Scafells facts for kids

The Scafells are a group of tall mountains in the western part of the Lake District, a beautiful national park in England. This area is famous for its stunning lakes and hills. The Scafells include some of England's highest peaks, like Scafell Pike, which is the tallest mountain in the whole country! Other important peaks in this group are Scafell, Broad Crag, and Ill Crag. You'll also find Great End, Lingmell, and Slight Side nearby. These mountains are part of a larger area called the Southern Fells.

The Scafell range as seen looking west from Crinkle Crags. (Interactive labels.)

How the Scafells Were Formed

The Scafells have an amazing past! If you look at their geology, which is the study of Earth's rocks and how they formed, you'll find something really cool. These mountains are actually what's left of a very old volcano.

An Ancient Volcano

This ancient volcano erupted a very, very long time ago. It happened during a period called the Ordovician period. That was over 400 million years ago! Imagine how old that is. All the volcanoes in the Lake District, including the one that formed the Scafells, are no longer active. They are called extinct volcanoes.

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  The Scafells seen from Bowfell, another mountain in the Lake District.