A Great Day Out in the high Mountains

Wasdale head, Styhead tarn, Great End, 

Ill Crag, Scafell Pike & Mickledore

9.5miles 3800ft

A very earlier start from Wasdale Head to avoid climbing in the heat of the day

Passing St Olaf's church - the smallest parish church in England

Crossing an almost completely dry Lingmell beck with Great End, today's first climb centre right

Looking up to Great Napes and Little & Great Hells Gate on Great Gable

Great & Green Gables with Styhead tarn to right from the start of the climb up the north ridge of Great End

A Little higher  and Sprinkling tarn comes into view next to the path to Esk Hause

 Lingmell fell across the cove to the west

The first of the summit cairns to the north of Great Ends summit plateau 2976ft

Looking back down Custs gill with its large chock stone

and again

Looking to the Cumbrian coast from the western summit.....

.....and the Langdale pikes from the Eastern summit

.....and to the north today's next objectives of Ill Crag & Scafell Pike

Scafell Pike again from Ill Crag summit 3051ft

Lunch time on the summit with Grains gill below

Great Gable with the funnel of Great Hells Gate shown clearly crossing the South Traverse 

Now arriving at the ever popular highest point in England - Scafell Pike 3205ft

.....and again with the trig point

Leaving the summit I headed to Mickledore, the little ridge connecting Scafell Pike to Scafell. There is no direct path between the two. Scafell is only 50ft lower than Scafell Pike but receives one visitor for every 50 climbing Scafell Pike. 

Personally I find the summit of Scafell far more interesting.

Descending onto Mickledore with the 'V' shaped gap marking the start of the path leading to the right down into Wasdale. The Eskdale path is seen to the left.

Whilst looking over Mickledore I spotted these two climbers high up on Scafell's Broad Stand crags. Definately not my cup of tea!!!!!

Wastwater from the start of the descent to Wasdale.... 

.....affording a great view of the start of Lord's Rake one of the more interesting routes up Scafell

Much lower down and the full length of Wastwater is seen

Finally the car park at Wasdale Head is only a couple of fields away.

I Was thankfull that I had a very early start as the valley temperature was heading close to 30'c

This was what I can only describe as a fantastic day's walking with a real feeling of  being right amongst the finest dramatic mountains and crags in Lakeland