| Grid Reference: |
NY 20682 06484 |
| Height: |
964 metres/3163 feet |
| "Many folk today, even with the added knowledge that the main Pike is not only higher but actually the highest land in the country, share the old opinion that Scaw Fell (now Scafell) is the superior mountain of the group." |
|
A Wainwright
|
Once considered the highest mountain in the Lake District, Scafell has now been demoted to the second highest peak, just 14m the junior of Scafell Pike but considered by many to be much the superior mountain.
The most arresting feature of the mountain is the huge Scafell Buttress, towering above Mickledore and arresting the view from the nearby Scafell Pike. Scafell Buttress has two huge rock faces, the west buttress, above Lord's Rake is home to many classic early climbing routes, particularly famous are those around Deep Gill and Scafell Pinnacle. The much steeper east buttress, once considered to difficult for climbers is home to much harder modern climbing routes of the last thirty years.
Routes between Scafell and Scafell Pike are not as simple as may be though, considering there is barely a mile between the two summits, the easiest walking rote is via Fox's Tarn, although this does involve loosing much more height than the more direct routes.
Lord's Rake follows a series of rocky gullies below the West Buttress, climbing three steep rakes to emerge on the western slopes of Scafell, a short but easy walk to the summit. The drawback to Lords Rake is that there is much loose rock in the gullies, making walking difficult.
The West Wall Traverse leaves Lord's Rake after the first climb, turning left onto a ledge it climbs into the easier upper section of Deep Gill, leaving a short scramble to emerge at the top of Scafell Crag close to the summit of Scafell.
Broad Stand is the final route between the two summits, and is the most direct taking an almost straight line between the two summits and loosing the least height, but this is a serious scrambling route, a grade 3 scramble descending a series of rocky shelves too Mickledore.
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