Great Scoat Fell

Rising at the heart of the Mosedale Horseshoe, this high, boulder-strewn plateau serves as a pivotal junction for the western fells. While the summit itself is broad and dominated by a long drystone wall, it offers a dramatic gateway to the sharp, rocky ridge leading out to the narrow peak of Steeple.

• •The name 'Scoat' likely originates from the Old Norse word 'skot', meaning a projection or a 'shoot' of land. This describes the way the fell's northern spur thrusts out into the Ennerdale valley to form the sharp profile of Steeple.
• •The most prominent feature of the summit is a sturdy drystone wall that follows the watershed between Wasdale and Ennerdale. In poor visibility, it acts as a reliable handrail for walkers navigating between the neighbouring peaks of Pillar and Red Pike.
• •Looking east from the summit cairn, the view is dominated by the dark, towering North Face of Pillar, while looking south-east across the Mosedale valley reveals the distinctively craggy profiles of Great Gable and Scafell Pike.
• •Standing at 802 metres, it is included in the Synge classification, a list specifically identifying the peaks in the Lake District that exceed the 2,000-foot mark.
• •The summit plateau is so relentlessly covered in shattered rock that it manages to make the simple act of sitting down for lunch feel like a technical mountaineering challenge.