Height: 762 metres / 2500 feet Grid reference: NY 20969 05028 Category: The Southern Fells
Scafell and Slight Side, the River Esk in the foreground
The Scafells from Slight Side
Slight Side from Cat Crag
Sunset on Slight Side and Scafell across Eskdale
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.
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. 21C.
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.
Scafell Pike route map.
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.
Start point: Brotherilkeld, car park at the bottom of Hardknott Pass (NY 214 011)
Brotherilkeld Farm – Lingcove Bridge – Great Moss – Esk Hause – Great End (510) – Ill Crag (511) – Broad Crag (512) – Scafell Pike – Mickledore – Lord’s Rake – West Wall Traverse – Deep Gill – Scafell – Slight Side – Catcove Beck – Brotherilkeld Farm
Distance: 12.5 miles Total Ascent: 1295 metres Time Taken: 6 hours
Weather: Sunshine. 18oC.
The sun finally shone today for this personal favourite walk to the Scafells from Brotherilkeld via Upper Eskdale and Great Moss. Conditions were almost perfect with the warm temperature and a light breeze and hardly a soul about apart from the usual congestion on Scafell Pike summit. I didn’t take Angus today as this sort of walk is too tough for him now, but Casper came and managed to take it all in his stride. I hope you enjoy today’s photographic journey as much as I enjoyed being there – what better place to be on a Monday morning?
Bow Fell above Brotherilkeld Farm.
Looking back along the walk to Upper Eskdale.
Following the River Esk with Bow Fell still looming large ahead.
Lots of falls and cool, clear pools on the Esk.
Lingcove Bridge.
Looking back along Eskdale from Throstle Garth, Lingcove Bridge is lower left.
The Scafells come into view climbing the gorge of the River Esk.
Scafell and Slight Side, the Esk still in the foreground.
Scafell Pike and Ill Crag.
Casper has a rest before the walk along Great Moss.
Scafell Pike and Ill Crag across Great Moss.
Scafell Pike.
Great Moss - the route from here is below Pen on the left and climbing to the depression of Esk Hause ahead.
Scafell Pike from Great Moss.
Cam Spout in the foreground of Scafell.
Looking back to the Scafells above Great Moss.
Up onto Esk Hause there seemed to be more clouds to the north, here looking over to Allen Crags.
Skiddaw and Derwent Water from Esk Hause.
The northern fells from the climb to Great End.
Skiddaw and Derwent Water from the summit of Great End. I had intended 'saving' Great End until I finished my round of the Birketts, but what the heck, it was too nice to miss the view today.
Pillar and Great Gable from Great End.
Scafell Pike ahead.
Looking down on Great Moss and the route used in ascent from Ill Crag.
Broad Crag from Ill Crag.
Casper on Broad Crag.
No mistaking the route to the summit of Scafell Pike from here, looks like it is busy up there as well.
Looking over Styhead Tarn to Derwent Water and Skiddaw from the summit of Scafell Pike, the highest point in England.
The route to Mickledore with Lord's Rake shown to the right.
Pulpit Rock from the path to Lord's Rake.
Climbing Lord's Rake, a steep scree filled gully.
The fallen rock - still there balancing at the top of Lord's Rake.
Looking back down Lord's Rake from the start of the West Wall Traverse. The entrance to the West Wall Traverse to the right of this photo is very eroded now, much worse than I remember it.
The view from the first section of the West Wall Traverse. The West Wall Traverse is a gently inclined high level path joining Lord's Rake and Deep Gill.
Looking back to Lord's Rake. The large boulder is at the top of the first section, the fallen boulder is resting across the top of Lord's Rake to the lower left.
Climbing Deep Gill - it was cold and damp in here and it looks as though some of the large boulders are recent falls.
Looking back down Deep Gill.
Deep Gill from the top.
Looking over Wast Water to the west coast from the summit of Scafell.
The Mosedale fells from Scafell.
Casper summits Scafell.
Bow Fell and Crinkle Crags from Slight Side.
Looking back to Slight Side from Cat Crag.
Border End and Hard Knott across Eskdale.
Eskdale.
Hard Knott from Taw House farm.
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.
Brotherilkeld Farm – Lingcove Bridge – Great Moss – Esk Hause – Great End (179) – Ill Crag – Broad Crag – Scafell Pike– Foxes Tarn – Scafell – Slight Side (180) – Catcove Beck – Brotherilkeld Farm
A clear start with mist coming in as the day progressed. The highest tops were enveloped in cloud with intermittent snow.
Bow Fell from Brotherilkeld Farm.
Scafell Pike and Ill Crag from the gorge of the Esk.
The Scafell ridge to Slight Side from Great Moss.
Scafell from Cam Spout.
Looking up to Esk Hause and Esk Pike from Great Moss.
Esk Pike in the mist from Esk Hause.
Maiden Moor and Derwent Water from Esk Hause.
Great End from Esk Hause.
The Langdale Pikes left of centre and Windermere in the distance from Great End summit.
Looking along the Eskdale Valley from Ill Crag summit.
Scafell Pike from Broad Crag summit.
Broad Stand and Wastwater from Scafell Pike.
Scafell Pike from the climb to Foxes Tarn.
Foxes Tarn - the smallest tarn in Lakeland.
Long Green and Slight Side from Scafell. Harter Fell can be seen through the mist.
Whin Rigg, Illgill Head and Burnmoor Tarn from Slight Side summit.
Slight Side from Catcove Beck.