Height: 439 metres / 1440 feet Grid reference: NY 22611 04944
The view across Great Moss from Scar Lathing.
Height: 439 metres / 1440 feet Grid reference: NY 22611 04944
The view across Great Moss from Scar Lathing.
Walked on
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.
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.
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!
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!
Walked on
Start point: Hardknott Pass summit (NY 230 014)
Hardknott Pass – Border End (326) – Hard Knott (327) – Eskdale Needle – Yew Bank (328) – Throstlehow Crag (329) –Scar Lathing (330) – High Scarth (331) – Silverybield (332) – Scale Bridge – Taw House – Brotherilkeld – Hardknott Castle Roman Fort – Hardknott Pass
Distance: 9.7 miles Total Ascent: 1940 metres Time Taken: 4 hours 35 minutes
Weather: Snow, rain, sleet, wind! 5oC.
Today’s walk is a round of Upper Eskdale, one of the wildest and best valleys in the Lake District. At the head of Eskdale lie the ‘heads of state’ of English mountains, namely Scafell Pike, Sca Fell, Esk Pike and Bow Fell and this area offers some of the finest views anywhere.
Once again, it seems winter has returned with snow showers present throughout the walk and fresh snow on top of the high fells.
Approaching Hard Knott. The many electric fences in this area (one can be seen to the right) certainly made Angus squeak when he 'got it wrong'.