The Trail: Walking up Scafell Pike

So, unprepared and exhausted we set off from the Wasdale base. By about 30 minutes into the trek, we were already feeling tired but our thoughts were that we couldn’t be too far from the summit, after all, its only 900 or so meters, and we were probably about halfway up by now, right?

Nope.

A little further on the trek started to feel a little tougher than expected, especially when the expectation was a walk in the park... literally. I digress.

A little further still we caught sight of a stream, people were huddled and were precariously crossing (or attempting to), my first thought was, why don't they just go another way? Turns out there was no other way, at least not that we could see.

A few slippery and loose rocks later and a great deal of concentration we were on the other side. This stream needs caution, we were here in late August (over the bank holiday weekend in England), and I can imagine the stream being a lot more daunting and dangerous in the colder months.

(I don’t know how safe this is and I would always suggest bringing ample water for any hike trek. We didn’t, so we took this opportunity to top up our water with the freezing cold stream. Very refreshing. We also all had trainers on. Wet feet much? Again I'd recommend proper footwear for any hike or long trek for comfort and waterproofing – lesson learned... kind of).

My blog on How to Pack Like a Pro should help if you are looking to attempt a hike up Scafell Pike. Among other things mentioned in the post to pack, a reusable self-cleaning water bottle with UV water sanitizer is definitely a better and safer option than a normal plastic bottle.

I have since invested in proper footwear and you should too – look for boots that remain really comfy over extended periods of time under gruelling activity. I'd recommend looking for some that are breathable and waterproof and that also give at least some ankle support. I have since used North Face shoes and recommend them to anyone.

The path was a mixture of 'clean' track (not many loose rocks) steps and dirt track. The tiredness really started to kick in now as well as hunger but we had no food on us. The water and excitement were carrying us for the time being.

We were now trekking for around 2 hours, tired from lack of sleep, and hunger, and did I mention the mountain was tough? The minimal breakfast we rushed in the morning was all we had in our bellies.

To make matters worse, we asked an older gentleman who was on the way down, how long was left until the summit. He replied with a cheeky smirk “You are probably just over halfway”. OMG! Surely he was joking.

From where we were standing the peak wasn't visible as it wrapped around another mountain peak, so we assumed it was only 30 minutes max.

The climb really started to become strenuous now, stops had become much more frequent. A glimmer of hope was found when I reached into my pocket and remembered I had snuck a Snickers in there before we had left. I felt the need to run and hide like Gollum to protect 'my precious' but I decided to (reluctantly) split it between the three of us.

This was the second wind we all needed.

I have to remind you this is how to NOT climb Scafell Pike. Or any mountain or hike for that matter.

I am unsure as to whether this climb was as difficult as we were experiencing or whether it was because of how unprepared we were for it. Maybe both. Probably both.

Pitstops had now become a lot more frequent, the second wind had run out and I was now running on pure willpower as my body just wanted to stop or eat or sleep or all three at once. The good news, we were near the summit, just a little further.

Most of the time the toughest part of hikes is towards the peaks and this was no different, the terrain got a lot worse with loser rocks making up the path now, and it was becoming windier with each struggling step.

Surely you cannot quit when the summit is within touching distance...?

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Can a Beginner Walk Scafell Pike?

Well, evidently yes they can as I was a beginner. However, in terms of fitness levels, I would say you would need to be relatively fit to reach the Scafell Pike summit.

If you need tips on How to Prepare for a Hike, click on the title and follow the link. A blog was created due to the lessons I learned about what NOT to do during a hike.

Overall Ratings on the Lake District & Scafell Pike Difficulty

Yes, a beginner can climb Scafell Pike but that doesn't mean it will be easy. Scafell Pike is a tough climb. Overall, my time in the Lake District was a good one. It was unexpectedly pleasant. Lake Windermere, England's largest lake is found in this region, and taking some time to get a small motor boat to explore the lake is a great past time while visiting.

If you have never camped before then plan and prepare properly beforehand and try to find a place to pitch up early. Here is my checklist and overall ratings of my trip.

Final Thoughts on Walking up Scafell Pike

A surprisingly tough climb. The smallest out of the three peaks yet out of them all it stood tallest in terms of a challenge.

However, it's definitely a challenge worth pursuing, It's got great views at the top and it's one of the famous three peaks. Just remember to pack enough food and have a good night's sleep the night before, preferably not in a tent!

For more and latest information on Scafell Pike check out the official scafellpike.org.uk site.

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