Today's walk was to Scafell Pike. Starting at Seathwaite. We were heading up Grains Gill and Ruddy Gill to ’Great End’ the first of three Wainwright summits by way of ’The Band’ then onto Ill Crag, Broad Crag, and Scafell Pike. Returning via Lingmell (for some) then picking up the Corridor Route to Sty Head, descending Styhead Gill back to the cars.
About 10 miles.
After the previous days walking, I slept like a baby, only waking at first light. Apart from the shuffle of bodies turning over in bed, the room was surprisingly quiet, just the occasional snoring. Which apparently came from me for a change as Ruth pointed out, but I heard nothing......probably due to me having earplugs in haha!!!
The five of us in our room soon started to rise out of bed and started our personal routines in getting ready for the day ahead. The small floor space got quite full with bags and walking gear, rucksack's, draped damp towels and a string of mobiles charging off the one socket. A window gets opened and the curtains are drawn back. Showers, washes and the sound of scrubbing teeth at the sink are heard. Waiting for a vacant loo down the corridor, or in Ruth and Colin’s case, sat waiting for a vacant shower room to become vacant!!! It's all part of the hostel experience.
I opted to have cereal from home for breakfast as did most of the group, prepared in the self-catering kitchen along with a banana and a mug of tea.
However, Mr Rhino was doing his impersonation of Gordon Ramsey frying bacon and mushrooms for Lyndsey and Dom (he does look after them)
With breakfast over and rucksack's packed with fresh food and liquid, we were joined by Reg who'd camped overnight in what was a pretty cold night. We had offered him the one spare bed in our room but he had other ideas, (probably heard me snoring) A remarkable man of 74 years I'm sure he won't mind me saying.
The group of 8 were travelling in just 2 cars to Seathwaite as parking can be a nightmare, we left the hostel pretty much on time and fortunately, plenty of spaces were left on this popular lane in Seathwaite. It was noticeably chilly in the morning breeze once out of the car, so we were all keen to get underway and generate some heat. We were meeting our final two forum members here, Paul (pdstsp) and Lee (photonut) I hadn't met these guys before, so it was nice to put a face to the names and posts we see, and I got the chance to have a chat with them while walking up Grains Gill. This section of the route is a well worn by the thousands of boots that walk it each year.
From left to right, Paul (pdstsp) Lee (photonut) Tim (percy) Ruth (yorksgal) Colin (Strider) Dom (domtheone) Reg (gunwharfman) John (jontea) Dave (Rhino) and Lyndsey on the end.
Today the group spread out a little on the long climb up Grains Gill and Ruddy Gill, so the leading walkers stopped to allow us all to regroup and rest a while once caught up before continuing. There is nothing worse than having to catch a group up, for them to push on immediately after you've reached them, but this is an experienced group of walkers with patience.
The view of Great End from Ruddy Gill
At the top of Ruddy Gill, we stopped for a sit-down and rest for a few minutes and a chance to eat and drink. Once again like yesterday, Tim, Colin and myself were back looking at the gullies of Great End and our route up.
From here, we would cut across the rough grasses of the northeast side of the fell, leaving the busy tourist route behind as we climbed this first grassy section to join the route higher up. Again the leading walkers waited at the top of a very windy level bit of ground for everyone to regroup before continuing on up the The Band.
Lyndsey and Dave on the Band. views of Sprinkling Tarn and Glaramara behind.
It was a nice steady pace, easy climbing, hardly needing hands but I'd put my poles away just in case both hands were needed. This is where we had first contact with snow, just a few patches of rock-solid ice which Ruth soon realised when attempting a snow angel (that was funny)
It wasn't long before we were at Great End summit in spectacular scenery. Although windy it was sunny and the air was clear, giving excellent views, it really was a beautiful day. From this point, Scafell Pike summit could be seen, it's about three quarters of a mile away, but we had ’Ill Crag’ and ’Broad Crag’ in between us to climb.
