Scafell Pike

Scafell Pike is sometimes confused with the neighbouring Sca Fell, to which it is connected by the col of Mickledore. Scafell Pike was used in 1826 as a station in the Principal Triangulation of Britain by the Ordnance Survey when they fixed the relative positions of Britain and Ireland. Angles between Slieve Donard and Snowdon were taken from Scafell Pike, as were angles measured from stations on each of the other two mountains. Given the need for clear weather to achieve these very long range observations, the Ordnance surveyors spent most of the summer camped on the respective mountain tops. Strangely, Scafell Pike was not used as a station in the earlier part of the Principal Triangulation (up to 1809) of Britain, even though Sca-Fell formed one corner of a Principal Triangle.