Wednesday 1st April 2009

Start point: Wasdale Head (NY 186 084)

Wasdale Head - Moses Trod - Skew Gill - The Band - Great End - Ill Crag - Broad Crag - Scafell Pike - Lingmell Col - Lingmell - Wasdale Head

Distance: 7.8 miles     Total Ascent: 1115 metres     Time Taken: 5 hours 15 minutes

Weather: Sunny spells, warm. 12oC.

Route Map

Some walks are pretty and some are easier than others but today's walk is best described as a gnarled and hard going. I climbed Skew Gill to reach Great End and that was a hard scramble (Note: to repeat, Skew Gill is a hard scramble and in no way is it a 'walk') and had a look at Cust's Gully before climbing Great End and walking the Scafell Pikes. It was really quite pleasant at times too, warm and spring like and not too many people about either.

Wast Water dawn reflections.

Reflected Great Gable, Lingmell, Scafell Pike and Scafell.

St Olaf's Church surrounded by Yew Trees, Kirk Fell behind.

Great Gable.

Yewbarrow and Wasdale Head along Lingmell Beck.

Great End ahead. Skew Gill, the route of ascent can be seen as the dark diagonal line to the left of the highest part of the fell.

Crossing Lingmell Beck.

Looking back to Wasdale from Spouthead Gill.

Lingmell and Piers Gill.

Great Gable and Kirk Fell from the entrance to Skew Gill.

Yes Casper, that way!

Casper leads the way in Skew Gill. It is best to stay in the middle with the gill rather than climb the sides, which become very steep.

Great Gable from Skew Gill.

It was certainly more than a bit rough and damp in Skew Gill today.

Suddenly you pop out from the top of the ravine, blinking into the light. The top part of the gill almost looks as though there is now way out when you turn the right angle corner and a bit of a climb is required to escape the steep sided ravine. Here's a bit of sunshine on Great Gable and Kirk Fell from the head of Skew Gill.

The view to the northern fells across Sprinkling Tarn and Seathwaite Fell from the top of The Band.

Sprinkling Tarn looks tranquil today.

Great and Green Gable across Styhead Tarn.

Great End. Cust's Gully is the snow filled one on the right.

The low lying valleys beyond Esk Hause are filled with morning mist.

Cust's Gully. I had a look and made it as far as the black rock sticking through the snow about a third the way up. The snow was part frozen and treacherous so there was no way I would risk going any further today, similarly the branch gully to the right was snow filled too so it was the pedestrian route further round to the right for me. When I reached the top and looked down Cust's Gully, there was a big cornice of icy snow there so that would certainly have been tricky to surmount. I think I will have another look in the summer.

Nice and clear across to the north western fells today.

...and the Gables.

Ill Crag, Broad Crag and Scafell Pike from Great End.

The Langdale Pikes, Lingmoor Fell and Windermere from Great End.

Scafell Pike.

Casper says he is fed up with scrambling now.

Esk Pike and Bowfell.

Great Moss and Upper Eskdale from Ill Crag.

Broad Crag from Ill Crag.

The mist starting to rise and swirl round the ridge from Eskdale. At this stage it didn't look as though I would make it to the top before the view was obliterated as the cloud began to surround me.

Pillar beyond Lingmell from the climb to Scafell Pike.

Casper has made it, the highest dog in England - and the top is still clear!

Skiddaw from Scafell Pike.

Scafell across Mickledore.

Mosedale from the trig column.

Descending to Lingmell Col, Lingmell beyond.

Mosedale from the column on the western end of Lingmell.

A panoramic view from Lingmell. Select on the image to see a larger version.

Great Gable.

Scafell Pike from Goat Crags.

Illgill Head and Wast Water from the descent of Lingmell.

Wasdale Head and Mosedale, Pillar at it's head.

Wast Water.

Kirk Fell and Great Gable from the final crossing of Lingmell Beck.

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