View source for Scafells

{{Short description|Range of fells in Cumbria, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox mountain
| name = Scafells
| photo = File:Evening_Scafells_from_Wastwater_-_geograph.org.uk_-_122825.jpg 
| photo_caption = View of the Scafells from [[Wast Water|Wastwater]]
| elevation = max. {{Convert|978|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} at Scafell Pike
| prominence = 
| location = Cumbria, England
| range = [[Cumbrian Mountains]]
| map = United Kingdom Lake District#England#United Kingdom
| map_caption = 
| map_size = 
| coordinates = {{coord|54.471|-3.144|display=inline, title|region:GB_scale:100000}}
| topo = 
| type = [[Caldera]]
| age = -
| last_eruption = +400 MYA
| first_ascent = 
| easiest_route = 
|embedded=
}}
The '''Scafells''', or '''Scafell Massif''',<ref name="RTL">{{cite book |last1=Gannon |first1=Paul |title=Rock Trails Lakeland - A Hillwalker's Guide to the Geology & Scenery |date=April 2009 |publisher=Pesda Press |isbn=9781906095154 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cjwfT_nDvLQC |access-date=29 April 2021}}</ref> are a range of [[fells]] in the [[Cumbrian Mountains]] of England, made up of the remains of a [[caldera]] [[volcano]]. Fells in the range include [[Broad Crag]], [[Ill Crag]], [[Scafell]], and [[Scafell Pike]], England's tallest mountain. [[Great End]], [[Lingmell]] and [[Slight Side]] are also usually included within the definition. These hills form part of the [[Southern Fells]].

<imagemap>
Image:Annotated Scafell range.jpg|thumb|left|400px|The Scafell range as seen looking west from Crinkle Crags. (Interactive labels.)
rect 23 372 252 419 [[Slight Side|Slight Side (762m)]]
rect 173 794 560 834 [[Sca fell|Scafell East Buttress]]
rect 707 787 893 861 [[Scafell Pike|Esk Crag or Buttress (c. 750m)]]
rect 245 303 409 358 [[#top|Sca Fell (964m)]]
rect 408 238 637 280 [[Mickledore|Mickledore (c.840m)]]
rect 544 174 826 213 [[Scafell Pike|South Summit (c. 950m)]]
rect 706 310 928 355 [[Scafell Pike|Scafell Pike (978m)]]
rect 870 238 1108 286 [[Broad Crag|Broad Crag (934m)]]
rect 1043 308 1198 360 [[Ill Crag|Ill Crag (935m)]]
rect 1238 311 1446 351 [[Great End|Great End (910m)]]
rect 0 0 1444 1085 [[#top|Click hyperlink or button to expand]]
desc none
</imagemap>
{{clear left}}

== Geology ==
[[Geology|Geologically]], parts of the Scafell massif are the remnants of a [[volcano]] that erupted in the [[Ordovician]] [[geologic time scale|period]] over 400 million years ago. This volcano, geologically described as a [[caldera]] and an "inverse [[stratovolcano]]", as well as all other volcanoes of the [[Lake District]], are long since extinct.<ref name="GeoEngWal">[https://books.google.com/books?id=-6gqvAbdS-MC&pg=PA118 Geology of England and Wales, pp118ff]</ref>

The volcano is an example of a piecemeal [[caldera]] whose collapse, in contrast with a wholesale piston-like subsidence, occurred in a piece-by-piece fashion along faults and whose measurements suggest formation from an eruption of a [[VEI-7]] magnitude, comparable to the [[Minoan eruption]] at [[Santorini]] in the [[Aegean Sea|Greek Aegean]] in c. 1600 BCE. The Scafell [[dacite]], between Little Narrowcove and Aaron Crags, is a [[lava dome]] formed during the last stages of volcanic activity at Scafell massif.<ref name="GeoEngWal" />

==English Munros==
{{main|List of Furth mountains in the British Isles#English Munros}}

An English Munro (or [[List of Furth mountains in the British Isles|''Furth'']]) is a mountain summit that exceeds {{convert|3000|ft|1}} and has a [[topographical prominence|prominence]] of more than {{convert|30|m|ft|0|abbr=off}}. In England there are six peaks that meet that criteria and four of those are part of the Scafell Massif.{{efn| In Scotland there are 442 peaks that meet that criteria. See [[Lists of mountains and hills in the British Isles]] > 
[[Lists of mountains and hills in the British Isles#Murdos|Murdos]].}}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="border-collapse: collapse;
!style="text-align:left"|Peak
!style="text-align:right"|[[Elevation|Height]]<br />(m)
!style="text-align:right"|[[topographical prominence|Prominence]]<br />(m)
!style="text-align:left"|[[Ordnance Survey National Grid|OSI Grid]]<br />Reference
!style="text-align:center"|Highest<br />Class

|-
|[[Scafell Pike]]‡&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
|align=right|978
|align=right|912
|{{gbm4ibx|NY215072}}
|align=center|[[List of P600 mountains in the British Isles|P600]]

|-
|[[Sca Fell]]
|align=right|964
|align=right|133
|{{gbm4ibx|NY207065}}
|align=center|[[List of Hewitt mountains in England, Wales and Ireland|Hewitt]]

|-
|[[Ill Crag]]
|align=right|935
|align=right|57
|{{gbm4ibx|NY223073}}
|align=center|Hewitt

|-
|[[Broad Crag]]
|align=right|934
|align=right|52
|{{gbm4ibx|NY218075}}
|align=center|Hewitt

|}

(‡) Have the prominence of over {{convert|150|m|0}} to qualify as a "Real Munro".

