The Hidden Coves Of Scafell Pike

 

Camp at Round How

Planning the Trip

On a trip to Scafell Pike some years ago, I made a short detour from the path known as the Corridor Route to climb the minor summit of Round How. Behind the hill, and quite unsuspected fron the path below, I found a large ampitheatre of crags surrounding a flat grassy hanging valley, unnamed on the map and presumably for this reason, little known. At the time, I was thinking of spending the Millennium on Scafell Pike, and the valley seemed to be the ideal spot for a base camp. Things didn't quite work out that way in the end, but eventually I decided to spend a night up there and combine it with a night in Little Narrowcove, a better known but even more remote hanging valley above Upper Eskdale.

Day One

The day started with the usual train up to Windermere, followed by the bus to Keswick. There was just enough time to grab a bite to eat at the supermarket by the bus station, before catching the open-top bus down Borrowdale. By the time it reached Seatoller, there was a light shower in progress, so I put some waterproofs on at the bus-shelter before heading off down the road to Seathwaite. The route I took to the Styhead Pass is one I've done many times, so the map and compass stayed in the rucksack most of the day. In fact, I was travelling so light on this trip that everything was in the rucksack, including the tent, (which more often than not is strapped on top). The only difficult part of the day was the climb immediately after Stockley Bridge, where a section of the path rises steeply before levelling off into the pleasant hanging valley that leads to Styhead Tarn. It's rare to see Styhead Tarn without a tent late in the day, and this was no exception. I've never camped there myself. Though there are several excellent patches of ground, and access is relatively easy, there just seems to be too many people passing by for my liking.

I took a short break at the Styhead Pass, before continuing the ascent along the narrow path known as the Corridor Route, which traverses the north western slopes of the massif. After some time, I came to the only awkward section of the path, where a minor scramble descends to a stream. I left the main path here and followed the stream up the steep grassy slope that leads into the nameless hanging valley, hidden behind the minor summit of Round How. Though only a few minutes from the path, this top is rarely climbed or even noticed, as from most angles it blends into the background of crags that rise behind it. The best camp spots are situated south west of Round How, where a stream winds through a flat and dry area. The little-known tarnlet of Lambfoot Dub lies on a narrow shelf to the north, and the excellent views from here make it a tempting place to pitch a tent, though it is perhaps a little exposed.

Day 2

Nowhere does it say that to go backpacking you've got to walk 20 miles a day. Day Two was to see me camping little over half a mile to the south of where I was - but what a half mile!

It was a cloudy morning, with the occasional patch of sunlight to warm up the tent. Breakfast was the usual muesli and a boiled egg, washed down with a few cups of coffee. I usually get the map out at breakfast and decide which route I'll take that day. Looking at the map, I could see it would be just about possible to descend straight into Little Narrowcove from the col that links Broad Crag and Ill Crag. However, it looked a little more difficult than the descent from the further col that forms the watershed of Little Narrowcove.  This gave the option of a slight detour to the summit of Scafell Pike, which was deserted so early in the day.

Looking down to the 'amphitheatre' behind
Round How from the Scafell-Great End ridge
 

In his Southern Fells Guide, AW illustrated Little Narrowcove and described it as a good place for a mountain camp. It's hard to tell from the map, and as I'd never been there before  I had to take his word for it; (I was aware that AW would often use the term camping very loosely, and to him it could be as primitive as sheltering under an angled rock in an old mac).

I found a spot between the fork of two converging becks, just in front of a large boulder. The spot was quite dramatic, with excellent views in all directions. In front of me across Upper Eskdale, the long southern ridge of Bowfell could be seen rising to the summit, beyond which stretched the various tops that make up Crinkle Crags. To my left, Ill Crag towered impressively, appearing as a 3000' mountain in its own right, rather than a minor satellite of Scafell Pike. The Pike itself rose behind me, its most impressive feature from this angle being a tall tower of rock which appears separated from the main body of the mountain by a deep gully. To my right, the ground rose gradually to two small summits, Rough Crag and Pen. The sense of wilderness was enhanced by the fact that from any nearby viewpoint I chose, I couldn't see a single farmhouse, road or village.

 

Little Narrowcove and Pen

Almost as soon as I'd unpacked the tent, it began to rain. The clouds didn't appear to be too heavy, and I guessed there would be showers on and off throughout the afternoon. Once the tent was up, I brewed a cup of tea, read a little, and even took a short nap. After an hour or two, it stopped raining and decided to make the short trip over to Pen.  For some reason, I'd always been drawn to Pen. I'd first noticed it many years ago whilst climbing Esk Pike. It seemed like a castle of stone as it rose from the mist overlooking the head of Eskdale, and I promised myself I'd climb it one day. I wasn't disappointed. It's an excellent little top, reminiscent of Pike O'Stickle in Langdale. Interestingly, I noticed there was a tent way down amongst Sampsons Stones in Upper Eskdale, a spot I'd once camped before (and from where I would have climbed Pen earlier had time been on my side). As darkness drew in, I made my way back to the tent and settled down for the evening.

Obviously, for me camping in Little Narrowcove was an end in itself - I  was going to retrace my steps tomorrow - but I got to thinking that this would be a very useful site for anyone approaching the Pike from Eskdale.

 

Camp at Little Narrowcove

Day 3 

I was up quite early as I wanted to be away by first light. I had hoped for a bright sunny start, but there was a light drizzle which looked set to last all day. I long learnt how to pack virtually everything into the rucksack within the confined spaces of a tent, leaving just the outer skin to be rolled up in the rain. Soon after daybreak I was climbing the steep path which winds over the rough scree slope to the col, from where I crossed the plateaux of Broad Crag and Ill Crag. Not surprisingly, the mountain was deserted apart from a few sheep, (a welcome sight in the wake of the Foot and Mouth crisis), and I didn't see a soul till I reached the wind shelter below Esk Hause.

There were quite a few kids passing by at this point. Most of them seemed exhausted, and were carrying old-fashioned huge rucksacks, pots and pans hanging down, more than likely 'Duke of Edinburgh Award' participants.  I could understand it if it was still the 1950's, but in these days there's no reason to go backpacking with that much weight, (other than cost, admittedly). Presumably, they were using Army surplus kit which is relatively cheap, but I can't see the point in being up in the mountains if it's not an enjoyable experience. These kids looked as if they'd just been told that their grannies had died. If Prisoners-of-War were made to carry the same weight, the organisers would probably be condemned by the Geneva Convention.

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