Scafell routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX

Peakify lists 3 measured routes up Scafell, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.

Scafell routes, easiest to hardest

Sorted by grade, easiest first: Easy, Moderate, Hard, then Scramble. Routes with the same grade keep the order in which Peakify's editors listed them.

Scafell route times by Naismith's rule

The times above use Naismith's rule: 5 km/h on the flat plus 10 minutes for every 100 m of ascent, rounded to the nearest 5 minutes. "There and back" doubles the distance and counts the ascent once, for coming down the same way. Naismith assumes a fit walker and no stops, so add time for breaks, a heavy pack, rough or snowy ground, and a group that moves at its slowest member's pace.

Each Scafell route

Boot via Slight Side

A long grassy approach crosses Eskdale Fell to Slight Side, then a rocky ridge leads north to the summit. It starts from Boot, Eskdale. 8.4 km one way with 968 m of ascent. About 3h 20m to the summit and 5h 0m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.

Wasdale Head via Green How

A relentless climb up the grassy and stony slopes of Green How above Wast Water, with little respite until the summit plateau. It starts from Wasdale Head (National Trust car park). 4.5 km one way with 917 m of ascent. About 2h 25m to the summit and 3h 20m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Eskdale via Slight Side

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Wha House National Trust car park, Eskdale. It starts from Wha House National Trust car park, Eskdale. 6.5 km one way with 880 m of ascent. About 2h 45m to the summit and 4h 5m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Scafell route GPX

Download a GPX for each route with a track: Eskdale via Slight Side. Each is an ascent-only planning track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths and not checked on the ground.

Before you pick a route

The grade describes the ground in fair weather. Wind, rain, cloud and ice change it: a Moderate path can be hard to follow in mist, and a scramble in strong gusts is a different proposition from the same rock on a calm day. Check whether it is safe to climb Scafell today and the Scafell 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.

Planning a day on Scafell routes

The walking times above use Naismith's rule, which assumes a fit walker on good paths with short stops. Most groups take longer: add a quarter for a mixed group, more for children or heavy packs, and plan the descent as carefully as the climb, because tired legs and fading light cause more trouble on the way down than on the way up.

Start early. Car parks at popular starts fill by mid-morning in summer and at weekends, and an early start leaves spare daylight if the weather turns or the walk takes longer than planned. In winter, work back from sunset and leave a margin of at least an hour.

Carry a map and compass and know how to use them, even on a well-trodden path; a phone battery fails fastest in cold, wet weather. Pack a waterproof jacket and trousers, a warm layer, a hat and gloves in every season, plus food, water and a head torch. Tell someone your route and when you expect to be back.

If you are new to Scafell, choose the easiest route in the table for a first ascent and save the harder lines for a settled day when you know the mountain. Turning back is always an option; the summit will still be there.

Questions about Scafell

What is the easiest route up Scafell?

Boot via Slight Side has the easiest grade of the 3 routes listed here (Moderate).

How much time does each Scafell route take?

Boot via Slight Side: about 3h 20m up and 5h 0m there and back. Wasdale Head via Green How: about 2h 25m up and 3h 20m there and back. Eskdale via Slight Side: about 2h 45m up and 4h 5m there and back. Times are by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops.

Can I get a GPX file for a Scafell route?

Yes. Open a route below and download its GPX: an ascent track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths.