Awoke to full on blue skies and set off with high levels of excitement and anticipation. As we left our valley, we discovered the rest of the Lake District seemed to be covered in a think layer of cloud, which almost changed the plans, but keeping faith in the forecast, pressed on to Wasdale and began the hike up into the mountains as the clouds began to break up.
We need not have been concerned about the car park being full, as there was plenty of spaces at 9am. Not the case in North Wales at this time of year! We set off up the tourist path towards Scafell, before breaking away towards Mickledore and the towering cliffs.
Out towards the coast, the skies were clearing, but an atmospheric mist still swirled around the peaks above us. We were the only climbers.
The temperatures could be described as warm and sweaty, so we stopped for a drink and a cool down by this boulder - our climb, ascents the cliff directly up to the highest point.
At the base of the cliffs, the temperature was much cooler as the sun had not quite come around. Clare set off first, linking the first two pitches. From then on we swung leads up various brilliant pitches of climbing as the sun burst around the arete.
At each belay ledge, where we swapped over gear, the views got better and better.
Finally, a few hours later after a good picnic half way up, we arrived on the summit of Pikes Crag, called Pulpit Rock, where the clouds blew through and then cleared again two minutes later.
From the Pulpit, a short abseil (about 15m from an in-situ sling/krab), got us back onto the main mountain, from where it was only a short walk to the highest point in England.
It was Clare's first time on the top and only my second (possibly third?). It was a much exciting way to ascend the peak, compared to the line of trekkers we could see on the main path!
We descended to Mickldore, as no one else was going that way and it also gave a great view of the other Scafell Cliffs, that I'd heard so much about over the years.
Wast Water provided a much needed foot cool off, but we decided to give the swim a miss as the wind had picked up and it was very busy there compared to our paddleboarding experience a few days ago.
Instead, we drove down the valley and straight out to the coast. The road ended at the beach, just past a small village called Drigg. The heat was intense, even though it was well into the evening!
We had a few brews on the deserted beach then carried on home as the exhaustion of the day began to set in...
Scafell Pike - Pike's Buttress:
- Grooved Arete, HVD***
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