Young son is quite taken with the hill-walking, and was asking to go up Sca Fell. I think because we saw the rake from going up the Pike and it looked steep and exciting.
I understand it’s pretty loose – would a slip be costly? The lad is nearly 9, so quite young still, and there’s loads of other hills we could do. But it does sound like a fine route if it’s not too tricky for him.

It’s been a few years since I’ve been up but it’s more loose than deadly, ie you’ll find it hard going rather than taking a fall. The big chockstone that was threatening to fall down …fell down last year. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-36954034
Maybe someone with more recent experience can chip in?

It’s not really a good place for a young walker, unless they are Spiderman
Read this and this

The bed of the gully is pretty loose. The main scree was eroded out by walkers long ago, it’s now a fairly steep smooth chute with gravel and small stones laying on top. Ascent is most easily done by sticking to one side or other. Check on the Wasdale MRT site for updates on the fall-out from the collapse of the rock pinnacle.

You can assess what it’s like and whether it’s for you and your son without committing yourself as the bottom bit is just the same as higher up. Once you’ve reached the first col then it’s a lot more pleasant.

My personal preference would be to go via Foxes Tarn – the East Buttress is a most impressive bit of rock and the gully leading up to the tarn is solid and pleasant scrambling. The path from the tarn to the summit isn’t quite so interesting but then neither is that from the top of Lord’s Rake.

i went up foxes tarn last week from the pike to Scafell with a 10 year old, who loves walking/climbing. We sat at Mickledore for a few minutes discussing options; I pointed out the possibility of loose rock on Lord’s Rake and he agreed we should do Foxes. He loved that though.

Started from Wasdale, up to Styhead, over Great End etc, to the pike, then to Scafell and back down to Wasdale via Green How. It was 15km, and took about 5’30”. Hopefully you can see this. Ignore the dithering at the start (took the wrong map!) Lovely day – and he loved it

Did Great Gable from Wasdale the next day – very good climbing, but very misty

Thanks all – v helpful. Foxes tarn sounds like it might be a better bet for the time being.

Nice link petec, relive for hiking.

OP I did Scafell via Styhead Tarn / Corridor and down via Great End / Grains Gill with a quick stop at Sprinkling Tarn. A nice walk with a few scary bits for me but I am afraid of heights.

If little one wants some thrills ? Helvelyn via Striding Edge and down via Swirrel / Catsye Cam ? Blencathra via Sharpe Edge ?

I think because we saw the rake from going up the Pike and it looked steep and exciting.

have a look at jacks rake on pavey ark, I think it’s a grade 1 scramble, but infinately better than the lord’s rake that I remember (was many years ago).

Foxes Tarn FTW, definitely.

Scafell is actually much tougher than it’s bigger brother, with a couple of routes up which can cause problems for the unwary.

It’s not on Scafell, but I took my 8 year old daughter up Jack’s Rake in the Langdale Pikes. It’s quite an adventure with not a lot of danger. There’s only one exposed section about 2/3rds of the way up which is very easy, but it has a real atmosphere of climbing a mountain by the hardest route.

My personal preference would be to go via Foxes Tarn – the East Buttress is a most impressive bit of rock and the gully leading up to the tarn is solid and pleasant scrambling. The path from the tarn to the summit isn’t quite so interesting but then neither is that from the top of Lord’s Rake.

We descended the gully last week and it was very wet and slimy, one slip in the wrong place and you could be in trouble (as with any scramble). We did see another group descend the bank on the side, but one guy slipped on his arse and slid a fair bit before luckily stopping and not falling into the gulley….

[url=https://flic.kr/p/TMYhTL]Descending the gulley from Foxes Tarn, Sca Fell[/url] by Ben Freeman, on Flickr

Admitedly we were both in fell shoes, which don’t have good grip on wet rock, so probably made it a lot more sktechy that it would be in boots / trail shoes with sticky rubber.

As with all scrambles, Jack’s Rake requires a careful approach and thoughtful hand/foot placement. The “scary” section mentioned is quite slabby and if wet is not that great as the slabs are above the sheer drop. I’ve been up there a good few times and in all weathers. Note that just after the slabby bit it requires a bit of a stretch for short/little people.
Please be careful if you go up there with a young ‘un. Because some people find it easy it doesn’t mean you and your boy will too.

As for Sharp Edge on Blencathra, with a nearly-9 year old.. erm it is very rare when it’s not like a greasy weasel. Unless your lad is incredibly sensible for his age and very fit/strong with a head for heights it’s a daft idea.

Heh, I was on Sharp Edge a month ago and I’m convinced the people in front had coated that off camber slab with WD40. It’s a tricky spot for sure.

