Every year, thousands attempt to walk up Scafell Pike – the highest mountain in England. Most ascend from Wasdale but there are numerous ways up. Here are the 5 best Scafell Pike Routes and the pros and cons of each.
By: Mark Barnes | Last Updated: | Comments & Questions
Scafell Pike, standing at 978 meters (3,209 feet) above sea level, is England’s highest mountain.
Located in the Lake District, more than 250,000 people undertake this challenging hike each year.
The reward is twofold: awe-inspiring panoramic views of massive boulders, craggy flanks, and immense ravines, and the satisfaction of reaching the country’s highest point.
There are several popular walking routes leading to the summit of Scafell Pike, each offering a distinct experience.
The shortest route, spanning less than 3 miles, can be completed in under 3 hours, while the longest requires an entire day of hiking.
Paul and I have hiked Scafell Pike several times. This guide covers the five most popular routes, each with an alternative descent so you can enjoy a fantastic circular walk.
Once you’ve conquered Scafell Pike, read our favourite walks in the Lake District to plan your next adventure.
OVERVIEW OF THE ROUTES
This article covers five great walking routes up Scafell Pike, highlighting the pros and cons of each.
None are easy. Each involves 3,000 feet of ascent in rugged mountain terrain. Yet all offer a different experience and the satisfaction of ascending the highest mountain in England.
The times in the table below are indicative only, as everyone walks at their own speed, but they give you an idea of the relative duration for each route.
| Start | Route | Distance (1-way) | Ascent | Time (1-way) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – Wasdale | Brown Tongue | 2.6m (4.2km) | 3000ft | 2h 50m |
| 2 – Seathwaite | Corridor Route | 4.7m (7.6km) | 3105ft | 3h 45m |
| 3 – Eskdale | Little Narrowcove | 5.6m (9km) | 3175ft | 4h 15m |
| 4 – Great Langdale | Rossett Gill | 5.8m (9.3km) | 3380ft | 4h 30m |
| 5 – Wasdale Head | Lingmell Beck | 4.5m (7.65km) | 3200ft | 3h 45m |
MAP: SCAFELL PIKE ROUTES
The lines on the map below show the different walking routes up Scafell Pike, including an alternative descent to create a great circular hike.
- Blue – Scafell Pike from Wasdale via Brown Tongue
- Red – Scafell Pike from Seathwaite via Corridor Route
- Brown – Scafell Pike from Eskdale via Little Narrowcove
- Purple – Scafell Pike from Langdale via Rossett Gill
- Orange – Scafell Pike from Wasdale Head via Lingmell Beck
Please note that the routes marked are indicative, especially when the trails head over rocky summits and ledges.
USING OUR MAPS. Click on the top right corner to open in the Google Maps app. Click on the star to save to your Google account.
WALKING ROUTES UP SCAFELL PIKE
1. SCAFELL PIKE FROM WASDALE VIA BROWN TONGUE
Who for? — The quickest and easiest route up Scafell Pike, this is the best route for anyone wanting to conquer England’s highest mountain in the easiest way possible.
This is the fastest and easiest Scafell Pike route, but not the most interesting. It begins in Wasdale, a remote and stunning valley on the northern shores of Wastwater, which has one of the best views in the Lake District.
The path leaves from the car park by the Wasdale National Trust Car Park and heads along Lingmell Gill before bearing left and rising over Brown Tongue to reach Lingmell Col.
Much of the route is a steady slog up a gravel path. From Lingmell Col, the last half mile becomes increasingly rocky, making it important to place your foot carefully, but there is nothing technical or too difficult.
WASDALE ROUTE DETAILS
- Start – Wasdale
- Route – Brown Tongue
- Distance – 2.6 miles
- Ascent Time – 2 hours, 50 minutes
- Elevation – 3,000 ft ascent
- Map – OS Map
EASE OF NAVIGATION
This is the most popular route up Scafell Pike, so the path is well-cairned and easy to see, even in mist.
There’s little rest along the route, and the view back towards Wastwater and Wasdale Head rarely changes. But you’ll be at the top in around 2 hours and 30 minutes.
ALTERNATIVE CIRCULAR RETURN
It is easy enough to return the way you came, but for a more adventurous and interesting descent, head down the steep slope of Mickledore.
The view from the ridge before you descend is one of the grandest vistas of boulders and crags in the Lake District.
