The Lord's Rake Ascent

It is the loose scree within the natural gutter of Lord's Rake that makes the initial pull so physically demanding. With every stride upward, the loose volcanic stones slide backward beneath your boots, forcing you to constantly fight for traction.

I have found it is best climbed by hugging the right-hand rock wall as closely as possible during the ascent. Sticking to the right offers far more opportunities to brace yourself with solid handgrips on firm rock ledges. Scrambling straight up the centre of the mobile scree chute merely doubles your effort and sends stones cascading below.

Near the crest of the first ascent sits the famous fallen chockstone—a massive slab of rock that detached from the crags above years ago and wedged itself across the neck of the gully. Walkers pass carefully beneath it to gain the first col.

Once over the crest, the rake drops down slightly before starting the second of three distinct uphill pulls. This second section does not enjoy the protection of an enclosed gully wall; instead, the fellside falls away steeply to your left into the depths of Hollow Stones. A steady, well-balanced rhythm is essential here. The second pull is shorter and somewhat gentler than the first, and is negotiated easily with care.

The third and final climb is the most exposed, with an enormous amount of vertical space dropping away to the valley floor. It can be a nerve-racking moment: on our climb, Jez decided to clamber up the steeper rock ribs on his left to avoid the final patch of scree. While his variant was much steeper, he managed well, while I simply walked directly up the scree line.

Deke and Spud followed my route up, and once the scree relented we all stepped out onto the open mountain shoulder. Reaching the top of Lord's Rake is an exhilarating triumph: the grim, enclosed shadows of the crags give way in an instant to blinding sunshine, panoramic mountain horizons, and an awe-inspiring bird's-eye view stretching down the length of Wast Water.