Slight Side & Scafell

24/10/2013

 

Walk: Terrace Route, Cat Crag, Slight Side, Long Green, Scafell, flanks of Long Green & Slight Side, Cat Crag
Start Point: Wha House Grid Ref: NY 200 009
Distance: 9 miles Ascent: 3,270 feet
Max Altitude: 3,183 feet Time: 7 hours
Weather Sunny early on with increasing cloud cover and mist just on the summit.
Comments: We decided to use The Terrace Route which Wainwright describes as 'delightful in its early stages where a charming path winds amongst the bracken and granite outcrops'. After our morning coffee stop beside Cat Crag we crossed Catcove Beck and the gathering grounds of Cowcove which he describes as 'drab and featureless'. However, as he states, the walking here is easy - though the steep climb onto Slight Side is constantly in your sights. After exploring the rocky outcrop of Slight Side, with its summit cairn, we continued over Long Green to Sca Fell, the route often being rocky underfoot. Again, as Wainwright says, this is the easiest way up Scafell from any direction. After the requisite photos, and with mist threatening, our return route took a lower path than our outward route to avoid the rocky sections as far as possible. Rejoining the path below Slight Side we made our way across the boggy area to cross Catcove Beck and return through the bracken.

 

Scroll down to see photos of the walk

Hardknott Pass from the Terrace Route

 

Cat Crag with Slight Side and Scafell beyond

 

Burnmoor Tarn from Slight Side . . .

 

and Scafell with Scafell Pike to the right

 

Ling Mell & Bowfell

 

Approaching Slight Side's . . .

 

summit cairn . . .

 

with views across the valley

 

And I take the opportunity  . . .

 

to try out a selection of shots

 

Looking back to Slight Side . . .

 

down to Great Moss . . .

 

and across to Ling Mell

 

Sheila ticks off Scafell, the last Wainwright of the week . . .

 

and I take it easy . . .

 

before trying out 'the mountain pose'!

 

Wastwater from the summit

 

Time to leave the summit behind . . .

 

as the mist creeps in

 

We take a lower route . . .

 

to avoid some of the rocky sections . . .

 

and pass Slight Side on our left

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