It was my first visit to Wasdale of the season, it's late this year, partly due to poor weather and partly because of my knee injury; it was sunny and breezy when I set off and it looked as though it was going to be a good day. I parked at Brackenclose and set off towards the Brown Tongue route; it was the usual slog with the usual crowd of other walkers but an unusually clear view of Scafell, it almost always mists over before I get there. As the gradient eases and the path splits, I carried on straight ahead in the direction of Mickledore; I was still very warm and walking in my Tee Shirt while walking up the rough eroded, and rebuilt, path across Hollow Stones and up to the Big Boulder.
The gradient eases again as you get past the big boulder, after passing a cairn there is a group of boulders where I usually sit and contemplate the mist; on this occasion it was sunny but with a breeze cool enough for me to put on my wind jacket and gloves. Opposite my bouldery resting place, a steep scree slope looks not very promising but soon after stepping on to it you will find a path. Not so much a path, more a line of lighter coloured stones, zigzagging upwards until it dissipates into the confusion of newly descended scree. The roughness and looser, bigger boulders continue to the bottom of Lord's Rake; it's dark, high walls and steep, rugged nature make it look as intimidating as ever.
In spite of the constantly changing nature of Lord's Rake, the large chock-stones at the bottom of the slope never seem to move; a never-ending stream of rocks spilling over them keeps the first part of the ascent interesting. Lord's Rake was in its early-season state with a lot of new loose material in the lower part of the rake, there were some very unstable boulders that would be big enough to hurt if you got in their way. I climbed upwards, keeping to the right hand side as usual, it helps keep you off the loosest of the loose rocks; as you reach the steeper ground it is clear of the bigger stones but the gravelly surface is still slippery with the gradient. All of the time you approach it, The Boulder keeps it's eye on you; there is obvious erosion below the boulder but it is still clinging on to the rock face, it is bound to fall one winter in the not too distant future.
I clambered under the leaning boulder; it's broken base makes it even more intimidating, and walked up to the end of Lord's Rake, an interesting route when you have an extensive view. From the top of the rake I went back down to the boulder again; two other walkers were hesitant about crossing the rock wall at the bottom West Wall Traverse until I showed how straightforward it was to walk over the face of the eroded crags. The West Wall Traverse seems unchanged each year after you get across the obstacle at the entrance; the rugged feel of it seems easy as you watch the climbers on the Scafell Pinnacle crags opposite.
When I got to Deep Gill there seemed to have been some erosion, the confusion of large boulders seems to be different every time I go there; with the conditions being dry I had a dusty scramble out of the top the gill on to plateau. I walked over to the summit of Scafell, and then back to the plateau in order to descend to Foxes Tarn; the path has been almost completely overwhelmed by scree, only a couple of small sections still visible and I suppose the path fairy probably won't fancy coming back to fix this fell.
After you get past Foxes Tarn and start to descend the Gully, which for once is dry and is a good deal more scrambly after last year's rock fall; there are further signs of erosion and movement that suggest that the fallen rocks are not completely settled. By the time I got to the bottom of the gully I was more than warm enough remove my jacket and gloves. I started my climb up to Mickledore on left hand side of the wide gully leading upwards; it was still as loose and awkward as ever, so at a convenient point I walked across to the right hand side. It was easier until I started the steep climb up towards the ridge of Mickledore, it is becoming more eroded and likely to end up as bad as the scree on the other side of the gully.
When I got to the stretcher box, I made a diversion and walked across rough grass and bouldery scree towards Broadcrag Tarn; the only pool of water on that big hill. The tarn is in a lovely position and commands a tremendous view of Scafell's East Buttress, I sat for a while in the warm sunshine enjoying the view before I tackled the tough climb uphill. I walked up steep bouldery ground, keeping to grass where possible but eventually ended in boulder-hopping up to the main path. Most of the hard work was done by then, all that remained was the final rugged walk over bouldery ground to the busy and breezy summit of Scafell Pike.
It was a strong cold, breeze; I started to descend hoping it would ease as I lost height but I eventually had to put my jacket back on again. I was heading towards Lingmell col, I hate the Brown Tongue descent so in order to avoid it I made the ten-minute climb to the summit of Lingmell. I walked in the direction of Wastwater on a grassy path, it was a reasonably easy descent at first but it got steep at times, and hard on the knees, although it is easier on the feet that the reconstructed alternative. On the final grassy descent it became extremely warm again and I walked back into the car park in my tee shirt.
© Andy Wallace 24th May 2008