Sca Fell from Boot in Eskdale.
Distance: 9 miles
Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
Grade: Difficult/Strenuous
Map: OS Explorer OL6 - The English Lakes: South Western Area
Walk Summary
The route to Boot via Hardnott Pass is very picturesque, involving narrow single track roads with 1 in 3 and 1 in 4 hills with tight narrow turns walled with rocks, not suitable for long vehicles, large camper vans or trailers/caravans.
A less challenging route is via the A595 to Duddon Bridge then north via Ulpha then along the Austhwaite Brow to Boot.
The Eskdale Campsite has a 2 night minimum stay, is a 10 minutes walk (½ of a mile) to Boot, and the Fisherground Campsite is a 40 minutes walk (2 miles) to Boot, both are recommended places to stay. Alternatively the Brook House Inn and the The Boot Inn in Boot offers a little more comfort and are great places for a drink and bite to eat.
From Boot head north over the 17th century pack horse bridge over Whillan Beck, there is a small village museum on the right that is worth a visit. After passing through the gate, bear right, the path snakes up the hill. Go through the gate on the right and follow the path all the way to Burnmoor Tarn, (known as the coffin route as folk from Wasdale Head use to carry their dead to be burried at St Catherines Church in Boot).
The walk to the tarn is easy passing through several gates, with picturesque views of the open moorland. Burnmoor Tarn is one of the largest tarns in the Lake District, and extremely remote. Burnmoor Lodge looks rather eerie as it sits silently on the shores of Burnmoor Tarn, the nearest road is at least two miles away, it was once the home of the local game keeper.
The path follows the eastern edge of the tarn and crosses over Bullat Bridge, a wooden foot bridge. Note - the path to this point is not well defined, and can be a bit boggy especially after heavy rain. Follow the clearly defined path up Hard Rigg, at the top the path it is not maintained and so not easily defined, a bit of dead reckoning with the map may be required to the bottom of Sca Fell. The path up Hard Rigg, lives up to its name, and the path to the summit of Sca Fell is quite strenuous. The views from the top make the effort worthwile.
The summit of Sca Fell has no trig point pillar, just a small cairn of stones. On a clear day the panoramic views are amazing. To the east are the adjoining fells of Sca Fell Pike, Broad Crag, Ill Crag, Great End, Bowfell and Crinkle Crags. With Eskdale and the Coniston Fells to the south, with Wasdale and the Western Fells to the west. This huge horseshoe of fells surrounds the beautifully wild Great Moss below. To the south the Coniston Fells. To the north and north east the rest of the Lakeland Fells. Views west are seaward, it is said that on clear days, the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea can be seen.
