Scafell Pike for Team Brake
At the start in Wasdale Head Carpark
The morning of Saturday 21st June 2014 saw the inaugural charity challenge event run solely by Mountains in Mind. It was a combination of a many years in the making, life changing choices and goal achieving.
After introductions and team briefing we left the Wasdale Head National trust car park at 9:20 am. We moved at a very manageable pace, taking regular stops for water and food. The weather was hot, around 18-20 degrees in the sun. There was a slow wind which took the edge of the heat, and with the occasional cloud kept the temperature very manageable.
Team Brake along Brown Cove
We proceeded up to Lingmell Beck and then a steep ascent of Brown Tongue reaching the boulder field of ‘Hollow Stones’, where the view of Scafell Crags opens up in front of us. Above the crags a real life rescue, involving a SeaKing search and rescue helicopter was being undertaken, rescuing a fallen walker and evacuating to Carlisle Hospital, just highlighting that this is not a walk in the park.
Lunch stop before the Hollow Stones
The team then continued up over towards the summit on very uneven, sometimes boulder, sometimes loose and often steep path and with each step moving ever more closer to the summit and their goals.
Summit glory – GOAL acheived
The team reached the Summit of Englands Highest Peak – Scafell Pike ( 978 Meters / 3209 feet) at 1:30pm on Saturday 21st June 2104 ( the longest day)
In Memory of Craig Cooke – Afghanistan veteran who’s life was cut short by 2 boy racers.
From the summit the team were gifted with far reaching views across the mountain surrounding tops of Lake District, down in to Morcombe Bay to the south, the Pennines to our east, north to Scotland, west to the Irish sea and hidden in the haze the Isle of Man. Time was taken t for photos, lunch and reflection.
We then started to descend from the summit, making sure that each foot placement was secure and helping to avoid a slip. Just past the slab the youngest member Ewan of the team took a stumble and banged his left knee against a rock and fell to the floor. Thankfully he did not cause to much damage other than a brushed knee. He managed to walk with the aid of poles.
Wastwater the deepest lake in England
Fiona and Carolyn walked behind with support. We moved down the mountain to get the main group back to the Car Park so they could depart. We arrived at the national Trust Car Park at 5:30pm.
I then continued back up the mountain to walk with Fiona and Carolyn. Carolyn had taken a fall higher up and twisted her ankle was moving slow, but was making great progress. Even with the tumble both were having the time of their life’s
Evening shadows in Wadsale and Scafell Pike
And arrived back safely at the car park at 8:30pm.