| Name of walk | Scafell Pike from Seathwaite |
| Date of walk | 2012-06-19 |
| Distance walked (miles) | 11 |
| Duration of walk | 8 hours 15 minutes |
| Weather | Some mist on the higher fells |
| Peaks on walk | Great End, Ill Crag, Broad Crag, Scafell Pike |
The walk with is about 11 miles, but feels a lot longer!
The weather was due to improve as the day went on, and we were hoping that the low cloud would lift in time for our first summit of Great End. Passing through Seathwaite Farm.
Looking ahead at our route up Grains Gill.
Over to the right is our descent route and Taylor Gill Force.
Looking back to Stockley Bridge.
A long slog up. Great End ahead still clouded in mist. We met a family from Devon on our way up, heading directly for Scafell Pike. It was their first trip to the Lake District. I don`t think they realised it would be so rough under foot! Only another two hours to reach their destination!
Looking back down into Borrowdale towards Derwent Water from near the top of the gill path.
Looking back down the route up to Esk hause. Sprinkling Tarn in the distance and Great Gable shrouded in mist. The family from Devon following.
Looking over to Ill Crag, Broad Crag and Scafell Pike from our detour up to Great End. The two people in the photo were also from Devon and had a welsh border collie. We met them a few times on our travels today. Unfortunately we also met them back at their car, where their car window had been broken and the walking trainers he was going to change back in to were stolen! Thankfully my car is a bit too old to be targeted by thieves! Plus it contains nothing of value. I think the Cliff Richard CD I keep on display acts as a wonderful deterrent!
Looking down on Seathwaite Fell and Sprinkling Tarn with the Grains Gill route up on the right.
The cloud is just starting to clear up so we hung around for ten minutes waiting for Kirk Fell, Great Gable and Styhead Tarn to materialise for a panorama.
Scafell Pike, the beginning of the Corridor Route, Lingmell and the Wasdale Valley in panorama too
Large walking groups! A nightmare sight for your average walker! We hang about a bit, knowing we would lose them soon on our detour to Ill Crag.
View into Eskdale from Ill Crag.
Rocky is the best description for this route.....followed by "bouldery" and "ankle breaking"! Not easy walking at all. Ged on top of Ill Crag with Scafell Pike behind..
We detoured up to Broad Crag summit too and then headed for the track up to Scafell Pike. The mountains are now clear of cloud. Looking down to Lingmell and the Corridor Route past Piers Gill. Pillar, Kirk Fell and Great Gable behind..
From the steep scree slope up to Scafell Pike looking back to Broad Crag on the left and Ill Crag on the right. The small size of the people in the photo (I can see two on the "path") gives a sense of perspective.
Scafell Pike summit. We met the family from Devon again, they were just starting back over the rocks, retracing their steps. We told them about the Corridor Route back, which would be easier underfoot, and they decided to come our way. Happy to see something different. The Dad took our photo for us!
Heading down to Lingmell Coll.
The notorious Piers Gill.
We stopped by this small un-named tarn for a late lunch, it was nearly 3pm, looking up to Great End. The family carried on, we would catch them up later.
Approaching the only awkward bit of the Corridor Route. The path is a bit exposed here, but easy to cross, then just beyond that it is followed by a rock step to climb, but nothing too difficult. We overtook the family just before here. They had mislaid a jacket at a rest stop and Mum had gone back to find it.
Piers Gill and Lingmell behind.
Looking into Wasdale.
Eventually we reach Styhead Tarn.
Time for a short rest
Looking back at the mountains we climbed today.
The bridge leads over to the Stockley Bridge route back to Seathwaite. An easy and gentle route back that we advised the family to take. We kept left. Taking the awkward and masochistic route back! You can tell how awkward by the fact that Kas is not in front!
Down by the trees is the start of Taylor Gill Force.....a rather good waterfall.
This route is precipitous in places and definitely not for children......or blind dogs!
I took this safely from the bottom. Ged in his blue top and white shorts can be seen just top right of centre when he was about half way down, and gives the photo some perspective! The climb was easy enough, but I don`t think Kas enjoyed it much!
View down on the falls from the top of the large series of rock climbs!
Taken from the bridge. Not a cloud in the sky!
We head back through the farm.
This meant I missed 30 minutes of the England Ukraine game! I listened to it on the radio, but I don`t think I missed much! Amazed we actually won! This is an interesting walk, but much easier and quicker from Wasdale (under 5 hours there and back!) Still glad to do it as I have never done Ill Crag or Broad Crag before. I doubt I`ll bother with them again as it involves too much walking from boulder to boulder and so increasing chances of injury, and there is nothing worse than spending hours looking at your feet instead of the scenery!
