20 May 2018
Lingmell
Filed under Derek Curtis, Lingmell, Peter Horsley, Scafel, Scafell Pike, Southern Fells, Sportsmans Inn, Wasdale · Tagged Southern Fells
Height: 2624 feet
Bible Position: The Scafell Group
Conditions: Hot, sunny and dry, slight breeze
Viewranger Stats:
Viewranger Stats
Position: 7th highest in Southern Fells
Other Wainwrights on this walk:
At last we are down to the final handful of fells to conquer. The final five are all in Wasdale and today we were planning on Lingmell. It was my turn to drive and as it was a long drive I intended picking Peter up at 6 am. I was only 5 minutes away from home and realised I had forgotten my walking socks, so had to turn back. It would have been a painful walk with just lining socks in my boots! So it was about 6.15 am when I got to Peters.
Early morning view of Wasdale. Todays target, Lingmell middle of picture.
We arrived at Wasdale Head just after 9 am. As we drove towards the little bridge entering the National Trust car park, we are sure we saw Chris Bonnington driving out of the car park. The car park was busy with Three Peakers but still plenty of spaces. We parked up, booted up, Scotch Egged up and began walking at 9.25 am.
Leaving the National Trust car park over the footbridge
Start of the walk
The path lead us up Lingmell Gill initially until we reached a gate. At the gate we could follow the path up towards Brown Tongue or veer left up a steep grassy slope.
The busy path up Brown Tongue towards Scafel Pike. The grassy slope to the left heading direct to Lingmell.
The grassy slope looked very steep and from this viewpoint the path looked the easier option. We decided on the grassy slope though to get the steep climbing out of the way. Also this route would avoid the traffic from the Three Peakers on the way to Scafel Pike.
In the distance we could see a stile and this was our first target.
Stile in the distance which looked like two thirds of the way up
Looking back to Wast Water and the gate below where we turned left
It was a fantastic day in Wasdale, tee-shirt and shorts all the way. The views were also amazing. We were right in the heart of the biggest mountains in the lake District and we had a ringside seat.
Yewbarrow with the Great Door on the left of the ridge
A close up of the Great Door on Yewbarrow
This is a very busy area at this time of the year as people attempt the Three Peaks challenge with maximum daylight. The area is littered with camp sites and car parks to deal with the seasonal traffic.
Looking down to the Wasdale Head Inn and campsite. Scoat Fell and Pillar behind. Yewbarrow left front and Kirk Fell right front.
We were now approaching the stile that had seemed so far in the distance.
The stile was our way marker all the way up
It was a very solid, well built stile
The Scafels
Most of the time when we are walking around here, the Scafels are in cloud, but not today. We could see them in all their glory. So a good opportunity to take some photos.
The Scafels in all their glory
The Scafels
Scafel on its own. A tiny bit of snow left in the shade
Strangely, Scafel always looks bigger than Scafel Pike!
Scafel Pike on the left, Scafel on the right
View from a little higher up
The Summit of Lingmell
Onwards and upwards toward the summit and the views got even better.
Great view of Wast Water from a height
Great Gable coming into view
The grassy slope was now more rocky over the final kilometre to the summit.
Lingmell summit only 400m ahead
We reached the summit just after 11.30 and only a little over 2 hours climbing.
Lingmell summit with Scafel behind
Lingmell summit with Scafel Pike behind
Looking down to Styhead Tarn. The Corridor Route is by my left arm
It was such a nice day with just a little breeze, and it was still early so time for a long bait stop.
Looking across to the Western Fells. Haycock, Scoat Fell, Pillar and Kirk Fell to name a few
The Descent
One was all we could realistically do today, Pillar and Scoat Fell were some distance. Whilst Scafel was possibly within reach it was a tough ask for me especially. We descended in the direction of the route to Scafel Pike, heading towards Hollow Stones and then down Brown Tongue. We had passed about three people so far today, that was about to change as we hit the M1 of the Lakes in May, June and July.
Looking back to Lingmell on the Descent
Mickledore, between Scafel Pike and Scafel
Mickledore was the route we took up to Scafel Pike when we did that, to avoid the crowds. Brown Tongue was very busy with some weird and wonderful sights. People wearing very basic trainers, one person dressed for the Arctic and one bloke with a wedding dress! I suppose it was a Royal Wedding day.
Busy day on the way to Scafel Pike
We must have seen hundreds of people today, all heading for Scafel Pike
Almost at the car
We got back to the car just after 2pm. The car park still very busy, we started the drive home. We just had time to stop at the Sportsmans Inn on the A66. Only 4 left to do now, so a very satisfying drive home.
See you on the next one, hopefully in June.
Lingmell Viewranger Stats