walkhighlands

This board helps you to share your walking route experiences in England and Wales... or overseas.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

Scafell Pike

Scafell Pike


Postby Guinessman » Sat Jan 09, 2016 3:18 pm

Wainwrights included on this walk: Scafell Pike

Hewitts included on this walk: Scafell Pike

Date walked: 08/01/2016

Time taken: 6

Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

Been desperate to get out lately. Its been 3 weeks since Scotland when I was on Sgiath Chuil, Meall Glas and Ben Challum but it seemed longer. Been checking MWIS lately to try and find a decent day so I get out for the first time this year. Friday morning was forecast wet and cloudy with the day changing around midday to drier but cold. Thoughts about what route to take were affected by the recent Cumbrian deluge so I thought I would do a route where the paths were predominantly rocky and thus less likely to be boggy. I decided to do Scafell Pike via the Corridor route. Its a hill and route I've probably been on 30+ times over the years buts its always a good route to keep the fitness levels up.
With the forecast in mind set off a bit later than normal and got to Seathwaite around 09.45hrs after a bit of a to do with a farmer and his landrover on the road down from Seatoller to Seathwaite. It was raining on arrival so waterproofs were on from the start. I'm always stuck on what to wear underneath waterproofs as I hate walking in them especially uphill so opted for a Helly Hansen polyester vest with the cagoule on top. Hat was on straight away and gloves after about a mile. I rarely wear a hat and gloves even less as I tend to walk warm but the driving rain and wind were freezing my fingers. The gloves stayed on all day.
Set off along the track to Stockley bridge then up the trade route up to Styhead tarn. At this stage I could see that the snow level was down to around 1300 feet and the cloud not much above it. Stopped for a brew at the stretcher box using the box as shelter and then set off on the path before turning off at the start of the Corridor route. The snow was lying at the start but was wet and no problem to walk in. The rain continued turning to sleet and occasional hailstones as I climbed. I brought my ice axe but intentionally left the crampons in the car after studying picture's during the week. Reached the rock step which was no problem being full of wet snow and then around the path at the top of Piers gill. The snow as I climbed stayed wet turning a bit firmer around the col on Lingmell. From there it was a 700 feet up into the clouds to the top of Scafell Pike, with the snow turning a bit firmer underfoot.
Snow depth on top of Scafell Pike was around 2". The wind was around 20 mph gusting to 40mph. Temperature was around -3 and visibility down to 50 metres. Donned a spare jacket but didn't hang around much on the top due the conditions. Got the ice axe out to drop down to the col to Broad crag but didn't really need it as the snow was soft enough for foot placement. Went back via Broad crag, Esk Hause ,Sprinkling tarn and Styhead tarn getting back to the car at 4.15pm.I normally do Great end as well but gave it a miss on this occasion. Dropping down to the valley it seemed that the snow around the Scafell range area was around 1600 feet but in the rest of the lakes around the 2000 ft mark.
A good short winters day for the first of the year

Towards the clouded over Scafells

Image

The ground just after the rock step the Corridor route

Image

Piers gill

Image

The route down to the top of Piers Gill

Image

Lingmell through the clouds from the shoulder of Scafell Pike

Image

Not much visibility on the top slopes of Scafell Pike

Image

Summit shelter Scafell Pike

Image

Sprinkling tarn

Image
Last edited by Guinessman on Sun Nov 26, 2017 9:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Guinessman
Walker
 
Posts: 1083
Munros:282   Corbetts:52
Fionas:27   Donalds:89
Hewitts:142
Wainwrights:214   Islands:15
Joined: Dec 28, 2009
Location: NW Durham

Re: Scafell Pike

Postby jacob » Sat Jan 09, 2016 3:56 pm

Not much visibility, and yet great pictures. Squint your eyes and they're abstract paintings. Nice composition on first one.
User avatar
jacob
 
Posts: 521
Munros:19   Corbetts:9
Fionas:4   
Hewitts:19
Joined: Mar 4, 2015
Location: East of Felixstowe ;)

