Scafell, Scafell Pike & Lingmell

Scafell, Scafell Pike & Lingmell - Wednesday 13 September 2023

Route

Burnthwaite - Wasdale Head - Lingmell Gill - Brown Tongue - Lord's Rake - West Wall Traverse - Deep Gill - Symonds Knott - Scafell - Foxes Tarn - Foxes Gully - Mickledore - Scafell Pike - Lingmell Col - Lingmell - Piers Gill - Middleboot Knotts - Lingmell Beck - Moses Trod - Burnthwaite

Parking

We started the walk from our accommodation at Burnthwaite Farm however there are various parking options at Wasdale Head including the Village Green (free). The Grid Reference is NY 18682 08508 and the nearest postcode is CA20 1EX.

Mileage

9 miles

Terrain

Whilst a Grade 1 Scramble, both the ascent of Lord's Rake & Deep Gill are steep, over loose scree and require concentration. The West Wall Traverse is exposed in places and needs careful negotiation.

Climbing Scafell via this route is not recommended in ice and snow unless equipped and experienced in these conditions.

Weather

Gloriously sunny with light breezes for the majority of the day turning overcast as we descended alongside Piers Gill

Time Taken

7hrs 45mins

Total Ascent

4114ft (1254m)

Wainwrights

3

Map

OL6 - The English Lakes (South Western Area)

Walkers

Dave with Nicky Oliver & Sara Boyle

GPX File

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Route Map

The 18th century packhorse bridge over Mosedale Beck at Wasdale Head

Wasdale Head looking into Mosedale with Pillar beyond

The sun hits the lens as we leave Wasdale Head. The gate on the left leads to the tourist path for Scafell Pike whilst the one on the right heads for Brackenclose. We would be heading left - the path heads along the lower slopes of Lingmell and contours around the side of the mountain to meet the path coming up from Brackenclose.

Yewbarrow from the double hand gate

A very dry Lingmell Beck from the footbridge looking to Great Gable

As we make our ascent the views open out down to Wastwater with Illgill Head over to the left

The path rounds the slopes of Lingmell with the Brackenclose path down below on the right - Scafell Pike is now in view right of centre

The ford over Lingmell Gill. After a few days of rain the crossing can be tricky as the beck will be in spate - today it was easy enough.

Looking to Wastwater from just below where the Hollow Stones & Mickledore paths split

At Grid Reference NY 20157 07230 the main path splits. Going left continues to Scafell Pike via Hollow Stones however we would be heading to the right on the Mickledore and Lord's Rake path.

Pikes Crag, Pulpit Rock and Mickledore Buttress as we head along the Mickledore path

Shamrock & Scafell Crag from the path to Mickledore

The popular Hollow Stones 'tourist path" snakes its way up the fell side with Lingmell beyond

Nicky & Sara follow me up as we continue towards Mickledore

The path passes between a large erratic - in Book 5 Wainwright refers to this rock as a "big boulder" in his description of the ascent from Wasdale Head (Scafell 10)

At Grid Reference NY 20782 07028 the route leaves the main Mickledore path for Lord's Rake. The junction is marked by a cairn and makes its way to the entrance of Lord's Rake via a zig zag scree path.

Looking across to Mickledore from the path to Lord's Rake. To add scale, two people can be seen making their way up just right of centre

The glorious view from the Lord's Rake path over Lingmell's west ridge to the Pillar range

Nicky & Sara make their way up the loose scree path towards the entrance to Lord's Rake

Pulpit Rock and Mickledore Buttress form the entrance to Lord's Rake

At the entrance to Lord's Rake is a cross which has been cut into the rock face. The cross marks the site of a tragic accident which happened on 23 September 1903 when 4 climbers fell to their deaths attempting to make a new direct route to Hopkinson's Cairn on Scafell Pinnacle.

The start of Lord's Rake. I always find that the best route of ascent is to start on the left and then cut across the scree to the right hand side where the going is a bit easier. In 2002 there was a serious rockfall which left a massive block of stone balanced precariously across the first col at the top of the rake (just above the path to the West Wall Traverse). Walkers and climbers were advised not to use the rake or the West Wall Traverse while it remained in situ as it was badly cracked. The block finally collapsed in 2016 and broke into several pieces which now lie in the bed of the rake.

It is worthy of note that when making an ascent of Lord's Rake in a group of 2 or more then it is important to be wary of loose stone cascading down on unsuspecting walkers below.

Looking down Lord's Rake from just below the first col

Scafell Pike across Mickledore from Lord's Rake

The view down Lord's Rake from the first col with Scafell Pike beyond

Sitting at the first col on Lord's Rake with the entrance to the West Wall Traverse on the right

The first col on Lord's Rake - from this spot the entrance to the West Wall Traverse is over to my left. To continue along the Rake it is best to transit to the right of the sloping slab where the going is easier. Wainwright gives a good description of Lord's Rake in Book 5 on page Scafell 4.

