Thursday 25th June 2009

Start point: Brotherilkeld, car park at the bottom of Hardknott Pass (NY 214 011)

Brotherilkeld Farm - Lingcove Bridge - Great Moss - Little Narrowcove - Broad Crag col - Scafell Pike - Mickledore - Lord's Rake - West Wall Traverse - Deep Gill - Symonds Knott - Scafell - Slight Side - Catcove Beck - Brotherilkeld Farm

Distance: 10.4 miles     Total Ascent: 1140 metres    Time Taken: 5 hours 45 minutes

Weather: Sunny, breezy on the tops. 21oC.

Route Map

I fancied a bit of a scramble today so I headed for the Scafells from Eskdale in beautiful weather to do just that. The Little Narrowcove route is a steep one but straightforward and Lord's Rake and Deep Gill were as good as ever. I was out early today so there were not so many people around; Casper did manage to get spotted on the descent from Slight Side though, and it is always a pleasure to bump into StridingEdge followers up on the fells.

Early morning start at Brotherilkeld.

Looking back to the sunshine over Brotherilkeld Farm.

The River Esk and Bowfell.

Lingcove Bridge, still in the shade.

Into the sunshine climbing alongside The Esk and first sight of the Scafells.

The Scafells from the gorge of the Esk.

Scafell Pike and Scar Lathing from the bend in the River Esk.

Scafell Pike.

A fine morning over Great Moss.

Slight Side and Scafell.

Slight Side where I will descend later.

Looking back to Harter Fell through the gap of the gorge.

Scafell Pike and Ill Crag.

The beautiful River Esk.

Great Moss.

Scafell Pike reflection.

Sky over Scafell Pike.

Onward and upward Casper.

The subsidiary summit of Pen is to the right overlooking Esk Buttress.

Scafell and Cam Spout.

Looking back along Great Moss.

Heading for Little Narrowcove which is around the base of Esk Buttress and then steeply up to the left.

Esk Buttress.

Little Narrowcove - for masochists only!

Little Narrowcove.

Almost at the top of Little Narrowcove.

In the hollow of Little Narrowcove.

Climbing to the Broad Crag col.

No need to ask what he thinks of this one!

The view from the Broad Crag col.

Looking north from the col, Lingmell, Kirk Fell and Great Gable amongst others in view.

Top dog - on Scafell Pike.

Looking towards Styhead Tarn and Derwent Water.

The summit of Scafell Pike.

Scafell and Mickledore.

Pulpit Rock from the descent to Lord's Rake.

Lord's Rake from the bottom...

...and from the top.

Mosedale from the West Wall Traverse. The chock stone at the head of Lord's Rake is centre left.

Climbing Deep Gill.

The head of Deep Gill (the top of the descent to the West Wall Traverse with the Pinnacle (left-centre) and the Oracle (bottom right)...like the man himself...

Scafell Pike from Symonds Knott.

Looking the other way to Scafell's summit, the cross memorial in the centre.

Yewbarrow and I can see Low Tarn too, where I was swimming the other day.

A hazy view to the west of Burnmoor Tarn, Illgill Head and Wast Water.

Symonds Knott and Scafell Pike from Scafell.

Long Green and Slight Side on the descent.

Looking back from Slight Side.

There was a strong breeze up here today.

The Scafell Pikes from Slight Side.

Slight Side from the descent.

Hard Knott.

Scafell across a sea of green bracken.

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