free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
I fancied having a bash at a big Eskdale horseshoe a while back - then I came cross the Woolpack Walk.
Seemed to fit the bill.
Start and finish at the Woolpack Inn, 10 peaks & < 9 hours gets you a free pint when you get back (although talking to the barman afterwards few walkers do that - mainly fell runners). I decided enjoying it was more important than saving a couple of quid.
I did the route anti-clockwise - so I could take in the bad step on Crinkle Crags (having only got as far as the south top with the kids 10 years ago) and do Lords Rake/West Wall Traverse on Scafell.
The walk pretty much sticks to the big paths - although the early sections before Crinkle Crags are vague and grassy (and similarly the walk out over Slight Side) - referred to ViewRanger on my old phone (used as a GPS) a couple of times to check I was "on path" and save time consulting the map (battery lasted the full 10.5 hours).
Harter Fell was a warm-up, then once over Hard Knott you have a long shallow decent to the side of Crinkle Crags - followed by a long a relentless slog up to Adam-a-Cove. I zig-zagged up way up with Wainwrights description of the Kirk Fell south ridge my mind (although looking at the map afterwards it's not as step as Kirk Fell - but no path underfoot).
Once up on Crinkle Crags a quick check shows I have done 50% of the total ascent for the day and any doubts about being up to the task are put to the back of my mind. For here on it's
just a series of 100-200m descents and re-ascents.
Chatted to a few people on the way round - on the ascent from Esk Pike to the Ill Crag/Broad Crag plateau I was asked by a couple of trainer clad Germans if I has been here before and knew the way to Scafell Pike. I answered no to the first question - but was able point to the brow saying it will appear over there in a minute (which it did) looked quite crowded at the time. Just after that I headed across to Ill Crag (checking they weren't following), then Broad Crag and Scafell Pike.
From Scafell Pike it was off to Scafell - some brief cloud brushed Scafell at the point making me wonder if the forecast possibility of showers late in the day was going to spoil the last summit (however it came to nothing). Spotted a couple of climbers (heard them first) who seemed to be having trouble on the crux of Broad Stand - they'd just descend back to foxes as I got there and slithered down the right of Mickledoor to Lords Rake.
I had been planning on the West Wall Traverse - but being having read a couple of MRT reports that it wasn't in good shape and being aware I was pretty tired and the weather could turn I chose to stick with the safe option of Lord's Rake all the way. After the three short scrambles it was then a short slog up to the summit.
The two climbers arrived shortly after me - apparently Broad Stand was very wet and slippy from the downpours of the previous day and night.
Any cloud had vanished and I was left with the 5km gradual descent over Slight Side and back to the Woolpack Inn for beer and food, before the walk back to the Hollins Farm campsite (another easy km).
Another group, who I recognised arrived 30mins after me, they had been attempting the route in the other direction and I had passed them somewhere one the way. Despite doing the Yorkshire 3 Peaks each year they had aborted and skipped Harter Fell at 12 hours in. They did admit to little preparation and too many pints the night before! Mentally I think my direction is better as you get all the bigger ascents out of the way early and the decision to abort at Hard Knott/Harter Fell is probably more tempting - than the one to bail out at Scafell Pike.
Reflections - a grand day out, 9 hours is an aggressive target (I wasn't treating it as a serious target) I may not be that fast uphill, but you need time to take in the views etc. I probably spent 9 hours on the move and only had a brief lunch stop on Crinkle Crags (although 2 Yorkie Bars and about a dozen Asda Brunch Bars were consumed on route to keep the energy levels up).
Photos here:
https://plus.google.com/photos/106459429880001195754/albums/6033771358940761857