This was our second attempt to climb England's highest peak. Previously we set out from the Wast Head side with aspirations of bagging both Scafell and Scafell Pike in the same day, but the weather was so vicious on the summit of Scafell that we decided it was pointless going higher for more of the same. Instead we would bide our time and wait for an idyllic day to try it again. Such a day came over Easter 2011.
To mix things up a bit, we started out from Seathwaite Farm this time and being Easter, the roadside parking was backing by 9am and we had plenty of hiking companions for the majority of the day. By a stroke of luck, we followed the majority of hikers up the hill after the junction at Stockley bridge which took us on a far more enjoyable route than if we'd turned left up the grains (our route down). The uphill slog was intermingled with fantastic views passing Styhead Tarn, a rugged Lingmell backdrop, early lunch overlooking the scree slopes of Great Gable and a gradual climb up the craggy terrain on Corridor Route.
Nearing the top, the terrain becomes very rocky and barren and a number of busy hiking routes converge for the last blast to the top. All sorts of folk were out ranging from inexperienced twenty somethings with immaculate hair to windswept ninety year olds who looked like they wouldn't make it to the end of their own street. We're not sure exactly how many of them made it to the summit, but the weather was so idyllic that I'm sure that everybody had a heckuva day regardless. Worth doing at least once.
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By Darrell Grundy - visited on 21 April 2011