Lake District Challenge Walks - the 3000's
It feels like ages since I managed to write a blog post. Thankfully we have been very busy, as visitors flock to the Lake District and are looking for fun and adventurous outdoor activities.
There have been many fun days over the last few weeks, seeing many returning customers as well as many new faces. The weather has been quite settled which has helped too. Rock climbing, Canyoning, Gorge scrambling, Abseiling, and lots of guided walking. Every day has been an absolute pleasure.
An exceptional couple of days then came along in the form of a round of Lakelands 3000ft mountains. Meeting Carly in Ambleside early on a Monday I could sense straight away this was going to be a great couple of days. We whizzed up Skiddaw to enjoy glorious views from the summit. Next up was a very rapid ascent of Helvellyn, dropping down via Nethermost Pike to return through the Thirlmere plantations. We stopped to chat with National Trust worker Sarah who was busy co-ordinating footpath repairs. Then found a bench with a view over Thirlmere so ate more snacks 🙂
With the speed we had been walking so far I decided to propose an alternative route for the Scafell range. Carly was enthusiastic about the additional challenge this offered. I picked up that we could fit in even more to the day, so added a more mountaineering feel to it by adding Lords Rake, the West Wall Traverse, and Deep Gill to summit Scafell.
We blasted in from Langdale, but unfortunately by the time we reached Angle Tarn the weather had closed in and visibility became very poor. This dampened the spirits not one iota, and on we forged, ticking Ill Crag, Broad Crag, and Scafell Pike in short order.
Dropping in to Mickledore we could still see almost nothing around us, so missed the grandeur of the East Buttress of Scafell. We followed Rakes Progress to reach Lords Rake. This is a broad gully filled with scree, so quite tough going. Locating the start of West Wall Traverse we turned left onto easier terrain that connected us with Deep Gill. With huge cliffs all around this is a tremendous place to be, even when shrouded in thick mist. Carly made light work of the steep terrain and soon we popped up onto the summit plateau. There was no wind, only mist. An eerie feeling. A few minutes easy walking had us ticking the 4th and final summit.
Using Foxes tarn gully as descent we headed for The Great Moss and emerged into glorious sunshine as we did. This felt wonderful and with the drama of The Great Moss ahead, the mighty Esk Buttress to our left, it was smiles all round.
Some re-ascent brought us up to Esk Hause and from there it was just a matter of retracing our steps back to Langdale. But taking our time over it, for now the sun shone and the mountains were sharing all their glory. Langdale really is the jewel of Lakeland.
An inspiring couple of days.......that also made my legs feel rather tired! Thanks Carly.
If planning a visit to the Lake District this year or beyond and wanting to explore beyond the beaten track or try some adventurous activities please do get in touch. We offer Gorge Scrambling; Abseiling; Canyoning; Rock Climbing; Navigation courses; Guided Walking and Adventure Days. We'll do our best to make your stay here absolutely fantastic. And for more Scafell Pike focused activities check out Climb Scafell
Mark
