Sca Fell Route Information

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Sca Fell

Quick Facts

This is the summed total of all the climbing within a route and is a good indicator of the strenuousness of a route.

Total Ascent

890 m

An estimate of the time taken based on a derivation of Naismiths rules. Our calculation is based on the horizontal and ascent components of a climb, we do not make a reduction for descent.

Registered users can customise these walking times by specifying their own walking and ascending speeds. They can also add a fixed time period for stoppages.

Route Time

3 hrs

The horizontal distance of the route.

Route Distance

6.97 km

The UK is covered by 204 Ordnance Survey Landranger 1:50,000 scale maps. Maps numbered 1 to 86 cover Scotland but for the highest mountains (Munros) only 23 maps are required. The name given roughly describes the area covered by the map.

You can click on the map name to purchase the map for £6.29 including postage which is one of the cheapest prices we have found.

OS Landranger Maps Required

89	West Cumbria, Cockermouth & Wast Water
90	Penrith & Keswick, Ambleside

Only £6.29 (£13.49 Laminated) from

A brief summary of this route.

Our summary will always contain one of easy, moderate or hard to indicate the severity of the route.

Notes

Classic ascent through crags for experienced walkers via Lord’s Rake: see Mountain Description for cautions. Do NOT attempt route in reverse unless familiar with Lord’s Rake from uphill end.

Here we provide the nearest town to the start of the route where you will find basic services.

We then give directions from that location to the route start. Your approach route may differ.

Travel Information

Head to: Egremont

From Egremont drive 10km SE along A595 and turn off into Gosforth. In the village bear left on minor road for Nether Wasdale and Wasdale. Drive 12km until just beyond Wast Water, then turn right onto track towards camp site, and park on car park.

Route Waypoint Map

The total ascent is 890 metres. Allow 3 hours to complete this 6.97 km route.

Usually the shortest way to climb the mountain, making best use of tracks and paths to gain altitude. Route navigation requires map reading skills and an ability to navigate with a compass.

The information given here will enable you to annotate your map and plan your route. We do not give anecdotal descriptions on where to find the paths, worn by the feet of previous mountaineers.

Where the access routes are few or the ridge is narrow, paths are generally obvious. On open ground, following paths without using your compass may get you lost in poor visibility.

Route Information

Waypoint Detail

	Park in Wasdale on car park near camp site.
		NY18250745	Distance	Altitude 71 m

1	Head SE on road to reach the start of the ascent path
		NY18410723	Distance 0.32 km	Altitude 99 m

2	Ascend E on path beside Lingmell Gill beck
		NY19530742	Distance 1.16 km	Altitude 300 m

3	Cross stream onto Brown Tongue ridge and ascend path ESE to cairned junction.
		NY20210731	Distance 0.72 km	Altitude 535 m

4	Take right path up scree heading ESE
		NY20600726	Distance 0.41 km	Altitude 656 m

5	Bear SE on path, keeping towards crags to find start of Lord’s Rake at c.790m.
		NY20910694	Distance 0.45 km	Altitude 790 m

6	Scramble WSW up stone-filled rock gully to col (part-blocked with large fallen rock).
		NY20760685	Distance 0.12 km	Altitude 835 m

7	Continue same WSW line short distance to dip then up to second col.
		NY20640683	Distance 0.12 km	Altitude 840 m

8	Again continue WSW traversing steep slope, then a short scramble up to finish on grassy fell side.
		NY20530678	Distance 0.12 km	Altitude 845 m

9	Ascend ESE to saddle between Sca Fell and Symond’s Knott minor top (959m).
		NY20750665	Distance 0.26 km	Altitude 938 m

10	Turn right and ascend gentle slope to Sca Fell (3000ft+)
		NY20670647	Distance 0.20 km	Altitude 964 m

11	From the summit head WNW on winding descent path
		NY20000666	Distance 0.83 km	Altitude 693 m

12	Continue descending WSW on path to Green How
		NY19320641	Distance 0.78 km	Altitude 504 m

13	Follow path NW to junction with the Wasdale-Eskdale bridleway.
		NY18410702	Distance 0.98 km	Altitude 100 m

14	Turn N and follow bridleway back to start.
		NY18267500	Distance 0.50 km	Altitude 71 m

A selection of weather forecasts local to this route.

Weather

Cumbrian Fells
by MWIS (PDF format)

Lake District
by Met Office

Sca Fell
by Metcheck

Images of Sca Fell

The Mickledore ridge from Scafell Pike finishes abruptly at Broad Stand crags, which must be skirted around with substantial loss of height to gain Sca Fell. The paths to Lord's Rake (right) and Foxes Tarn (left) keep close to the base of the crags.

Image by David S Brown

Sca Fell from Sca Fell Pike; February 1971.

Image by Roger Vander Steen

The North Face of Sca Fell seen from Lingmell. Lords Rake begins at the top of the central scree and runs diagonally upwards to the right within a gully.

Image by David S Brown

Approaching the first and worst section (the steep stone-filled gully) of Lord's Rake, on the path from Mickledore col. Note the giant black-looking boulder which lodged at the top in 2003.

Image by David S Brown

Route Area Map

Legend

Munro

Corbett

Graham

English/Welsh Top

Accommodation

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Where to Stay

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Disclaimer. The details provided above are an aid to planning an expedition, but all distances, altitudes and bearings must be considered approximate. You must navigate with the appropriate map, a compass, your navigation skills and common sense, MunroMagic.com accept no responsibility for your interpretation of our route information.

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