Borrowdale weekend 2 - Scafell Pike to Glaramara

[Beery Hiker]

The Saturday walk was the highlight of our weekend in Borrowdale the weekend before last. This was the third time our group has spent a weekend in the Borrowdale hostel, and all three times Scafell Pike was on the original plan. The first was defeated by sleety rain, and the second by deep snow. This time the forecast was pretty good - a little high cloud but no rain, so after an early breakfast we drove over to Seathwaite, where the car parking spaces were already going fast. We chose the Sty Head Corridor route option, and as far as the Lingmell col we had the path pretty much to ourselves. I really enjoyed this part of the walk, as the path is still quite rough in places and the views keep changing.
IMG_0191 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0192 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0197 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0199 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0200 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0202 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0205 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0209 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0212 by HH, on Flickr

On reaching Lingmell col, all thoughts of a quiet day disappeared, as we joined the hordes coming up from Wasdale Head. This was my fifth visit to the summit, but only the second time I have seen the views, so the temptation was to linger and take too many photos, all of which are full of grey stony foregrounds.
IMG_0223 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0225 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0226 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0227 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0228 by HH, on Flickr

I had never visited the summits of Broad Crag and Ill Crag before, so took the opportunity to bag a couple of Hewits that Wainwright ignored.
IMG_0230 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0233 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0234 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0235 by HH, on Flickr

The summit of Ill Crag offered some great views of upper Eskdale
IMG_0239 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0240 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0241 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0242 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0243 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0244 by HH, on Flickr


After a brief detour to Great End, our party split at Esk Hause.
IMG_0249 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0250 by HH, on Flickr

Our driver nobly volunteered to take the easy route down to Seathwaite, while the other two of us couldn't resist continuing the high level walk over Allen Crags and Glaramara, where we were rewarded by some fine views of the Langdale Pikes over the tarns.
IMG_0253 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0254 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0255 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0256 by HH, on Flickr

After all of the undulations of the ridge path, the last uphill was something of a relief.
IMG_0260 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0261 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0265 by HH, on Flickr
IMG_0267 by HH, on Flickr
The descent does start with a slightly awkward little down scramble, which is steep but with too many holds to be difficult. We rushed the rest of the descent - having seen a mobile dog water bowl left behind on the summit and spotted a couple with a dog descending in front of us, we finally caught up with them, but of course it wasn't theirs. All that remained was the easy stroll round to the hostel (and a hostel with draught beers is always a good place to finish a long day on the hills).
IMG_0270 by HH, on Flickr

[dav2930]

Looked a good long day in the hills and nice weather for it with great views. Allen Crags and Glaramara make a great way to or from the Pike.

[trailmasher]

Good walk, good hills, good views, good report and well done

[Beery Hiker]

Thanks for the positive comments. It was certainly one of my better hill days

[ChrisW]

Pleny of folks on the summit BH, an why not with views like that and the weather to boot

[HalfManHalfTitanium]

Fabulous photos of one of the finest walks in Britain!

I noted your mention of the down-scramble from the summit of Glaramara. I seem to recall Wainwright putting in a section of advice for "Ladies wearing skirts" as to how to tackle, with dignity, this section of the route...

...how things have changed!

I started walking in the seventies, and I don't think I've ever seen anyone on the hills in a skirt, except very occasionally a male Scot.

[Beery Hiker]

Thanks for all the comments!