Lake District
Scafell
964M
3162FT
About Scafell
Often overshadowed by its higher neighbour, England’s second-highest mountain is arguably the Lake District's most impressive massif. Towering over Wasdale, its eastern face is a fortress of precipitous rock and dark scree. Reaching the summit requires navigating the formidable Broad Stand or the laborious Lord’s Rake, offering a rugged, truly alpine experience.
Key Statistics
Rank
2nd Highest in Region
Parent Range
Southern Fells
Prominence
?
132.2m
Nearest Town
Eskdale
Geology
You are walking across an ancient volcanic landscape. The ground consists of hardened lava and layers of compressed ash from explosive eruptions.
Classifications
Find It
Latitude
54.4475°N
Longitude
3.2247°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is derived from the Old Norse words 'skali' and 'fjall', likely meaning 'the fell with the shieling' (a summer hut for shepherds). For centuries, the entire massif was known simply as Sca Fell; the higher summit was merely referred to as 'The Pikes of Sca Fell' until mapping priorities shifted the names.
- •Alfred Wainwright was a devoted admirer of this peak, famously stating that while Scafell Pike is higher, Scafell has 'much more the appearance of a mountain.' He praised its formidable architectural scale, particularly the terrifyingly impressive buttresses of Scafell Crag.
- •The direct link to Scafell Pike is severed by the sheer drop of Mickledore. To traverse between the two, walkers must either tackle the technical Broad Stand—a scramble that borders on rock climbing—or descend significantly to use the scree-filled 'Fox’s Rake' or 'Lord’s Rake'.
- •The mountain's eastern face, Scafell Crag, is a historic site for British rock climbing. It was here in the late 19th century that pioneers like O.G. Jones and the Abraham brothers established some of the country’s earliest named climbing routes on the massive volcanic buttresses.
- •From the summit, the view south offers a spectacular perspective of the sprawling Burnmoor Tarn and the remote, lonely valley of Upper Eskdale, framed by the jagged silhouettes of Bowfell and the Crinkle Crags to the east.
- •Standing on the summit, one can enjoy the relative silence of the Lake District’s second-highest peak while watching the chaotic, ant-like procession of hundreds of walkers crowding the top of Scafell Pike just a few hundred metres away.