The first col on Lord's Rake from the West Wall Traverse

Pikes Crag, Pulpit Rock, Mickledore Buttress, Mickledore & Scafell Pike from the West Wall Traverse

Scafell Pinnacle and Knife Edge Arete with the narrowest section of the West Wall Traverse path on the right. This section traverses around the side of Deep Gill Buttress and is exposed therefore it is best to take your time and proceed with care along the rough path. Knife Edge Arete connects Low Man to High Man on Scafell Pinnacle.

Heading along the West Wall Traverse towards Deep Gill

Approaching the end of the West Wall Traverse with Deep Gill coming in from the left

Looking down to the end of the West Wall Traverse from the entrance to Deep Gill

Entering Deep Gill with the lower part of the gill below

Heading up Deep Gill - as with Lord's Rake, the easiest way up is to the right where the hand holds are better

Looking down Deep Gill from near the exit with Deep Gill Buttress to the left and the Pinnacle to the right. Hopkinson's Cairn can just about be seen in the centre right. The cairn was placed there by Edward Hopkinson and his brothers when they tried to descend the Pinnacle in 1887 and it marks the lowest point they reached before abandoning their attempt.

Scafell Pinnacle dwarfs us as we begin the exit of Deep Gill

Symonds Knott from the exit point of Deep Gill

Looking into Deep Gill from above - you appear out of here like a cork from a bottle and it can be a tad surprising for people seeing you pop out of the gill.

The two exit points from Deep Gill. From below, when the exit is reached there are two choices of route. I chose the left hand exit (on the right here) as whilst extremely steep, it had better hand holds. The right hand exit (to the left here), whilst wider is over loose earth and rock.

Scafell Pinnacle from the exit of Deep Gill

Wastwater from below Symonds Knott. The path coming in from the right is the one coming up from the end of Lord's Rake.

Two walkers coming up from the Lord's Rake path as we look over into Mosedale and the Pillar group

The summit of Scafell looking to Symonds Knott & Scafell Pike

Burnmoor Tarn, Illgill Head & Wastwater from the summit of Scafell

Bowfell & Crinkle Crags from Scafell

The cross of stones which is located in the col between Symonds Knott & Scafell

We were off to Scafell Pike next via the Foxes Tarn path & Foxes Gully. As can be seen, the path is over loose scree and is extremely steep. Whilst the path zig zags down the steep slope, the best way down is over to the left where easier ground can be found. Foxes Tarn can be seen below to the centre right.

Looking back up to the start of the Foxes Tarn path

Foxes Tarn - or should that be "Foxes Puddle"

From Foxes Tarn we would now head to Scafell Pike via Foxes Gully, the entrance to which is via a steep, rocky path

The descent of Foxes Gully - keeping to the left is the best way down

The final section of Foxes Gully

Looking back up Foxes Gully as Nicky & Sara make their descent

At the bottom of Foxes Gully a loose stone path makes its way up to Mickledore

Looking into Eskdale with the Coniston Fells beyond as we head to Mickledore

As we near Mickledore the huge bulk of Broad Stand comes into view

The Mickledore ascent if coming up from Wasdale Head

Lord's Rake from Mickledore

The Mountain Rescue Stretcher Box at Mickledore looking to Broad Stand

From Mickledore the route to Scafell Pike is via a loose stone path on a gentle gradient

The summit of Scafell Pike now in view as we near the ridge coming up from Hollow Stones

Nicky & Sara at the Trig Point near the summit of Scafell Pike

The summit of Scafell Pike

Mickledore, Broad Stand & Scafell from the summit of Scafell Pike

The busy Hollow Stones path with Lingmell to the left and Great Gable centre - Styhead Tarn is over to the right

We left the Hollow stones path to head over to Lingmell Col and then up on to Lingmell

The head of Piers Gill with Broad Crag beyond

The summit of Lingmell looking to Great Gable

Scafell Pike, Mickledore & Scafell from Lingmell

It is worth having a look around Lingmell's summit - just a short distance away is a fantastic view down to its eastern face

The head of Piers Gill

This has recently (2023) become a Mountain Rescue black spot. In mist people who do not know the area often descend into the gill presuming it is the way back to Wasdale or Seathwaite. The bed of the gill is impassable therefore unwary walkers soon get into trouble and cannot find their way out resulting in many a Mountain Rescue call out. As of 2024, it has been agreed that signs should be placed in the area in and around the head of the gill warning walkers of the dangers.

The waterfall flowing into Piers Gill

Right opposite the waterfall at Grid Reference NY 21359 07885 is a path junction. Left heads to Wasdale by walking above Piers Gill and the path to the right is the Corridor Route which leads to Sty Head for the onward route to Seathwaite.