What are the Best Maps for Walking up Scafell Pike?

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What are the Best Maps for Walking up Scafell Pike?

By Walk up Scafell Pike   

on March 16, 2019   5/5 (2)

Posted in Scafell Pike Information

What are the Best Maps for Walking up Scafell Pike?

Any one considering a walk up Scafell Pike should carry a paper map, not only for planning but for use during the walk. You’ll need two more things to ensure your safety – a decent compass and the skills to use both to find your way! It’s essential that you carry a map and compass at all times and you can use it if needed. We recommend using a GPS device or even smartphone mapping as an excellent secondary map, but NEVER as your only means of navigation!

Scafell Pike recommended maps

For your convenience here’s our full recommended list of maps for your walk up Scafell Pike.

Ordnance Survey Landranger Maps For Scafell Pike

These are the maps with the pink covers and each map covers a large area – but at a much lower detail. We think that these maps are next to useless in a situation where you need to find your way as they don’t show the contours in enough detail, no field boundaries and lack those little details that are the essential clues to finding your way on a mountain. If you insist, you’ll need the Ordnance Survey Landranger 89 West Cumbria, Cockermouth & Wast Water Map or the ORDNANCE SURVEY OS LANDRANGER 90 map.

Ordnance Survey Explorer Maps For Scafell Pike

These 1:25,000 scale maps are the standard for hill walking in the UK. We recommend getting the waterproof versions as it’s much easier handling one of these maps in the rain than it is in a map case. The extra heft also makes them less likely to get blown away, but open any map fully into the wind and it’ll stand no chance! The waterproof versions are also much tougher.

For routes from Wasdale and Eskdale, you’ll need the ORDNANCE SURVEY Explorer OL6 – SW Lakes or the Ordnance Survey Explorer Active OL6 The English Lakes – South Western Area Map (Recommended)

For routes from Seathwaite and Langdale you’ll need the ORDNANCE SURVEY Explorer OL4 The English Lakes or the Active Map equivalent.

Harvey’s BMC Mountain Map For Scafell Pike and the Lake District

This is a personal favourite as a general map as it shows as much detail as the explorer maps, but covers a much wider area of the Lake District. It has an unusual scale of 1:40,000 and the symbols are different to the OS maps, so will look unfamiliar. We tend to carry both maps, as we like the Harvey’s for general route finding and poring over in the pub a it’s basically the most beautiful map available, but we’l always revert to an OS Explorer map for serious route finding.

Lake District BMC (British Mountain Map)

National 3 Peak Maps for Scafell Pike

If you’re planning on walking the National Three Peaks Challenge then you could invest in the individual OS or Harvey’s Maps for Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis. A better option is the OS National 3 Peak Map. This covers the entire route of the recommended 3 peak routes, unlike some small maps that are incomplete and miss out essential sections on the routes – which is why we don’t recommend them here. Neither do we recommend maps in an atlas format, as these are fine (if small) for very simple route finding in clear conditions, but would not be ideal for use with a compass if you actually have to make any sort of navigation on the walk. For planning a walk at home however, they do fit in nicely with the guidebooks on the shelf.

You can buy the National 3 Peak Map with a Snowdon, Ben Nevis or Scafell Pike cover.

What are the Best Maps for Walking up Scafell Pike?

Finding Your Way on Scafell Pike

Remember that as well as your map you’ll be needing your compass, and know how to use them! We recommend either a Silva Compass or a Suunto Compass, beware those for a few pounds as they are next to useless (Mud and Routes tested an expensive compass vs a cheap compass and you probably won’t be surprised of the outcome!)

Brush up on your navigation here.

What are the Best Maps for Walking up Scafell Pike?

Scafell Pike GPS map

As is becoming the norm technology is now part and parcel of modern life, and walking is no exception. Many like to plan their route on PC then transfer to a GPS Device. You can also use apps on your smartphone – just remember that Google Maps are useless in this situation! The OS Maps app by the Ordnance Survey is one of the best deals out there. The app itself is mediocre, with the functionality basic and we found it flaky and unreliable on our top end Google Pixel Android Phone. However, where the app does impress us is that for £23 or so a year, you can subscribe to ALL the OS maps available and see them on your phone and their website. That strikes us as an excellent deal for frequent hill walkers. However, if you buy a new map then you get a Digital Download which allows you to view that map on your smartphone without the need for a signal. Unfortunately, you cannot upload a GPX File to the app without a subscription.

One click and you can locate yourself on the map. Click the following links for a review of the Online OS Maps and the OS Map App on Mud and Routes.

You’ll see a panel on your new map that you scratch to reveal a code

All our routes up Scafell Pike come with a FREE GPX GPS file for you to download and load onto your device, but do remember GPSs are there to aid navigation and should be used as such, always carry a paper map.

Wondering what else you might need for a safe walk up Scafell Pike? Check out our equipment and gear page which includes a full gear checklist for both Summer and Winter.

 

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Welcome to Walk up Scafell Pike

Walk up Scafell Pike is the dedicated on-line guidebook for walking routes up Scafell Pike in the English Lake District, with free walking maps and full guides to all the routes to the summit of England’s highest mountain.

Scafell Pike is the highest mountain in England at 978m high and is one of the mountains climbed on the Three Peaks Challenge walk. It’s a formidable mountain that needs respect, with no such thing as an easy route up  the mountain to be had. All the walks and hikes are a challenge, and well worth the effort to reach the roof of England.

The Routes to the Top of Scafell Pike page has an interactive map that shows all the walking routes to the summit of Scafell Pike from Wasdale Head, Scafell Pike from Borrowdale and Scafell Pike from Langdale as well as hotels, campsites and pubs near Scafell Pike (add your Lake District business for free), and there’s a page for each walk that shows the route, parking postcode,  a downloadable file for your GPS device as well as details on the weather for the mountain.

Check out the Frequently Asked Questions page for more Scafell Pike facts such as how long will it take to climb Scafell Pike, where can i start the walk from and other questions.

Main Walking Routes up Scafell Pike

Route Name Starting Point Parking Post Code Distance Ascent Walking Time
Scafell Pike from Wasdale or Wasdale Head Wasdale or Wasdale Head  CA20 1EX (Wasdale Head)  4.2km*  900m*  3-4 hours**
Scafell Pike from Seathwaite, Borrowdale (Corridor Route) Borrowdale  CA12 5XJ  15km (round trip)  1000m  6 hours+
Scafell Pike from Langdale Langdale  LA22 9JY 9km  1130m 4 hours**
Scafell Pike from Hardknott (southern approach) Eskdale Hardknott CA19 1TG – for Boot – then continue up Hardkott Pass to GR NY211 011  17km  1000m  6 hours
Scafell Pike Corridor Route from Wasdale Wasdale or Wasdale Head CA20 1EX (Wasdale Head)  7.8km*  970m*  3-4 hours **

*Distance/Ascent noted is for one way only.

**Time is for one way only, and variable. Very fit walkers can walk up and down in 3-4 hours(depending on the route)and will know their own timings and speed. If in doubt, assume the longest duration for your ascent and add the longest for your descent, depending on route. Add a good half hour or more for the summit stop as well.

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