Scafell Pike (12.12.2012)
| Startsted | Seathwaite |
|---|---|
| Sluttsted | Seathwaite |
| Turtype | Fottur |
| Distanse | 12,0km |
| Kart |
|
| Bestigninger | Broad Crag (934moh) | 12.12.2012 |
|---|---|---|
| Great End (910moh) | 12.12.2012 | |
| Scafell Pike (978moh) | 12.12.2012 |
There isn't anything quite as pleasing as a good hike in familiar surroundings, with superb weather and solid snow. Quite surprisingly this trip satisfied all three criteria (not something which often happens in this corner of England) and made it a very enjoyable day out in the UK hills again. After a quiet night spent in the Borrowdale youth hostel, my friend Sue and I headed for Scafell Pike with the intention of going up the Corridor route which goes around the north-western side of the mountain. In the summer time Scafell Pike usually has a reputation for attracting big crowds and it doesn't end up being the nicest experience. But today we were really fortunate and saw very few other hikers, maybe half a dozen close to the summit but none on our route up!
The approach toward Styhead Tarn was a bit icy on the path in places, and I managed to slip over within less than an hour of walking, which was a little painful but fortunately didn't do any damage, and once at the tarn we had a quick break to eat an apple before continuing around the tarn toward the junction in the path where the Corridor route started. There were some nice views down the Wasdale valley and it felt more like a day out in autumn than winter, there was so little snow cover and still a lot of rich, autumnal colours covering the fells. Before we reached Lingmell though, we decided to make a small variation of the route and take a slightly steeper way up to the top by bearing straight up a slope to our left which skirted around a rocky crag below the summit. I had forgotten to bring an ice axe with me so we didn't choose anything so steep that I would need one to get up safely. I wish I had remembered though, there were so many gullies and snow lines we could have tried for a more interesting route to the top! But at least it was a good opportunity to pull on the crampons again and hike up quality snow. It was quite a straightforward plod up, and just before the last stretch of snow to the top, we found a short but steep crag to scramble up. A bit of rock and turf which had been plastered in solid snow made it a more exciting but enjoyable way to get up!
It was a bit breezier on the top when we arrived, and we had company with three or four other climbers who like us, were also admiring the beautiful winter sunlight while at the same time trying to eat sandwiches with cold hands. The sun was absolutely beaming down and it was a superb view over all the Lakeland fells in all directions. All the familiar fells which I have had lots of memorable trips on were dusted in snow. There was some cloud which moved in toward us as we walked a different route in the direction of Esk Hause, but it gave the landscape a superb lighting especially out in the west and over the coast! Fortunately it was just cloud and no precipitation, and we had a very leisurely walk back down Grains Gill towards Seathwaite again. There was still a lot of thick ice on the path next to the gill, so we kept crampons on for a fair way back towards the car, even though we had already descended below the snow line. In summary though, it had been a brilliant welcome back to the Lakeland fells again and even though the hills aren't quite so spectacular as the norwegian mountains, they are still a joy to be hiking on especially at this time of the year!
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