The route begins at Brackenclose Car Park in the Wasdale Valley, at the eastern end of Wast Water.

From the car park follow the track over the bridge, passing to the left of the Brackenclose Hut (owned by the Fell & Rock Climbing Club) and follow the path to a footbridge crossing Lingmell Gill.

Cross the gill and follow the path climbing alongside the gill. Follow this path, with wonderful views of Scafell Buttress ahead and Wasdale and Wast Water behind until the path crosses the beck again, crossing to the shoulder of Brown Tongue where the path climbs the tongue to a large cairn.

Take the right hand path at the cairn and continue to climb a along the right hand side of the combe, where a path climbs to the base of the huge cleft of Lords Rake, climbing to the right below Scafell Buttress.

Follow the path as it climbs the first of the three sections of the rake, this is the loosest and longest section. Scramble up this gully to the large chockstone, perched at the top, this is easily passed and from here the next section can be seen ahead, descend a short slope to climb another, this time shorter slope to a second rise. Descend again and climb the third section to emerge on the easier ground above the rake.

Turn left on a good path climbing above the crags to a broad shoulder below the summit of Scafell. A short detour here to the left (north) to the top of Symmonds Knott and Pisgah are well worth a visit, with wonderful views of the crags and the valley below.

A short climb then leads south west to the summit of Scafell, the second highest peak in the Lake District.

From the summit of Scafell a good path descends gradually to the west descending the broad shoulder of Green How before turning to the North West where the path descends to meet the old Coffin Road, the old track where bodies were transported from Boot to the church at Wasdale Head. Follow this track as it descends back to Brackenclose.