Guided Walks up Scafell Pike led by professional mountain guides
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Standing proudly at 978 metres, Scafell Pike is England’s highest mountain — a true must-climb for both dedicated hikers and casual adventurers. With a variety of fantastic routes leading to its iconic summit, every path offers its own sense of challenge and reward, along with breath-taking panoramic views from the top.
Although some trails are clearly defined and the mountain attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, Scafell Pike should never be underestimated. Its rugged terrain and unpredictable weather make experienced guidance invaluable — as annual mountain rescue reports often remind us.
Our qualified guides are available to lead you safely and confidently on any of the main routes, with the most popular ascents starting from Wasdale and Seathwaite. You’ll find more details about each route and their suitability below.
Join us to climb England’s highest peak — an unforgettable adventure awaits!
Scafell Pike From Wasdale
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This is by far the most popular route to the summit of Scafell Pike, starting from the spectacular Wasdale Valley. Although Wasdale can be one of the trickier valleys to reach, the journey is well worth it — once you arrive, the scenery is simply breath-taking.
The view from the far end of Wastwater was once voted Britain’s Best View — and rightly so. Wasdale Valley is steeped in mountaineering history and is home to some of the finest rock climbing in the Lake District. At the top of the valley sits the legendary Wasdale Head Inn, one of the most iconic walking pubs in England — the perfect place to enjoy a well-earned pint of quality ale after your climb. The inn also makes an ideal base for those staying overnight before tackling Scafell Pike. In addition, the valley offers a well-equipped National Trust campsite and ample parking.
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Grade: Moderate Terrain: Rough Ground Duration: 5–6 Hours
Route Stats: Distance: 6 miles Ascent: 830 m
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Starting in the Wasdale Valley, the route follows the Brown Tongue Path — a well-constructed trail that, for much of its middle section, has been carefully pitched by the Fix the Fells team. It doesn’t take long before stunning views open up behind you across Wastwater, England’s deepest lake.
Roughly halfway up, you’ll reach Hollow Stones, a flatter area of boulders where you can see the dramatic cliffs of Scafell (England’s second-highest mountain) and Pikes Crag on Scafell Pike itself. Hollow Stones can be confusing in mist, as the undulating ground and multiple faint tracks can make route-finding tricky. Here, the main path forks — one branch leading towards Mickledore, the col between Scafell Pike and Scafell. Although this is a fun and scenic alternative, the short gully to the col has become quite loose underfoot and is best avoided when the mountain is busy.
Our preferred route continues across Hollow Stones and heads towards Lingmell Col. Beyond the boulder field, the path improves and zigzags steadily upward. At around 800 metres, the trail steepens once more for the final push to the summit. After 25–30 minutes of climbing, you’ll emerge onto the rocky summit plateau of Scafell Pike.
Be aware that this upper section can be disorienting in poor weather or darkness — the plateau is broad, featureless, and easy to lose your bearings on. Good navigation skills are essential, and it’s not uncommon for walkers to become confused here. Fortunately, the plateau is relatively compact, and after a short final ascent, you’ll reach the summit trig point and cairned platform — the highest point in England.
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When the summit is clear of cloud (which, admittedly, isn’t always the case), the views are absolutely sensational. To the west, you can often see the Isle of Man across the sea, and to the southwest, on particularly clear days, even Blackpool Tower and Yr Wyddfa / Snowdon come into view.
The route described above is the one traditionally used for the National Three Peaks Challenge. Be aware that the summit plateau can be tricky to navigate in poor visibility—especially at night, and even more so when it’s both dark and misty!
This route is most suitable for those with limited hillwalking experience or fitness, but it’s well worth checking the travel routes to Wasdale to see how convenient it is from your accommodation or starting point.
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You can join scheduled walks of the Wasdale Route in the Open Events Section
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Additional Walking Options from Wasdale
1. Ascending via the Piers Gill Path
A quieter and more scenic path that follows the impressive Piers Gill from the top of Wasdale Valley. It joins the Corridor Route before reaching the final summit slopes described above. This option is perfect for walkers with moderate fitness and experience who prefer to avoid the crowds.
