Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water

This highly detailed, easy-to-follow, hand-crafted walk with GPS starts at Wasdale Head, is 11 miles long and will take about 9½hrs. It is graded 8 (Hard).


Route outline for walk c453:

Wasdale Head  -  (National Trust Campsite)  -  Wast Water  -  Lingmell  -  Corridor Route  -  Great End  -  Ill Crag  -  Broad Crag  -  Scafell Pike  -  Mickledore  -  Foxes Tarn  -  Symonds Knott  -  Sca Fell  -  Slight Side  -  Broad Tongue  -  Hardrigg 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:

hewitt
6
English
Mountains
Wainwright
5
Wainwrights
 English Nuttalls
7
English
Nuttalls
Dewey
0
English
Deweys
Wainwright Outlying Fell
0
Wainwright
Outlying Fells
marilyn
1
Marilyn
Bridget
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) (1st highest in England, 8th highest in England & Wales) and a Wainwright (No. 1).

Scafell Pike is also known as an English Nuttall (1st highest in England, 8th highest in England & Wales) and an English Marilyn (1st 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.' and is pronounced 'Though Scafell Pike is usually pronounced 'Skar Fell Pyke', the Lake District locals pronounce it 'SKOR-fall Pyke' with the emphasis on the first syllable. Indeed, many older texts spell it '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:

  • 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 free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps:


1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (orange/yellow covers):

OS Explorer OL6 The English Lakes - South Western area


1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Maps (pink/magenta covers):

OS Landranger 89 West Cumbria, Cockermouth & Wast Water


OS Landranger 90 Penrith & Keswick, Ambleside


Some Photos and Pictures from Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water

In no particular order . . .

Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water - Burnmoor Tarn, Whin Rigg and Illgill Head from Sca Fell

Burnmoor Tarn, Whin Rigg and Illgill Head from Sca Fell

Photo: Gerry Ball (55)

Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water - On the summit of a very snowy Scafell Pike

On the summit of a very snowy Scafell Pike

Photo: Mick Fox (17)

Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water - Esk Pike and Bow Fell (Bowfell) from Slight Side

Esk Pike and Bow Fell (Bowfell) from Slight Side

Photo: Greg Campbell (4)

Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water - Looking down Greta Gill to Wasdale from Great End with Red Pike (Wasdale), Little Scoat Fell, Kirk Fell and Great Gable beyond

Looking down Greta Gill to Wasdale from Great End with Red Pike (Wasdale), Little Scoat Fell, Kirk Fell and Great Gable beyond

Photo: Andy Malcolm (230)

Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water - Great Moss and Crinkle Crags from the lower slopes of Sca Fell

Great Moss and Crinkle Crags from the lower slopes of Sca Fell

Photo: David Hayter (381)

Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water - Lone fell walker on Scafell Pike with Symonds Knott and Sca Fell (left), Wast Water and Seatallen (right) beyond

Lone fell walker on Scafell Pike with Symonds Knott and Sca Fell (left), Wast Water and Seatallen (right) beyond

Photo: Craig Carter (28)

Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water - Gunson Knott, Crinkle Crags (Long Top) and Crinkle Crags (South Top) from Slight Side

Gunson Knott, Crinkle Crags (Long Top) and Crinkle Crags (South Top) from Slight Side

Photo: Greg Campbell (3)

Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water - Me and mate Mike on Scafell Pike

Me and mate Mike on Scafell Pike

Photo: Karen Parry (1)

Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water - Kirk Fell (left), Great Gable (centre) and Lingmell from across Wast Water

Kirk Fell (left), Great Gable (centre) and Lingmell from across Wast Water

Photo: Martyn Hibbert (2)

Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water - The Wast Water Screes

The Wast Water Screes

Photo: Richard Duff (3)

Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water - Windermere from Broad Crag

Windermere from Broad Crag

Photo: Craig Carter (44)

Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water - Great Gable from the Corridor Route below Scafell Pike

Great Gable from the Corridor Route below Scafell Pike

Photo: Rob Barklamb (17)

Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water - Crinkle Crags (Crinkle Crags (South Top), Crinkle Crags (Long Top), & Gunson Knott), Bow Fell (Bowfell), Esk Pike & The Langdale Pikes from Loughrigg

Crinkle Crags (Crinkle Crags (South Top), Crinkle Crags (Long Top), & Gunson Knott), Bow Fell (Bowfell), Esk Pike & The Langdale Pikes from Loughrigg

Photo: Gerry Ball (58)

Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water - My wife Pat halfway up Scafell Pike

My wife Pat halfway up Scafell Pike

Photo: Paul Weston (1)

Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water - Black Grag (Pillar), Wind Gap, Pillar and Looking Stead (Pillar) above Mosedale from Wasdale Head

Black Grag (Pillar), Wind Gap, Pillar and Looking Stead (Pillar) above Mosedale from Wasdale Head

Photo: Andy Malcolm (245)

Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water - The Wasdale Valley featuring Lingmell (left), Illgill Head and Whin Rigg (left of centre in the distance), Wast Water (centre) and Yewbarrow (right) from near Westmorland Cairn on the summit of Great Gable

The Wasdale Valley featuring Lingmell (left), Illgill Head and Whin Rigg (left of centre in the distance), Wast Water (centre) and Yewbarrow (right) from near Westmorland Cairn on the summit of Great Gable

Photo: Ian Mansell (14)

Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water - Wast Water from summit of Sca Fell

Wast Water from summit of Sca Fell

Photo: Sean Harrison (1)

Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water - Harter Fell (Eskdale) (centre left), Cam Spout Crag and Slight Side (centre right) with Eskdale below from Ill Crag summit

Harter Fell (Eskdale) (centre left), Cam Spout Crag and Slight Side (centre right) with Eskdale below from Ill Crag summit

Photo: Craig Carter (31)

Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water - Ice on Scafell Pike

Ice on Scafell Pike

Photo: Mick Fox (10)

Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water - Great Gable from Wasdale Head

Great Gable from Wasdale Head

Photo: Martyn Hibbert (1)


. . . load all 186 walk photos from Walk c453 The Scafell Mountains from Wasdale Head, Wast Water


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Now men that be that love the plain, with yellow cornland dressed. And others love the sleepy vales, where lazy cattle rest. But some men love the ancient hills, and they have chosen best - William Noel Hodgeson: 1893-1916
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