On Saturday 28th September a small group of Paul Ablitt (ex 2 R Anglian), Dougie Vaugh (ex QOH) and I set of from the Car park at Wasdale Head to climb Scafell Pike.
This is not an easy climb. Steep, boulders, water crossings and sore on the feet! It rises to 978m or 3200 feet over a 3.5 mile route.
Snowdon rises to 3100 feet over a 4.3 mile route so Scafell Pike is considerably steeper.
The climb starts with a relatively gentle climb for the first 100m (if you park in the National Trust car park at the head of Wast water you miss out on this gentle start) and then swings sharply uphill following Lingmell Gill.
This is a small stream that after rain turns into a raging torrent. There had been a lot of rain in the previous few days so the stream crossing was effectively a water fall and care had to be taken. Wet socks for all.
There was then a boulder laid track for the next 3-4 hundred metres of climb.
Scafell Pike Hollow stones 
Tom & Dougie, Scafell Pike 
Great Gable from Scafell Pike, Butermere in far distance
Once you reached an area called Hollow stones the track became much harder to follow and was a mix of scree and boulders.
A little further up the route was marked by a series of cairns which proved helpful as cloud moved in and cut visibility to only a few tens of metres.
The summit is marked by a large cairn and a trig point. We enjoyed some really potent Norwegian concoction that Dougie had brought with him and then, minus Dougie who was off to climb another fell headed back down.
Our route down was via another fell called Lingmell. This was a much grassier route for the first couple of kilometres but less well defined so a map and compass is needed.
Then you fall of the edge or at least that is what it feels like with 400m of descent in less than a kilometre.
The other advantage of the Wasdale Head car park is the Wasdale Inn which is about 200m away. Very handy!
I originally placed the five peaks in the order of difficulty I thought they were when I started.
With hindsight there are a couple of changes. It is now Pen Y fan, Snowdon, Slieve Donard, Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis. Nevis wins it on its sheer relentless boulder climb and the extra 1200 feet.
If you are an ex (or serving for that matter) member of our Regiment why not donate to our Museum.
You can do so by BACs transfer to the following account:
- Sort Code: 30-11-75
- Account: 01119674 Reference Hamilton climb
Next challenge. Sponsored fishing!
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