If we were betting people, which generally speaking we’re not, we’d wager good money that you’d be more likely to know the name of the highest mountain in the world than the name of the highest mountain in England – Scafell Pike. This is probably partly because Everest, with its summit 8,848 metres above sea level, has in recent years had a movie made about it starring Jake Gyllenhaal. It’s also, we’d imagine, got something to do with the fact that Everest has claimed the lives of hundreds of climbers over the years and is generally synonymous with legendary mountaineering feats. Scafell Pike (978m), on the other hand, is a challenging hike in the Lake District that’s never once featured in a Gyllenhaal film.
1) Scafell Pike
As we’ve already mentioned, Scafell Pike is England’s highest mountain. Located in Cumbria, in the Lake District National Park, its summit is 978 metres above sea level. For comparison purposes, the highest peak in Wales is Snowdon at 1,085 metres while the highest one in Scotland, and the entire UK for that matter, is Ben Nevis at 1,345 metres.
2) Sca Fell
Sca Fell, also known as Scafell and Scawfell, has a summit 964 metres above sea level. It is separated from its neighbour Scafell Pike by Mickledore col. Mickledore, which means “great door”, is a mountain saddle 840 metres high. Not only does the col join Scafell Pike to Sca Fell, it is also gateway between the valleys of Wasdale and Eskdale.
3) Helvellyn
Helvellyn is the third highest mountain in England, and the Lake District. Situated right between the lakes of Thirlmere and Ullswater, it has an elevation of 950 metres. In January of 2018, none other than Julia Bradbury presented an ITV show in which Helvellyn was named ‘Britain’s Best Walk’.
