Height: 762 metres / 2500 feet Grid reference: NY 22155 06742
Pen is a subsidiary summit to Scafell Pike overlooking the Esk Valley to the south east
Pen
Scafell Pike via Pen
Start Point: Jubilee Bridge (NY 213 011)
Brotherilkeld Farm – Lingcove Bridge – Great Moss – Pen – Scafell Pike – Mickledore – Lord’s Rake – Scafell – Slight Side – Catcove Beck – Brotherilkeld Farm
Distance: 10 miles Total Ascent: 1178 metres Time Taken: 7 hours Start Time: 10:50
Weather: Murky, 16°C
I had a full day available today so I wanted to do a good long walk – I did think the weather would turn out better than it did but it was still good to be out and walking in mist has its own merits of complete solitude, even on the popular fells such as this.
Heading into Upper Eskdale and the mist was lying quite low on the fells. I was hopeful of it getting out later.
Walking alongside the River Esk. This is a lovely and peaceful part of the lakes in any weather.
Cascades on the Esk.
Lingcove Bridge.
...and a view of the bridge from a little higher up the path to Great Moss.
On the climb to Pen - the briefest glimpse of Scafell.
Esk Buttress - and that was it for views for a good while. I climbed the steep path to Pen (the top took a bit of finding as I could hardly see my hand in front of me!) then over to Scafell Pike.
Heading down to Mickledore.
Looking back to Scafell Pike - the blue sky did appear (if only fleetingly).
Pulpit Rock from the foot of Lord's Rake. I was surprised to see how much the path from Mickledore to Lord's Rake has eroded recently.
Lord's Rake.
The chock stone is still standing although there seems to be more large boulders around it. Up on Scafell it was as misty as it was on the Pike - I chatted for a while to a couple who were completing their 214 up there, congratulations to both.
Dougal, my ever faithful friend.
Looking back to Scafell from Long Green. There were lots of Brocken Spectres to see along here with the sun trying to shine through.
Slight Side summit.
Slight Side from the descent.
Amazing how I can see Pen from here yet couldn't earlier when I was stood next to it!
Slight Side again, from further down.
I spy!
Harter Fell across Brotherilkeld and it turned into a lovely evening.
Scafell Pike
Start point: Hardknott Pass (NY 231 014)
Hardknott Pass – Hard Knott – Lingcove Beck – Scar Lathing – Great Moss – Pen – Scafell Pike – Broadcrag Tarn – Cam Spout – Great Moss – Lingcove Beck – Hard Knott – Hardknott Pass
Distance: 9.3 miles Total Ascent: 1240 metres Time Taken: 5 hours 45 minutes
Weather: Overcast. 17ºC.
The weather certainly didn’t turn out as I expected with it being rather grey and I didn’t really know which route I would take until I did it. I must say it took longer than I thought and it was pretty arduous going at times over boggy ground coupled with a steep ascent and descent. It was still enjoyable though – this is my favourite area of all.
Dawn at an un-named tarn on Hard Knott.
Sunrise over Wrynose Pass.
Esk Pike, Bowfell and Crinkle Crags from Hard Knott summit.
Heading into Upper Eskdale it all looks a bit gloomy and the cloud is starting to form on the tops.
The Scafells ahead.
Bowfell and Crinkle Crags.
Slight Side and Scafell, hidden by cloud.
Bowfell.
Casper plans the route - there is a steep descent to cross Lingcove Beck then a steep climb again over the knolls in the middle distance.
Casper hides in the bracken shortly after the crossing of Lingcove Beck.
Lingcove Beck.
Slight Side and Scafell from Scar Lathing, Sampson's Stones on the mound beneath Cam Spout Crag.
Scafell Pike hidden by cloud with Ill Crag to the right.
Casper above Great Moss.
The cloud is clearing from Scafell Pike now. The peak to the right of Esk Buttress is Pen. Now, should I climb Pen or climb Little Narrowcove? In the end I decided on Pen and climbed following the gill to the left of Esk Buttress - which was steep to say the least!
The Scafells reflected in a tarn on Great Moss.
Scafell.
Esk Pike at the head of Great Moss.
Great Moss from the climb to Pen, Hard Knott and Harter Fell in view.
Volcanic sedimentary layers on the summit of Pen.
The formidable East Buttress on Scafell.
The way to Scafell Pike from Pen.
Scafell, Broad Stand and Mickledore from the Eskdale Cairn on Scafell Pike.
