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The Fellwalker by Peter John Farnworth
WALK 11 SUNDAY AUGUST 15th 1976 []1976 - the year of the long hot summer. That was when I climbed the highest mountain in England – Scafell Pike, 3,120ft above sea level. However, it was not the best time to climb Rossett Gill. Since I climbed it in 1976, the path has been moved farther away from the Gill onto a zigzag path that is much better and not as tiresome on the legs. As it was then, it was more direct and also very stony, and there was very bad path erosion. Those who have climbed it the old way will know what I mean. This is one place I do not like walking up as it’s so boring and dull! I have walked past here a couple of times and if I can avoid it I will. When walking down the valley of Mickleden towards the Gill, you see will the last remnants of the ice age, namely mounds of earth, which are called Morines. They were left there after the ice had pushed the earth upward to form the mass of rock where many of the big mountains are today at the end of this valley.
Scafell Pike is truly a fine mountain. I found the best way to get to this summit is from Wasdale Head, on the other side of the mountain at Wastwater via Lingmell, where we returned for the longest day on June 21st 1986 (you can read this write-up in my Diary on Walk 31). On this summit you will find a good wind shelter in the form of a wall of stone formed into a circle. This helps you to keep dry when the wind and rain is about, when you are having a well-earned drink and rest before setting back to the Langdales, some five and half miles away. This was a fine walk in very good conditions so, as the scout motto says, "Be Prepared!" And I was. I had brought my swimming trunks with me, so off I went to Angle Tarn for a dip. It was very cold! I returned at a later date with Mark. The conditions were a lot different then - the mist was down. Mountains walked that day: Scafell Pike 1 [ ] Diagram & Stats
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