Long Gully & Lord's Rake on the Scafells

One from today, from the top of Long Gully, Pikes Crag.

One of P's photos from Friday.

A fantastic day out on the Scafells today in great snow! I had originally planned to recce Leg 1 on the BG today, but yesterdays trip up Kirkfell and P's reports from his day out yesterday meant that it was definitely not fell shoe only conditions up there. So I decided to keep P company and do something together. 

We headed up from Brackenclose up Hollowstones to Pikes Crag and went up Long Gully (Grade I) first. The snow was deep in places but is was good and icy most of the way up. We were a bit concerned over whether there was a cornice on the top, but luckily there wasn't. I was feeling pretty rusty to be honest, having worked out the last time I wore crampons in anger and actually did a graded winter climb was probably about 10 years ago! We traversed around the top of the Pike and descended to Mickledore, and down to the base of Lord's Rake. 

The cloud was down on the tops at this point but it was very atmospheric and so quiet. There was only a gentle breeze, enough to knock spindrift around. There were few people out - a couple of teams on Scafell Buttress and a few others around in the gullies, but very quiet really! 

We then headed up Lord's Rake to the shoulder on Scafell. I have to be honest here and say I found it pretty tough going mentally. I'm not one for soloing and seeing my ice axe arrest skills were probably last tested 10 years ago, the ascent from the fallen boulder onwards took a fair bit out of me. I've not had to concentrate like that for a while. Once we made it to the shoulder I was pretty relieved, but so glad to have done it!

I wanted to have a look at the gully that drops off the side on Scafell on Leg 3, just to see if it was snowed up, but only the top was banked out with snow, and the rest looked like frozen scree. Considering how good that scree run is in warmer conditions, it wasn't that inviting so we came down the shoulder into the back of Brackenclose. 

As for yesterday - I had to dash off last night to clean up before a pub meal! I had great fun coming down of Beckhead as the path down to Gavel Neese was banked out with virgin snow, great for lopping down, and easier on the feet and shins which were really hurting by then. I pretty sure this wasn't too bad a day for a rest day! I was slow going up Kirkfell, I bet my heart rate wasn't above 130!

Stats for yesterday: 3.75 miles, 2385 ft

Stats for Today: 4.35 miles, 3100 ft

(both with big boots on!!)