Pillar, Kirk Fell, Great Gable and beyond from the summit Scafell Pike.
Looking over Styhead Tarn to Derwent Water, Skiddaw and the northern fells.
The eastern fells beyond the Scafell ridge.
Broad Stand from Broadcrag Tarn - the highest tarn in the Lake District at 827m according to Wainwright and Birkett...but my mapping software shows Foxes tarn at 837m and Crinkle Crags Tarn (near the summit of Long Top, un-named on the OS map) at 854m. Now, should I climb Lord's Rake and climb Scafell or descend Cam Spout? Oops, look at the time - lets go!
Descending the Cam Spout path.
Upper Eskdale from the descent by Cam Spout, which was a mere trickle today.
Looking back to Cam Spout and Scafell.
The aforementioned Long Top.
I don't believe it! (to coin a phrase) - sunshine on Great Moss.
Scafell Pike
Start point: Brotherilkeld, car park at the bottom of Hardknott Pass (NY 214 011)
Brotherilkeld Farm – Lingcove Bridge – Great Moss – Little Narrowcove – Pen (448) – Scafell Pike – Mickledore – Lord’s Rake – West Wall Traverse – Scafell – Slight Side (449) – Catcove Beck – Brotherilkeld Farm
Distance: 12.2 miles Total Ascent: 1327 metres Time Taken: 5 hours 45 minutes
Weather: Very cold at valley level -4°C. Once into the sunshine it was just like a summer’s day – shirt sleeves all the way!
The weather turned out even better than I was expecting today – I thought it would be clear, but it was unbelievably so and very warm with a temperature inversion to boot! I have been ‘saving’ this walk for a while which includes a steep scramble up to Pen, a subsidiary summit of Scafell Pike, and the scrambles of Lord’s Rake and the West Wall Traverse. It is for this reason that the walk had to be Angus-less; he would never have managed it today. As it turned out, it was one of the most memorable days I have ever had in the fells – one to remember. I make no apologies for the number of photos included in today’s walk – there could have been lots more, it was so hard to weed them out. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Scafell at the head of Upper Eskdale from Brotherilkeld. The cold, dark valley contrasts with the sunlit higher slopes.
Still in the cold Esk Valley - Bow Fell and the Crinkle Crags catch the early sun.
The River Esk.
Lingcove Bridge, an old packhorse bridge.
Further up the River Esk. River Esk movie clip.
Scafell Pike, England's highest.
Slight Side and Scafell along a part frozen River Esk.
Scafell Pike and Ill Crag across Great Moss. The sound of silence - Great Moss movie clip.
Looking to Esk Hause along Great Moss, Esk Pike to the right.
Esk Buttress with the rocky peak of Pen, the first target of the day. How the heck are you supposed to get up there?
Cam Spout Crag, Cam Spout waterfall and Scafell.
Esk Pike from the ascent of Pen.
Icicles on Pen; things were happening in the valleys now.
Looking south to Harter Fell and the Coniston fells.
The River Esk and Great Moss below Pen with a nice temperature inversion to the south.
The way ahead: Scafell Pike from Pen.
At the top of Little Narrowcove.
Looking north to an inverted Ennerdale with Mellbreak and the Loweswater fells showing through the cloud. Great Gable is in the foreground on the right.
Looking over Styhead Tarn to Skiddaw and Blencathra.
The valleys to the east are inverted as far away as Ingleborough and Whernside in the Yorkshire Dales.
A panoramic view of the eastern fells from Scafell Pike.
Select on the image above to see a larger, annotated version.
Looking south-west to Harter Fell.
Pillar above Mosedale.
A panoramic view to the north-west from Scafell Pike.
A close up of Ennerdale; the view extends to Scotland behind the Loweswater fells.
Skiddaw.
Whitfell with the cairn visible and Black Combe beyond. North Wales is on the horizon over the sea of cloud.
The Pillar group of fells in golden light from Mickledore.
Lord's Rake; the fallen stone is still there at the top.
...and here it is.
Looking back down Lord's Rake.
At the start of the West Wall Traverse.
Looking down the steep scree slope.
The West Wall Traverse from the top.
Looking down on Wast Water from Sca Fell; Illgill Head is on the left, Middle Fell right.
Looking across to Scafell Pike from Scafell with Great Gable centre with the High Stile range and Skiddaw beyond.
Still there - Whitfell and Black Combe.
The Scafell range from Slight Side.
Slight Side from Catcove Beck.
Border End and Hard Knott across Upper Eskdale.
Scale Gill falls.