==Protected area==
The Scafells are situated within a [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]] (SSSI)<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=SSSI detail |url=https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1001922&SiteName=scafell%20pikes&countyCode=&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |access-date=2024-12-30 |website=designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Protected Planet {{!}} Scafell Pikes |url=https://www.protectedplanet.net/137628 |access-date=2024-12-30 |website=Protected Planet}}</ref> designated in 1988 called ''Scafell Pikes''. This protected area includes [[Seathwaite Fell]], Great Slack, [[Great End]], Long Pike, III Crag, Symonds Knott, Slight Side and [[Scafell Pike]] and the area of this SSSI is 1102 hectares. This area is protected because of the [[Lichen|lichens]] found in the summit boulder field.

=== Details of Scafell Pikes SSSI ===
The summit boulder field is the highest in England and is covered in shattered rock debris. [[Lichen|Lichens]] on these rocks include species from ''[[Rhizocarpon]]'', ''[[Umbilicaria]]'', ''[[Sphaerophorus]]'', ''[[Lecidea]]'' and ''[[Cladonia]]'' (species of interest include ''[[Rhizocarpon geographicum]]'', ''[[Umbilicaria cylindrica]] and'' ''[[Sphaerophorus fragilis]]''). The moss species ''[[Racomitrium lanuginosum|Rhacomitrium lanuginosum]]'' and the [[beetle]] ''[[Nebria nivalis]]'' have also been recorded here.<ref name=":0" />

The crags of [[Great End]] have alpine herbs such as [[Rhodiola rosea|roseroot]], [[Potentilla crantzii|alpine cinquefoil]], [[Saussurea alpina|alpine saw-wort]] and [[Arctostaphylos uva-ursi|bearberry]], as well as [[Juniperus communis|juniper]]. To the north of [[Scafell Pike]] herbs on rock ledges include [[Oxyria digyna|mountain sorrel]], [[Alchemilla alpina|alpine lady's mantle]], [[Thalictrum alpinum|alpine meadow-rue]], [[Micranthes stellaris|starry saxifrage]], [[Saxifraga oppositifolia|purple saxifrage]], [[Saxifraga hypnoides|mossy saxifrage]] and [[Saxifraga aizoides|mountain saxifrage]]. The ferns lemon-scented fern (''[[Oreopteris]]''), [[Phegopteris|beech fern]], [[Gymnocarpium|oak fern]], [[Dryopteris affinis|scaly male-fern]] and [[Dryopteris dilatata|broad buckler fern]] have also been recorded here.<ref name=":0" />

North of [[Great End]] is [[Sprinkling Tarn]] and [[Styhead Tarn]] that have aquatic plants including [[Callitriche hamulata|intermediate water-starwort]], [[Isoetes lacustris|quillwort]], [[Littorella uniflora|shoreweed]], [[Sparganium angustifolium|floating bur-reed]] and [[Subularia aquatica|awlwort]]. [[Lobelia dortmanna|Water lobellia]] is found in [[Styhead Tarn]].<ref name=":0" />

The wet habitats of [[Seathwaite Fell]] support populations of a [[butterfly]] called the [[small mountain ringlet]].<ref name=":0" />

=== Land ownership in Scafell Pikes SSSI ===
All of the land within Scafell Pikes SSSI is owned by the [[National Trust]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-10-06 |title=Mapping the habitats of England’s ten largest institutional landowners |url=https://whoownsengland.org/2020/10/06/mapping-the-habitats-of-englands-ten-largest-institutional-landowners/ |access-date=2024-12-30 |website=Who owns England? |language=en}}</ref>

==Accident black spots==
[[File:Mountain Rescue Post, Mickledore - geograph.org.uk - 1330089.jpg|thumb|Mountain rescue post, Mickledore]]

The traverse between England's two highest summit's via [[Mickledore]] col requires considerable care and caution. The route via [[Mickledore#Broad Stand|Broad Stand]] is best avoided because it is dangerous.<ref>{{cite web |title= Broad Stand – There is no easy route direct from Scafell to Scafell Pike! |url= https://www.wmrt.org.uk/advice/accident-black-spots/scafell-broad-stand/
 |publisher= [[Mountain rescue in England and Wales#Lake District|Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team]] |access-date= 1 December 2023}}</ref> There is a [[Mickledore#Route to Scafell|safer but longer route]] available via [[Foxes Tarn]].

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Scafells from Bow Fell.JPG|Scafell massif from [[Bowfell]]
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

===Notes===
{{notelist}}

[[Category:Calderas of England]]
[[Category:Fells of the Lake District]]
[[Category:Ordovician volcanoes]]
[[Category:Ordovician calderas]]
[[Category:Stratovolcanoes]]
[[Category:VEI-7 volcanoes]]
[[Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Cumbria]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Cumbria]]