Re: Scafell Pike

Postby dav2930 » Sat Jan 09, 2016 5:38 pm

Good effort Guinessman; navigation not always easy in those conditions :clap: Very atmospheric photos.
User avatar
dav2930
Ambler
 
Posts: 1615
Munros:244   Corbetts:14
Fionas:18   Donalds:56
Sub 2000:1   Hewitts:164
Wainwrights:214   Islands:2
Joined: Feb 13, 2015
Location: Cumbria

Re: Scafell Pike

Postby ChrisW » Sat Jan 09, 2016 6:15 pm

What have we done to ourselves when we can't take it any more and just have to get out irrespective of conditions :lol:

Well done on stretching the legs in some difficult (but better than it has been ) weather Guinnessman, I'm still hoping it's going to clear up over there soon and suspect everyone else over there is too :roll:
User avatar
ChrisW
Rambler
 
Posts: 4941
Munros:18   Corbetts:5
Fionas:3   
Sub 2000:6   
Joined: Jan 25, 2011
Location: Cochrane- Alberta - Canada

Re: Scafell Pike

Postby Guinessman » Sat Jan 09, 2016 10:47 pm

jacob wrote:Not much visibility, and yet great pictures. Squint your eyes and they're abstract paintings. Nice composition on first one.
dav2930 wrote:Good effort Guinessman; navigation not always easy in those conditions :clap: Very atmospheric photos.
ChrisW wrote:What have we done to ourselves when we can't take it any more and just have to get out irrespective of conditions :lol:

Well done on stretching the legs in some difficult (but better than it has been ) weather Guinnessman, I'm still hoping it's going to clear up over there soon and suspect everyone else over there is too :roll:


Thanks for the comments. The shots I just took into the gloom, I was trying to show a poster on another forum what it can be like this time of year. First outing this year I've been desperate to get out having to resort to doing 4 mile local walks in crap weather when I cant get further afield
User avatar
Guinessman
Walker
 
Posts: 1083
Munros:282   Corbetts:52
Fionas:27   Donalds:89
Hewitts:142
Wainwrights:214   Islands:15
Joined: Dec 28, 2009
Location: NW Durham

Re: Scafell Pike

Postby The English Alpinist » Sun Jan 10, 2016 12:11 am

Nicely done. Gives me confidence for a few weeks time when I'm hoping to go up to Scafell,Bowfell, Pillar etc (not on the aame day!). I'd be nervous about going up alone in snow in the Eastern Fells if poor visibility. Interesting decision to leave the crampons but take the ice axe. I did that the other way round for Swirral Edge in snow just before Xmas!
User avatar
The English Alpinist
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 297
Munros:56   Corbetts:11
Fionas:22   Donalds:18+10
Sub 2000:1   Hewitts:136
Wainwrights:214   
Joined: Oct 27, 2015
Location: Lancashire England.

Re: Scafell Pike

Postby trailmasher » Sun Jan 10, 2016 5:15 pm

Good effort Guinessman :clap: good report and pics despite the weather. You obviously and fortunately had no problems over the boulders on your way back which can be bad just on a wet day :crazy: Well done :clap:
User avatar
trailmasher
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 1302
Munros:13   
Hewitts:179
Wainwrights:214   
Joined: Nov 26, 2014
Location: Near Appleby - Cumbria

Re: Scafell Pike

Postby Mal Grey » Mon Jan 11, 2016 2:27 pm

Proper conditions! Still enjoyable though.

Think the last 3 times I've been up Lakeland hills have been pretty much like that.
User avatar
Mal Grey
Wanderer
 
Posts: 4617
Munros:113   Corbetts:23
Fionas:12   
Sub 2000:9   Hewitts:116
Wainwrights:71   Islands:6
Joined: Dec 1, 2011
Location: Surrey, probably in a canoe! www.wildernessisastateofmind.co.uk