The descent through the scree field is either a fun, fast way down as you slide through the rocks, or a slightly terrifying half hour. Part of the way down there is a wonderful view up the narrow canyon of Lord’s Rake.
The total return time is around 4 hours and 30 minutes.
WHERE TO HAVE A PINT?
End the day at the Wasdale Head Inn for a well-deserved pint.
WASDALE PROS
- No real scrambling or use of hands
- Views over Wastwater on the way to Wasdale
- Easiest and quickest ascent
- Navigation is pretty simple
WASDALE CONS
- Wasdale is remote and takes time to get to
- The path is less interesting than the others
- Views don’t change much during ascent
- This route can get very crowded
2. SCAFELL PIKE FROM SEATHWAITE VIA CORRIDOR ROUTE
Who for? — As the best and most interesting walking route up Scafell Pike, this is a much longer hike, but it is well worth the extra effort.
It’s not just our favourite route up Scafell Pike, but one of our favourite walks in the Lake District.
The walk offers a great mix of wonderful, ever-changing views and an interesting, yet not too challenging, path.
It begins in Seathwaite near the valley of Borrowdale and ambles alongside the River Derwent to charming Stockley Bridge. From there, it climbs over a grassy shoulder to Sty Head, home to a pretty tarn set amongst an amphitheatre of rocky crags.
Next comes the official Corridor Route, an excellent trail that connects a series of grassy mountain shelves amidst a rocky landscape of towering bluffs and wrinkled gullies.
You’ll need to use your hands a couple of times to help you navigate the gullies, but the relatively easy scrambling requires no technical skills and is over quickly.
SEATHWAITE ROUTE DETAILS
- Start – Seathwaite
- Route – Corridor Route
- Distance – 4.7 miles
- Ascent Time – 3 hours, 45 minutes
- Elevation – 3,105 ft ascent
- Map – OS Map
EASE OF NAVIGATION
The route is easy to follow, except for small sections of the Corridor Route, where you should be careful as you navigate around the ghylls (ravines).
It’s a couple of miles longer than the route from Wasdale, but it’s worth every extra step.
You can find a more detailed description of the walk in our Scafell Pike Corridor Route guide.
ALTERNATIVE CIRCULAR RETURN
You can return the way you came, but it’s better to complete a circular route by boulder hopping over Broad Crag to Esk Hause, then descending via Grains Gill, a lovely little ravine dotted with waterfalls, to Seathwaite.
On a hot day, take the short detour to Sprinkling Tarn. One of the highest tarns in the area, it’s one of the best (but coldest) wild swims in the Lake District.
If you return via Grains Gill, the total time will be around 6 hours and 30 minutes.
WHERE TO HAVE A PINT?
Congratulate yourself at the Langstrath Country Inn in Stonethwaite, a couple of miles’ drive from Seathwaite.
SEATHWAITE PROS
- Extremely varied and interesting path
- Up close views of mighty crags and deep ravines
- Wild swimming opportunities in Sty Head Tarn and Sprinkling Tarn
- Excellent circular route with almost no repetition
- Can be reached via public transport from Keswick
SEATHWAITE CONS
- Care is required when navigating, especially in misty conditions
3. SCAFELL PIKE FROM ESKDALE VIA LITTLE NARROWCOVE
Who for? — A long but extremely peaceful walking route up Scafell Pike, this is good for more experienced hikers looking for an escape from the crowds.
Eskdale is the most remote valley in the Lake District, and getting here, driving over the steep hairpin bends of Hardknott Pass, can be tricky.
But the rewards are an escape from the crowds and a rugged, untouched landscape surrounded by four of the six highest peaks in the Lakes.
The trail begins near Boot and winds alongside the Esk River, gradually at first, before crossing over Lingcove Bridge and slowly ascending to the Great Moss. This wonderful flat expanse of grass ends at the imposing, sheer, rocky face of Scafell Pike.
It’s so vertical there appears no way up, but a tiny path up Little Narrowcove climbs steeply (1,500 feet in under a mile) and arduously up to Broad Crag Col from where it follows a rock-strewn path to the summit.
At 5.4 miles, it is a long walk up Scafell Pike. Although the walk along the River Esk is beautiful, the slog up Little Narrowcove is steep and unrelenting, lasting about an hour.
ESKDALE ROUTE DETAILS
- Start – Eskdale
- Route – Little Narrowcove
- Distance – 5.6 miles.
