Training : Lakeland 3000 Shakedown

The Final Piece of the Jigsaw

View Borrowdale in a larger map

The day started out cool and calm. The photo of Hartsop Dodd captured in a brief stop on the way to Windemere station. On arrival only to find connecting trains late and connections failed, the reliability of Northern Rail brought into question. Would this have happened under good old British Rail?

Re-route via Oxenhome and the delay made up and we're on our way to Borrowdale, via Keswick and the crowds are awakening, some are in Saabs and Volvos and we queue up behind them and process down the road to Seathwaite. This gives us time to view the road and paths which forms one of the road legs of the route itself. It may look easy but I bet there's scope for a balls up and the eight miles from Keswick after the first pull up Skiddaw this will be tough in the heat; if it's as hot as this.

Cresting the hump back bridge at Seatoller and we're brough up a jolt, there are 100's of cars and presumably many hundereds of people too. So much for a Friday being less crowded, it's half term of course.

We're keen to get going and make excellent progress along the path, past the farm where the route crosses the river Derwent at Stockley Bridge. Then on an upwards quite steeply to Styhead Tarn. A quick stop to check the map, it's ages and half a lifetime ago since I've been here. Locating the Coridoor Route another 1500ft and the col at Lingmell is topped. All the while making guesses, which top is that, Scafell, no you can't see it from here.

Great Gable

Its crowded now and the haul up to Scafell Pike is taken as fast as possible, topping out at the cairn 2:10min from the start. Stopping for something to eat and drink, consulting the map and options to be discussed and with decisions made. Scafell is only reached by losing around 850ft and climbing back up, via Fox's Tarn again; then doing it all over again on the way back! The view from the more secluded summit is well worth it.

The route home is via Broad Crag and Esk Hause then Sprinkling Tarn With it's beautiful seclusion and cool and inviting water it's difficult not to linger and swim! Grab a few photos, Gable is impressive from here, then on to Styhead Tarn rejoining the route up, back to the car. Damn it is HOT!

Wasdale to the Top of England

Scafell & Pike

View Scafell via Fox's Tarn in a larger map

Another new trip for me, Scafell and from Wasdale. Tim and I were to reccy the link between Scafell Pike and Scafell by driving into Wasdale Head and then taking a route from there to Mickeldore, the col between the two tops.

We set off in foul weather from the head of Wasdale at about 9:00, wet and windy, the forecast looking to be accurate. Climbing steeply, skirting Lingmell Gill the route goes straight towards Mickledore via Brown Tongue, into the thickening cloud and showery rain. It's warm work and there's the usual dilemma of 'overtrousers' or 'no-overtrousers'. I adopted the latter dress code.

The path steepens at the head of the cove and the scree underfoot does nothing to help forward / upward progress. When it's saturated like this it's more like walking in wet cement. Then suddenly we're on the col itself, cloud and wind making this spot feel very isolated and dropping the temperature enough for us to add layers. We're glad the wind is not at the forecast 'gales' 50mph level, that would have been too much.

Now the direction is down, the other side of the col towards the bottom of the East Buttress looking for a short cut through the rock and vegetation to a point 1/3rd the way up Fox's Tarn Gully. We see several possibilities but nothing definite and its very wet and slippery and opt for the safer option of the Gully itself. This is waterfall climbing, but it's steady and absorbing so the loss of height is quickly regained and without too much time lost. Fox's Tarn itself is just a peaty pool of water with a huge boulder sat in it but provides a necessary landmark, we bear right up the steep slopes behind to the summit ridge. The well cairned path bearing back around to the left to the summit of Scafell proper.

Time for a refuel, food and coffee in the cloud and wind a photo or two for posterity. Then suddenly the cloud parts and we catch a glimpse of Wasdale below, only a glimpse mind as the cloud rolls back in. This is no place to linger and with no view to keep us there we head off back down the way we have come. Finding the top of the gully easily we drop down the waterfall just as wet going down as up.

Mickledore

At the foot of the gully we have a steep climb back up to Mickledore, this time we hug the base of the gigantic cliffs in a further attempt to find the elusive shortcut. This time we do indeed see where the faint 'path' seems to go right into the heart of the craggy moss. Note the word 'path' is a very lose term and I am not confident that in a tired state this is the way forward, better the safer option even if we lose that extra 20~30m in height.

From the end of Mickeldore, just below Broad Stand we see our next objective in the clearing cloud and mist, Scafell Pike. The highest point in England is gained in short order, its now familiar bulky cairn covered with people of all shapes and colours. There's obviously an event on as there's a marshall with a radio and fell runners appearing every so often, only to disappear at an alarming speed. Our enquiries establish that the event is "The Three County Tops", Helvellyn, Scafell Pike and Coniston Old Man.

Author, Wastwater

The route down is via Lingmell Col and is fairly straight forward, if long and steep at the end. The weather plays tricks, at one time heavy showers and others bright sunshine. The clear spells allow some good photos of the unusual view of Mickledore and down the Wasdale valley all the way to the West Coast and the Irish Sea.

Tim looking down on Wastwater

Great Gable and Styhead Tarn