UKC

Hi all,

Myself and two friends are looking at doing Scafell at Easter.
Two of us are travelling over from Ireland, the other is coming up from London.
I have a couple of questions I hope you can help with.

What is the best airport for us to fly into? I've been told Blackpool, is this correct?
We will be looking to stay in B&B/hostel accomodation? Where is best in terms of a base and close to the starting point of the good toutes up the mountain? What towns should we look to stay in/what b&bs's hostels in those towns are recommended?
We'd like to get a bit of scrambling in, so what routes should we be looking at?

Thanks in advance.
Terry.

In reply to terrydel:

IMO, the most interesting routes on Scafell Pike start from Borrowdale. Keswick is the nearest town to there - good luck with trying to find accomodation anywhere in the Lakes over Easter though !

There is a small Airport at Carlisle which would be closer than Blackpool. Either way you would need to hire a car. From London I wouldn't bother though - train / coach or drive. From Ireland I'd go to Manchester or Liverpool and hire a car from there.

In reply to GrahamD:

Yes, Corridor Route from Borrowdale is much the most attractive way (apart from a very long scramble from upper Eskdale, which is very remote of access)

In reply to GrahamD:
Cheers, so I guess looking into accom. now asap is a good idea!?
I'll try keswick thanks!

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Joining the Corridor Route by walking up the side of Piers Gill is pretty good too. Best to start from Wasdale though so may be a bit of a longer trip for the OP.

Doing the circuit of Eskdale from Brotherlikeld is a great walk with some of the roughest ground in the Lakes once you get onto the tops.

ALC

In reply to terrydel:
You could do it the Old fashioned way. Fly to manchester, train to Ravenglass, small tourist train to Eskdale, walk in over Scafell then onto the Pike then back to Eskldale or stay night in Wasdale or whatever.
Cheers Beds

In reply to a lakeland climber:

Agreed. Piers Ghyll really is amazing at close quarters. But the Corridor Route from Borrowdale is full of interest all the way.

When I was young and much fitter, I used to enjoy going straight up that steep Lingmell spur from Wasdale - you gain height very fast. But then the second half's relatively dull all the way to the summit of Scafell Pike (apart from quite good views of Scafell Crag). I also had a rather dangerous escapade on the north 'face' of Lingmell once - I think I was trying to get unusual dramatic shots of Piers Ghyll; eventually I had to back off and do a very long traverse rightwards to get to the top of Lingmell.

In reply to J1234:

Nice idea mate, cheers.
Will look into that one.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Seconded - and be sure to take a detour to the summit of Lingmell - the views north and south from here are stupendous.