- Ascent Time – 4 hours, 15 minutes
- Elevation – 3,175 ft ascent
- Map – OS Map
EASE OF NAVIGATION
Navigation is relatively straightforward on a clear day, but finding your way up Little Narrowcove can be awkward in the cloud.
After rain, the Great Moss can be boggy and crossing the River Esk can be a little tricky – on some days, you may need to take your boots off and wade across.
ALTERNATIVE CIRCULAR RETURN
One of the bonuses of this route is that you can descend back to Eskdale on a completely different path. Head down via the southern side of Mickledore then around Cam Spout Crag and over Heron Crag to where you started.
The entire circuit takes about 8 hours and is a challenging 12-mile mountain climb, requiring a good level of fitness.
If you enjoy wild swimming, do the route in reverse and on the way down, take a dip in the pools of the River Esk, some of the most beautiful places to swim in the Lake District.
WHERE TO HAVE A PINT?
Drive to the Woolpack Inn in the village of Boot, which is an 8-minute drive away from the trailhead.
ESKDALE PROS
- Excellent circular route with no repetition
- Very few people use this route and it’s never crowded
- Dramatic views up to Scafell Pike from Great Moss
- Wild swimming in Pots of River Esk
ESKDALE CONS
- Very long and tiring day in the mountains
- Steep slog up Little Narrowcove or Mickledore
- Great Moss can be boggy after rain
- Takes time to reach remote Eskdale
4. SCAFELL PIKE FROM GREAT LANGDALE VIA ROSSETT GILL
Who for? — With the longest distance and highest ascent, this great route is good for experienced hikers looking for an extra challenge.
Great Langdale is one of the most beautiful valleys in the Lake District. A patchwork of fields surrounded by grassy flanks and knobbly mountain tops, this U-shaped valley provides some of the best views in the Lake District.
It’s a stunning place to start a walk up Scafell Pike.
The path begins at the Old Dungeon Ghyll pub a traditional watering hole for hardy hikers. The first mile and a half is easy, level walking up the Langdale Valley. It then steepens and ascends over 1,000 ft up Rocky Rossett Gill in under a mile.
The next section is over a grass shelf (with two descents and ascents) to Esk Hause, where it joins a very rocky path (requiring a bit of easy scrambling/boulder hopping) up and down over Broad Crag to the summit.
GREAT LANGDALE ROUTE DETAILS
- Start – Great Langdale New Dungeon Ghyll
- Route – Rossett Gill
- Distance – 5.8 miles
- Ascent Time – 4 hours, 30 minutes
- Elevation – 3,380 ft ascent
- Map – OS Map
EASE OF NAVIGATION
This is the hardest way up Scafell Pike as it is both the longest and has the most ascent, but it’s a wonderful route with four very distinct sections.
The views change regularly as the path cuts its way between mighty mountains.
The path is well-marked and generally easy to follow. Although care is needed clambering over the large rocks near the summit, which is tucked away for most of the walk, and makes a wonderful surprise as you make the final approach.
ALTERNATIVE CIRCULAR RETURN
Apart from the physical challenge, the only other real downside is that the best route back to Langdale is via the same way you came, taking about 8 hours round trip.
If you want a bigger challenge, return via the summits of Esk Pike and Bow Fell before descending The Bands back to Great Langdale.
This adds almost 300 metres (1,000 ft of ascent) and it’s not to be undertaken lightly. However, it’s a great way to bag a couple more Wainwrights. The total walk will be around 8 hours and 45 minutes.
WHERE TO HAVE A PINT?
Join the harder hikers at The Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel in Great Langdale for a well-earned pint after the walk.
GREAT LANGDALE PROS
- Central starting point, which is easy to reach
- Interesting path with ever-changing views
- Old hiker’s pub for a pint at the end
- Can be reached by public transport from Ambleside
GREAT LANGDALE CONS
- The longest route with the most ascent
- No easy circular option
5. SCAFELL PIKE FROM WASDALE HEAD VIA LINGMELL BECK
Who for? — Anyone looking to use the excellent Corridor Route, but with a quicker descent than the route from Seathwaite.
This route up Scafell Pike is a good mix, neither being too long or too uninteresting.
It makes use of the excellent Corridor Route on the way up and then descends quickly down Brown Tongue.
Beginning at Wasdale Head, the path heads up Lingmell Beck (not Lingmell Gill), passing under the mighty face of Great Gable as it gradually climbs to Sty Head. Here, the trail bends right and follows the attractive Corridor Route as it climbs to the summit.
