Southern Fells · Book 4

Scafell

Scafell is a Wainwright, one of the 214 Lake District fells in Alfred Wainwright’s Pictorial Guides. At 964 m (3,163 ft) it is the 2nd highest of the 214 and the 2nd highest in the Southern Fells.

Height: 964 m; 3,163 ft
Rank: 2; of 214
In area: 2; of 30
Difficulty: Difficult

Scafell in the Southern Fells of the Lake District — Photo: Karl and Ali via Geograph, CC BY-SA 2.0

About Scafell

Scafell sits just south-west of its higher neighbour and feels wilder and more severe. Green How is the safest way up, and the routes by Mickledore and Foxes Tarn bring steep scree, crags and short hands-on sections. Lord's Rake, the old classic, has been unstable since rockfalls in 2002 and 2016. On a clear day the view over Wasdale is superb, and in clag this complex ground calls for careful navigation. A serious mountain day with a compact, rocky summit.

Only Mickledore separates Scafell from Scafell Pike, but the direct link, Broad Stand, is a rock climb that has injured plenty of walkers. Plan your line before you set off.

Most people start in Wasdale, at the National Trust pay and display car park at Brackenclose by the head of Wastwater, or on Wasdale Head green. From there you have three real choices. Green How is a long, steep grass and stone slog straight up from Brackenclose with no scrambling, and it is the safest way up and down. The classic route follows the Scafell Pike path up Brown Tongue into Hollow Stones and then climbs Lord's Rake, a scree chute under Scafell Crag. Rockfalls since 2002, and the collapse of the block at its head in 2016, mean current guides steer walkers away from it. The third option crosses Mickledore, drops a short way on the Eskdale side, and scrambles up a gully beside a stream to Foxes Tarn, one of the smallest named tarns in the Lakes. From the tarn a loose scree path finishes the climb. Eskdale walkers come up from Boot over Slight Side.

The summit is a big cairn on a short rocky ridge. Symonds Knott, the slightly lower north top, stands just beyond it above the cliffs. Botterill's Slab on Scafell Crag, just below, was first climbed in 1903.

Coleridge on Broad Stand

On 5 August 1802 Samuel Taylor Coleridge came down from this summit towards Mickledore by lowering himself over a series of ledges. He described it in a letter, and it is often called England's first recreational rock climb. Broad Stand is now treated as a rock climb and is usually roped.

In winter

Lord's Rake and the Foxes Tarn gully both hold hard snow and ice well into spring, and the rake's loose floor is worse when frozen. Green How is the only line from Wasdale that stays a walk in winter, and even that needs crampons on the upper slopes.

Great Views
Potentially Dangerous
Popular
Scramble

Sources: Wikipedia: Scafell, Walk Lakes: Scafell Pike and Scafell via Foxes Tarn, Ronald Turnbull: Coleridge's nine-day tour of 1802. Updated 24 September 2026.

Summit

OS grid ref: NY 206 064
Latitude: 54.44748° N
Longitude: 3.22470° W
Area: Southern Fells

Walking up Scafell

The nearest car park on foot is Lake Head Car Park, 3.2 km (2.0 miles) from the summit along mapped paths. Directions to the car park

Route from Lake Head Car Park

Distance: 3.2 km; 2.0 miles, one way
Ascent: 892 m; Total climb to the summit
Time up: 2 h 2 min; Allow 1 to 3 hours

Height in metres along the path from Lake Head Car Park to the summit.

Times use Naismith’s rule, 5 km/h on the flat plus extra time for the climb, with Langmuir’s corrections. It’s a rule of thumb for the way up only, so add stops, weather and the walk back down.

The route follows paths mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors and isn’t a guided line. Check the mountain forecast before you go and carry a map and compass.

Scafell questions

Is Scafell a Wainwright?

Yes. Scafell is one of the 214 fells Alfred Wainwright described in his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, in Book 4, The Southern Fells.

How high is Scafell?

Scafell is 964 metres (3,163 feet) high. That makes it the 2nd highest of the 214 Wainwrights and the 2nd highest in the Southern Fells.

Where do you park for Scafell?

The nearest car park on foot is Lake Head Car Park, 3.2 km (2.0 miles) from the summit along mapped paths.

How long does it take to climb Scafell?

From Lake Head Car Park it is 3.2 km with 892 m of ascent. Naismith's rule, with Langmuir's corrections, puts the climb at about 2 h 2 min, so allow 1 to 3 hours to reach the summit at your own pace, plus the walk back down.

How hard is Scafell?

Upfell rates Scafell as difficult, and some routes involve scrambling and parts of it can be dangerous in poor weather or visibility. Check the mountain weather forecast before you set out and carry a map and compass.

Which Wainwrights are near Scafell?

The closest are Scafell Pike (978 m, 1.1 km NE), Slight Side (762 m, 1.5 km S) and Lingmell (807 m, 1.7 km N).

What is the grid reference for the summit of Scafell?

The summit is at OS grid reference NY 206 064, or 54.44748, -3.22470 in latitude and longitude.