Walk c233 Sca Fell and Scafell Pike from Wasdale Head, Wast Water
This 7½ mile, Grade 7 (Hard), easy-to-follow, hand-crafted walk, complete with GPS Waypoints, starts at Wasdale Head & will take you about 7 hrs to complete.
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Detailed walk route map PDF | |
Vital Statistics: | ||
| Length: | 7½ miles (12km) | |
| Ascent: | 4195 ft (1279m) | |
| Time: | 7 hours | |
| Grade: |  | |
| Walk Type: | High Mountains | |
| Start: | Cow Bridge Car Park* | |
| Grid Ref: | NY403134 | |
| Sat Nav: | N54.5122 W2.9241 | |
| What3words: | scarecrow.generals.fire | |
| Postcode: | CA11 0NS‡ | |
| Car Park Fee: | Pay and display. Free parking for National Trust members | |
| Car Park Size: | Small. Only room for 22 well-parked cars | |
| Location: | On the A592 between Hartsop and Patterdale | |
| Stiles: | None | |
| Dogs: | Permitted under close control | |
| Terrain: | Good paths in the valley, thin mountain paths higher up | |
| Gear Needed: | Full mountain gear including boots, warm layers, waterproofs, food & water, and good weather | |
Route outline for this walk:
Wasdale Head - (National Trust Campsite) - Wast Water - Lingmell - Corridor Route - Scafell Pike - Mickledore - Foxes Tarn - Symonds Knott - Sca Fell - Lingmell Gill - Wasdale Head - Wast Water.
Points of Interest/Notes on this walk:
Wasdale Head is a tiny hamlet of agricultural fields and dwellings that claims to be home of the highest mountain in England (Scafell Pike), the deepest lake (Wast Water), the smallest church (Church of St Olaf) and the biggest liar (Will Ritson). There is an excellent National Trust Campsite and a fine pub - the Wasdale Inn - which claims to be the birthplace of British rock climbing. There is also a large free parking area for visitors.
In good weather you can see mountains in Wales, Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man from the summit of Scafell Pike so try and go in on a clear day.
At an elevation of 832m (2,731ft), Broad Crag Tarn is the highest body of standing water in England. It can be found approximately 420 m south west of the summit of Scafell Pike.
Peaks, Summits and Tops reached on this walk:
 3 English Mountains |
 3 Wainwrights |
 4 English Nuttalls |
 0 English Deweys |
 0 Wainwright Outlying Fells |
 1 Marilyn |
 0 Bridgets |
Peak Bagging Statistics for this walk:
The highest point of this walk is Scafell Pike at 978m (3210ft). Scafell Pike is classified as an English Mountain (Hewitt) (Highest in England, 8th highest in England & Wales) and a Wainwright (No. 1).
Scafell Pike is also known as an English Nuttall (Highest in England, 8th highest in England & Wales) and an English Marilyn (Highest in England, 138th highest in the UK).
Scafell Pike means 'the highest point of The Pikes of Sca Fell'. This was the collective term for all the lumps and bumps on the top of the Sca Fell Massif (namely Sca Fell Pike, Sca Fell, Symonds Knott, Broad Crag, Ill Crag and Great End) when it was donated to The National Trust by Lord Leconfield in 1919. Sca Fell Pike became Scafell Pike (without the space) due to an error by the Ordnance Survey, and the name stuck.'
For most people, Scafell Pike is usually pronounced 'Skar Fell Pyke', but the true Lake District locals pronounce it 'SKOR-fall Pyke' with the emphasis on the first syllable. Indeed, many older texts spell it as 'Skawfell Pike'.
The summit of Scafell Pike is marked by an Ordnance Survey Trig Point. Scafell Pike is the highest point in the county of Cumbria, the highest point in The Lake District National Park and the highest point in England. It was also the highest point in the old county of Cumberland.
Completing this walk will also take you to the top of Sca Fell at 964m (3163ft). Sca Fell is classified as an English Mountain (Hewitt) (2nd highest in England, 10th highest in England & Wales) and a Wainwright (No. 2).
Sca Fell is also known as an English Nuttall (2nd highest in England, 11th highest in England & Wales).
You will also reach the summit of Symonds Knott at 959m (3147ft). Symonds Knott is also known as an English Nuttall (3rd highest in England, 13th highest in England & Wales).
Along the way you will also bag and tick-off:
- Lingmell at 807m (2648ft). Lingmell is classified as an English Mountain (Hewitt) (37th highest in England, 70th highest in England & Wales), a Wainwright (No. 35) and an English Nuttall (44th highest in England, 85th highest in England & Wales).
You can find this walk and other nearby walks on these unique Interactive Walk Planning Maps:
(worth a look if you're new to go4awalk.com & have never seen one of these before.)
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Maps (pink/magenta covers):
Some Photos and Pictures from Walk c233 Sca Fell and Scafell Pike from Wasdale Head, Wast Water
In no particular order . . .
Crinkle Crags (Crinkle Crags (South Top), Crinkle Crags (Long Top), & Gunson Knott), Bow Fell (Bowfell), Esk Pike & The Langdale Pikes from Loughrigg
Yewbarrow (left) Great Gable (centre) and Lingmell (right) from across Wast Water in Wasdale
Black Crag (Pillar), Wind Gap, Pillar and Looking Stead (Pillar) above Mosedale from Wasdale Head
. . . load all 159 pictures & photos from this walk
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