2. Adding on Scafell
For a longer and more challenging day, consider including Scafell, the neighbouring peak. Although there’s only a 14-metre height difference between the two, the route involves a descent and re-ascent of around 250 metres between summits. It’s a demanding but incredibly rewarding day out—bagging England’s two tallest mountains in one go!
Scafell Pike From Seathwaite
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The route up Scafell Pike from Seathwaite is arguably one of the finest circuits onto any of England’s highest fells. Seathwaite, a tiny hamlet nestled at the very head of the Borrowdale Valley, lies just north of Scafell Pike itself. Interestingly, Seathwaite holds the record as the wettest place in England—so when you visit and it’s not raining, count yourself lucky!
The popular market town of Keswick is only 9 miles up the valley and makes an excellent base for exploring Borrowdale. It offers a wide range of accommodation, restaurants, and pubs—some of which we personally recommend.
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Grade: Hard Terrain: Rough Ground Duration: 7 Hours
Route Stats: Distance – 9 miles Ascent – 1,200 m
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From Seathwaite, the path heads south toward Stockley Bridge, a charming old packhorse bridge. When ascending Scafell Pike from the north, we prefer the route via Styhead Tarn, which means climbing the slopes past Taylorgill Force and around the front of Seathwaite Fell. The short but steep ascent is soon behind you, and before long you’ll be standing beside Styhead Tarn—a stunning mountain lake and a popular wild camping spot. At this point, you’re roughly halfway through both the distance and the ascent.
From Styhead Tarn, we follow the Corridor Route—an old guide’s path that traverses the western flank of the mountain, leading towards Lingmell Col, the saddle between Scafell Pike and Lingmell (visible in the centre of the photo below). The Corridor Route offers a wonderfully varied walk: never too steep for too long, with a few short scrambles that add a touch of adventure. Once at Lingmell Col, the path joins the main route from Wasdale for the final ascent to the summit.
If weather conditions allow, the best descent back to Seathwaite is to head northwards from the summit of Scafell Pike. A steep, loose slope leads down to Broad Crag Col, followed by a short climb over Broad Crag, a satellite peak of Scafell Pike. From here, a sometimes faint but cairned path winds around Broad Crag’s bouldery summit, then crosses the slopes of Ill Crag, the next peak along the ridge.
The next major landmark is Esk Hause, the highest mountain pass in England—a true crossroads of Lakeland trails. From here, impressive peaks such as Allen Crags, Esk Pike, and Bowfell are all within reach. Continuing north, the path follows Grains Gill all the way back down the valley to Seathwaite, with superb views back up Borrowdale along the way.
This route is occasionally used for the National Three Peaks Challenge. While it reduces driving time, the navigation is more complex and the route itself is about three miles longer—so the Wasdale route is often preferred.
The Seathwaite route is best suited to walkers with basic hillwalking experience and reasonable fitness. That said, we’ve guided many enthusiastic beginners along this path who have successfully reached the summit and loved the experience. There are also plenty of options to extend the route by adding one or more satellite peaks for those seeking a bigger challenge.
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You can join scheduled walks of the Seathwaite Route in the Open Events Section
Why Us?
As mentioned above, Scafell Pike is the site of numerous navigation-related incidents each year. Fortunately, our experienced mountain leaders know the mountain intimately and have guided groups day and night, in all kinds of weather conditions. One of our leaders has even summited over 500 times!
By hiring a professional guide, you can relax and enjoy the experience without the stress of route-finding or group management. Our aim is to make every ascent not only safe and enjoyable, but also educational — so as you climb, you’ll learn fascinating insights about the mountain, its history, and the surrounding landscape.
We’re available for guided ascents throughout both summer and winter, and also offer night climbs for challenges such as the National Three Peaks. We’re proud of our excellent safety record and the many glowing testimonials from past clients, which you can view here