WASDALE HEAD ROUTE DETAILS
- Start – Wasdale Head
- Route – Lingmell Beck
- Distance – 4.5 miles
- Ascent Time – 3 hours, 45 minutes
- Elevation – 3,200 ft ascent
- Map – OS Map
ALTERNATIVE CIRCULAR RETURN
The easiest descent comes down via Brown Tongue. It can be tough on the knees, but it’s all over pretty quickly, and the Wasdale Head Inn brings solace to tired limbs.
WHERE TO HAVE A PINT?
End the day at the Wasdale Head Inn for a well-deserved pint.
WASDALE HEAD PROS
- Views over Wastwater before the hike
- Makes use of the lovely Corridor Route
- A quick descent means the walk is not too long
- Having a pint at the Wasdale Head Inn
WASDALE HEAD CONS
- The descent is quick but not as interesting as other walks
- Wasdale is remote and can take time to reach
PRACTICAL INFORMATION FOR SCAFELL PIKE
Paul and I have hiked Scafell Pike several times over the years. Here is some additional information that might help you prepare for conquering England’s highest mountain.
SCAFELL PIKE SUMMIT
On a clear day, the views from the summit of Scafell Pike are breathtaking.
To the south, the River Esk cuts through the tufty grass of the Great Moss. To the west is the rocky face of Scafell and the green fields of Wasdale Valley.
To the north is the imposing peak of Great Gable. To the east is the triangular summit of Bow Fell and much of the rest of the Lake District.
The summit itself is relatively featureless; a mass of grey, rocky boulders with paths heading off in every direction. Even on a clear day, it can be easy to lose your bearings, but on a cloudy day, it can be very disorientating.
Before descending, take time to use your compass and map and make sure you are heading back on the correct path. We’ve been up there ten to twenty times, and on a cloudy day, it’s still very easy to make a mistake.
SAFETY TIPS
Many of the valleys where the walks start have poor mobile reception. Make sure you have any downloadable maps on your phone before you set off.
There are no facilities on any route. Take enough food and drink with you and be sure to have a waterproof and warm clothes. The weather can change quickly.
Boots or shoes with a good grip are advisable, especially if you boulder-hop over the summit or descend via Mickledore.
WEATHER FORECASTS
The weather can change quickly in the mountains and the temperature at the summit is much cooler than at the base.
We use Mountain Forecast which allows you to toggle between the base forest and the summit forecast. You’ll see that the temperature could be a good 6-8 degrees cooler at the top.
WHERE TO STAY
Driving between the different valleys around Scafell Pike takes a long time. Eskdale to Seathwaite can take 1 hour and 40 minutes. Wasdale Head to Great Langdale takes even longer.
So, it’s important to stay somewhere near the start of the route up Scafell Pike that you want to take.
You can find all our recommendations, split by area, on our where to stay in the Lake District guide.
NO CAR? NO PROBLEM
While it’s easier to get to the starting points of these hikes by car there are a couple that are relatively easy by public transport.
You could stay in Keswick (read our guide to visiting Keswick), get the bus to Seatoller (30 minutes) and walk the Corridor Route from Seathwaite. Or stay in Ambleside, get the bus to Old Dungeon Ghyll (30 minutes) and hike the route from Great Langdale.
We have more information on what you can do and where to stay if you’re visiting the Lake District without a car.
MORE LAKE DISTRICT GUIDES
- Find your perfect area with our guide to the best places to stay in the Lake District.
- Use our detailed guide to see the Lake District without a car.
- Tackle one of our favourite hikes in the Lake District.
- Attempt one of the many routes up Scafell Pike.
- Or choose the best option and hike the Corridor Route.
- For the best Grade 1 scramble, hike Helvellyn via Striding Edge.
- Try one of these amazing wild swimming locations in the Lake District.
- There’s more than hiking, find more great things to do in the Lake District.
- Check out our easy-to-reach best views in the Lake District.
- Find all the great things to do in Keswick.
- Discover all the best attractions in Ambleside and the nearby area.
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Thanks for your support. Paul & Mark
We met several people on the corridor route who thought they could rely on their GPS to guide them, only fo find out it didn’t work. They were really happy when they found us, with a compass and your maps and directions. Also their is no signal for mobiles, even in Seathwaite but if you bring change (60p minimum charge), there is a phone booth on the farm.
Hi Guylaine, Glad it all worked out well and you could help some other people. Next time we update the post we will add your information about phone signal. Thanks a lot for info. Mark