Seathwaite, Styhead Pass, Corridor Route, Scafell Pike, Esk Hause, Cumbria.
[17.9 km] Fri 11 July 2014

OS Grid Ref: NY 23542 12225
Lat/Long: +54.499556, -03.182097
I started from Seathwaite with Caroline who is a friend and excellent photographer. I was hoping to pick up some photographic tips. Seathwaite is officially the wettest place in England at 3,560mm (140 in) per annum. It is also where graphite was mined from the 1550s.
Caroline had never been to the summit of Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England, so today’s objective is to try and make the summit. It was warm and sunny as we set off walking south along the track to the fells. Caroline had her dog Dougal with here which she had on a lead for the first part of the walk as Dougal has a tendency to chase sheep.

Higher up the lead was removed but a collar was then fitted which allowed Caroline to remotely administer an electric shock if he got too close to any sheep. Stockley Bridge looked idyllic in the sunshine with crystal clear water pools along Grains Gill below. Over the bridge and though the gate we set off up the steep path alongside Taylorgill Force. As we got higher a bit of cooling breeze came down from the higher fells. The valley opens out at Syhead Gill but the path is indistinct as far as the wooden footbridge. There it follows the west side of the gill and continues to Styhead Tarn. Behind the tarn was the Sty Head and behind that the route up via the Corridor path to Scafell Pike. Above the tarn is the Stretcher Box where we stopped to have something to eat and take in the views.

Looking across a tarn on the Corridor Route towards Great Gable

There were now a lot a people about and one large group of younger people sat on the grass at Sty Head. Apparently they were doing something for the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. Leaving Sty Head we set off up the Corridor Route which only had a few people on it. Its name is fitting as it looks like a ragged path following a scar in the hillside. To the right is Piers Gill which is much less appealing and has been to site of accidents and rescues in the past. Before reaching the main path coming up from Wasdale a walker approached us coming down. He was on some sort of sponsored long distance walk and said he was badly in need of something with salt in it. Caroline gave him her large bag of crisps and I gave him a small can of energy drink. He offered to pay but neither of us wanted to take anything though we were surprised he wasn’t suitable prepared.
At Lingmell Col we joined the main route up to the summit of Scafell Pike.

There were many people on the path and most has come directly up from Wasdale which is the shortest way up but not the most picturesque. Just beyond the summit trig post is the main cairn which is a large rectangular stone structure about 2m high and higher than the trig post. Our descent route was across Broad Crag and Ill Crag and the rocky path was visible in the distance. The short steep descent to Broad Crag was tricky due to the dry dusty path. Once on the crags the path is quite rocky with no obvious route other than to follow the cairns. At Calf Cove there are well made stone steps to follow down to the easier path below and the clear cold spring that is the source of Calfcove Gill.

Approaching the Esk Hause stone wind shelter there are better views of the Langdale Pikes but Angle Tarn is hidden from view in its deep depression. We turned left and descended to Sprinkling Tarn for a sit down and a bite to eat. Across the tarn someone was braving the water and having a swim. An easy descent took us back down the Sty Head and the return path to Seathwaite. On the final descent to Stockley Bridge a man and woman couple of mountain bikers descended past us. We met them at the gate and the man told us their route had been along Langstrath, Scafell Pike, Wasdale Head and back over Sty Head. That is a very impressive route on a bike. We’d walked slowly to enjoy the day and returned to the car for 18:20.