Scafell pike G/LD-001 - 29/4/2025

 A big one, Highest summit in England and it nearly killed me!

we were up in Cumbria (again) and I had a mad idea to do a big one... I knew the WX was going to be SUPERB (my first mistake) I got to the Wasdale head car park nice and early to ensure a space and parted with an EXTRAORDINARY amount of money to park (cash only aswell if you visit, you'll need a huge pile of pound coins). 

I had decided (foolishly as we'll find out later) to pack the HF kit as well as the VHF kit. I took what I thought was plenty of water, food and the usual stuff I carry onto an activation (ill do a "whats in my pack" post one day!). and off I set on the track following Lingmell Gill, id been walking for about 20 mins and realised my handheld wasn't where I left it! cue frantic searching.. still no sign of it... DAMMIT! ill have to back track, its fallen off my rigging somewhere!

I hiked back down to the car, and found some kind walkers had found it on the track, assumed it was mine as my car was covered in antennas and they left it on the windscreen for me! (thanks guys) so with that, I was off again, re-tracing my footsteps back up the lingmell track!

Its a fair old slog up Scafell pike, and seemingly endless, I took way longer than i anticipated and didnt have nearly enough water, the heat of the sun was crippling me... I should have turned back really, but was stubbornly determined to make the summit, slowly and slowly I made it to the top, the cracking views down the valley behind me spurring me on.. 

I found the path harder and harder going, rocky and fairly difficult, it was seriously energy sapping stuff. but finally the summit appeared into view.

On reaching the summit, I was pretty knackered i found a suitable rock, had a drink, some food and relaxed a while... before getting my pole out and getting on the air!

A good run of 20 QSOs All VHF made my day, and activated the summit for me by a good margin... happy, i packed up and started my descent! and here is where the issues started...

I had overpacked, too much weight had exhausted me, and very quickly on the descent the afternoon heat was getting to me, I could feel heat stroke setting in as i descended and the water had run out, a passing walker gave me a drop to keep me going, but i was honestly not in good shape, the exhaustion was very real by now and I was starting to panic a little... A 20 min sit on grassy clump to calm down revived me a little and i slowly and carefully made my way down tot he lingmell beck crossing, I drank out of the Beck, and tipped some water on me to cool off, also refilling my water bottles in the cool fresh water!

The rest of the trip down was EXHAUSTING, I was genuinely done... I almost crawled the last 200 yards to the car, im not kidding! it was awful.... Still, I made it, but some serious thinking would need to be done before i did anything like it again! A reduction in weight and cooler weather being 2 changes.. I didnt need or use the HF kit, and I could have saved nearly 2Kg leaving it behind! spare radios, adaptors and antennas likely made up another Kg and also could have been sacrificed... next time i do a "big one" ill be sure to travel as light as possible and pick an overcast day! still, i survived...

73 - Alan