Great End Summit
After leaving Great End, Lee was leading the group, a very fit guy who completed the Wainwrights in an amazingly short time span, in fact Tim, Dave and Paul had also complete all 214 peaks, so the wealth of knowledge the group had was fantastic.
Having climbed ’Ill Crag’ we had one more regrouping and a sit down at the col before tackling the rocky ’Broad Crag.’ With a boulder field to cross, helped only by several cairns in a line, its a case of choose your route. Inevitably the group opened up at this point, choosing various lines, then the last steep climb over snow patches and rock was done. And one by one we all arrived with a smile on our faces.
Looking back at Broad Crag
The final climb up to Scafell Pike summit
Ruth and Paul start the final climb to Scafell Pike Summit
Looking back at our route Broad Crag, Ill Crag, and Great End to the left of photo.
The highest spot in England!!! Scafell Pike 978m / 3,209 ft A first for me, and my 142nd on the Wainwright list, and a great way to do it. This is all part of the Wainwright journey for me, creating memories like this, not just the solo walks, and sharing the experience with great people. The summit was teeming with walkers, absolutely packed and once we’d all made it here, we had to wait our turn to walk up the final narrow steps together taking over the summit monuments top just for a couple of minutes for a group photo. Once photos were taken, we all headed off the windy peak in a westerly direction down to Lingmell Col.
A very happy Ruth
views down to Wast Water
Scafell
The money shot........courtesy of Ruth and her camera phone.
The group split into two here as Ruth, Dom, Paul, Lee and myself made a fairly rapid but short climb up to the summit cairn of Lingmell at 807 m before returning back down to the col, and following the path around the head of ’Piers Gill’ behind the main group, then picking up the ’Corridor Route’ to Sty Head, passing the stretcher box and the Tarn.
Lingmell summit
Looking down Piers Gill
Dom and Ruth seen on the Corridor Route
Lingmell
Approaching the stretcher box at the foot of Great Gable at Sty Head
Lee was asking me on the way down, if I wanted to do Seathwaite Fell, as this was a Wainwright I hadn't been to, but my knees were tight and I was thinking about Sundays walk and didn't want to overdo it after two big days of walking and spoil tomorrow.......Lee would have done it no bother, and I was tempted, but then Dom reminded me I am just a mere mortal. And a 57-year-old one at that.
It was only at Styhead Gill we caught the group up, staying on the main eastern side of the Gill, so no views of Taylorgill Force were seen. A steep stepped drop down to Stockley Bridge then the flat walk back along Grains Gill.
It was noted as we crossed the bridge over ’Hind Gill’ just how dry it was with no visible water flowing.
It was good to be back at the cars without feeling too many aches, and a decision had been made to drive the two cars to the Riverside Bar from Seathwaite for a post-walk drink. Unfortunately, Paul couldn't make it as he had to get back, but It was great to meet him and hopefully we’ll see him again at a future meet up. But Lee did join us.........well it was now pretty warm down in the valley, and we’d covered about 11 miles.
So the nine of us took over a corner of the bar and enjoyed that well-earned pint.
We didn't stay too long as the two volunteer drivers Tim and I think Lyndsey couldn't drink. We said our goodbyes to Lee and we all returned to the hostel for showers, a change of clothes and a walk back through the fields to the pub for food.
Once again, good conversation and laughs after filling our faces with good old fashioned pub grub along with a couple of pints. By now it was dark outside, so it was time for the head torches to come out again, as we crossed the fields from the bar in darkness back to the hostel, where we continued to socialize until last orders and beyond.
Reg was starting his first leg of his walk to Edinburgh, yes Edinburgh in the morning so we said a fond farewell to him and wished him well. Dave and Lyndsey were planning a relaxing morning with no plans for walking, and were in no rush to turn in, so again handshakes and hugs went round. Judging by the wine on the table, we knew we wouldn't see them in the morning, haha. The remaining five of us, Tim, Colin, Ruth, Dom and myself had plans for a nice easy 5-mile walk before heading home by lunchtime Sunday, so about midnight we called it a night.
To be continued.......
Fantastic write up John and certainly a brilliant day both weather and company :-)
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