I was going to suggest Jacks Rake on Pavey too.
Most of it is fairly enclosed, so if your lad went first, you’d be there to catch him (hopefully!)

In your case I’d play it by ear on the weather front – if its a dry day, then get stuck in, if wet, then avoid. Last time I was up there, a couple were taking their dog up, although I’m not convinced the dog was entirely keen on the idea!

but it has a real atmosphere of climbing a mountain by the hardest route.

This!

so if your lad went first, you’d be there to catch him (hopefully!)

Don’t go home if you miss. Mrs Lager will not be happy with a badly damaged child.

Blencathra via Sharpe Edge ?

With a ten year old? Would suggest Striding Edge first as far less potential to become cragfast.

Have seen kids in the Lakes with a harness for challenging bits.

Blencathra via Halls Fell is a better warm-up, only a couple of easy scrambly bits and a nice sense of exposure, not Sharp Edge levels, but fun – and you’re pretty much at the summit as you finish the ridge.

Striding is pretty easy for the most part.

I personally wouldn’t take an inexperienced child on Jack’s Rake unless I had a rope handy.

Been a few years since I did it, but Lords rake is just a fairly steep and loose slope, nothing tricky and you wouldnt really get into trouble with a slip. I’d look to take the West Wall traverse which heads left just before the first col. Nowhere near as hard as it looks and is IMO easily the best route to the top.

Judge the route on Wainright. He shit himself on Jacks rake, but didnt have a problem on Lords and the WWT.

Best advise is go up, have a look and do not be scared to turn back if it looks like he might have problems.

The problem with LR at the moment is the remains of large boulder which was jammed at the top. I haven’t been up it since the latest collapse, but if there are large loose rocks still teetering in the upper part of the rake, another party above you could dislodge them. This shot shows why that might be a problem.

Might be a bit more stable by now, but I’d say care should still be taken.

but if there are large loose rocks still teetering in the upper part of the rake

Nope, all firmly bedded in the base of the gulley, see photos on MRT site linked above.

Nope, all firmly bedded in the base of the gulley, see photos on MRT site linked above.

Sorry, was going by the quote in the piece, which is still talking about some substantial chunks loose at the top.

“There are some loose boulders where it was standing. The largest bit looks to be fairly well bedded into the scree. The rake itself is just as loose as ever.”

Obviously gravity will eventually shift them down, and I’ve not been anywhere near it to look, but my experience of climbing through areas of recent rockfall is that there is generally plenty of unconsolidated debris. Hopefully MR will have trundled the biggest ones if they’ve taken the trouble to go for a look.

I do tend to err on the overly cautious side when it’s not my head on the block, I guess. 🙂

There are always loose rocks in the mountains e.g. this one came crashing down on the main foot path up to angle tarn…

[url=https://flic.kr/p/TQGvbR]Boulder on Rossett Gill footpath[/url] by Ben Freeman, on Flickr

Geological time includes now. Erosion is a continuous process, it’s just that some of the events are bigger than others – a large part of Deer Bield Crag fell down in the late 1980s and there’s a big lump due to come off Castle Rock in Thirlmere for example.

Hi,

Jacks rake is quite scary for me in places and people have died on it. I have no problem fell running atop striding edge but Jacks and Sharp Edge get to me….

Paul

I think the main issue with Jack’s Rake is that the hard bit has the best holds over on the left in a very exposed position – quite a shock when the rest of it has felt safely enclosed. Could be very unnerving for a novice. Agree that Sharp Edge is potentially nasty, it seems uniquely slippery. I would vote up Striding Edge and down Swirral Edge, nothing too frightening but great positions.

It’s not really a good place for a young walker

My dad marched us up to the Pike when I was 10 years old, which would’ve made my younger brother about 7. We did it fine – picked a good day and all I seem to remember is eating dates and drinking gallons of water.

We were quite experienced even at that age so it didn’t really feel a lot of trouble. Helvellyn, on the other hand, was a bit of a struggle. The first time we did it we went up the other way to Striding Edge (don’t know the name of the approach – steep at the bottom) and it was really blowing. We had to huddle close to the cairn at the top, cagoules acting like a parachute. I couldn’t wait to get down and trundled ahead on the descent. I got thirsty and ran low on water so my dad told me to suck a stone to stave off the thirst. Not sure if it worked or not but it took my mind off it until I reached the car park.

Still got that stone…

Edit : I appreciate that it has changed since those times so just anecdotal shit, really.

Just looking at those photos.
Not. A. Hope. In. Hell. 😯