Re: Scafell Pike

Postby Guinessman » Mon Jan 11, 2016 3:23 pm

The English Alpinist wrote:Nicely done. Gives me confidence for a few weeks time when I'm hoping to go up to Scafell,Bowfell, Pillar etc (not on the aame day!). I'd be nervous about going up alone in snow in the Eastern Fells if poor visibility. Interesting decision to leave the crampons but take the ice axe. I did that the other way round for Swirral Edge in snow just before Xmas!
thanks for that, don't know if I misread your comment but did you mean Western and not Eastern? With regard to the crampons I don't actually like using them ,the extra height makes me feel unsteady on my feet and if conditions allow I'd rather leave them In the car or the rucksack!
User avatar
Guinessman
Walker
 
Posts: 1083
Munros:282   Corbetts:52
Fionas:27   Donalds:89
Hewitts:142
Wainwrights:214   Islands:15
Joined: Dec 28, 2009
Location: NW Durham

Re: Scafell Pike

Postby Guinessman » Mon Jan 11, 2016 3:25 pm

trailmasher wrote:Good effort Guinessman :clap: good report and pics despite the weather. You obviously and fortunately had no problems over the boulders on your way back which can be bad just on a wet day :crazy: Well done :clap:
thanks for that ,despite my many visits up there I don't think I've ever found an easy way through the boulders on the way to Broad crag!
User avatar
Guinessman
Walker
 
Posts: 1083
Munros:282   Corbetts:52
Fionas:27   Donalds:89
Hewitts:142
Wainwrights:214   Islands:15
Joined: Dec 28, 2009
Location: NW Durham

Re: Scafell Pike

Postby Guinessman » Mon Jan 11, 2016 3:27 pm

Mal Grey wrote:Proper conditions! Still enjoyable though.

Think the last 3 times I've been up Lakeland hills have been pretty much like that.
you're right proper conditions it's something I regard as a challenge that I can't turn down!
User avatar
Guinessman
Walker
 
Posts: 1083
Munros:282   Corbetts:52
Fionas:27   Donalds:89
Hewitts:142
Wainwrights:214   Islands:15
Joined: Dec 28, 2009
Location: NW Durham

Re: Scafell Pike

Postby The English Alpinist » Mon Jan 11, 2016 5:46 pm

Guinessman wrote:
The English Alpinist wrote:don't know if I misread your comment but did you mean Western and not Eastern? k!

Whoops, Westerns of course. The ones that have Scafell in them!
User avatar
The English Alpinist
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 297
Munros:56   Corbetts:11
Fionas:22   Donalds:18+10
Sub 2000:1   Hewitts:136
Wainwrights:214   
Joined: Oct 27, 2015
Location: Lancashire England.

Re: Scafell Pike

Postby OpenC » Mon Jan 11, 2016 5:57 pm

Great stuff :) I wouldn't even have begun to contemplate going by the corridor on a day like that, if only because of that rock sloping down to that abyss :)
User avatar
OpenC
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 454
Munros:93   
Donalds:2
Sub 2000:1   Hewitts:86
Wainwrights:132   
Joined: Aug 4, 2013
Location: Northumberland

Re: Scafell Pike

Postby dav2930 » Mon Jan 11, 2016 10:54 pm

The English Alpinist wrote:
Guinessman wrote:
The English Alpinist wrote:don't know if I misread your comment but did you mean Western and not Eastern? k!

Whoops, Westerns of course. The ones that have Scafell in them!

According to Wainwright's guides the Scafells are in the Southern fells. Come on now chaps, pay attention! :lol:
User avatar
dav2930
Ambler
 
Posts: 1615
Munros:244   Corbetts:14
Fionas:18   Donalds:56
Sub 2000:1   Hewitts:164
Wainwrights:214   Islands:2
Joined: Feb 13, 2015
Location: Cumbria

Re: Scafell Pike

Postby Guinessman » Tue Jan 12, 2016 10:17 am

More like SW, I regard Coniston as the deep South!
User avatar
Guinessman
Walker
 
Posts: 1083
Munros:282   Corbetts:52
Fionas:27   Donalds:89
Hewitts:142
Wainwrights:214   Islands:15
Joined: Dec 28, 2009
Location: NW Durham

Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).




Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Outside Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 22 guests