the route taken to get to the pass.

An alternative, time permitting, is to head roughly south across Martcrag Moor and on to Pike of Stickle.  This can be climbed and then a descent can be made via loft crag and Dungeon Ghyll Force.  This alternative will add considerably to the time taken.