Walk 59 - Bowscale Fell - 4th August 2021
 

Wainwright's Walking Guide to the Lake District Fells - Book 5 The Northern Fells
 

 

#140 Bannerdale Crags 2241 ft
#141 Mungrisedale Common 2077 ft
#142 Bowscale Fell 2303 ft
Distance
9 miles
Time
7 hrs
Lowest Point
729 ft
Highest Point
2303 ft
Total Ascent
2277 ft
 
Walk Rating - moderate
 

Mini Route Map
(larger map at the bottom)

Go to start on OS map

Go to start on Google

   
   
 
 
  12.30 On the path from Mungrisedale village just rounding the end of The Tongue we start to ascend.  
 
 
 

12.33 Looking back towards the village and the edge we will walk down later.

 
   
  13.25 Panorama 539 This long straight made the ascent to the ridge very easy. Just what we needed today as we were both nursing slight injuries.  
       
   

This is the least obvious but the easiest route; in fact, the easiest route to any summit over 2000' in Lakeland.
It makes use of an old bridle path skirting the south flank of the Tongue and rising to the skyline of Bowscale Fell only a simple five-minutes' walk from the top.

  
   
Alfred Wainwright - The Northern Fells. Bowscale Fell 6
  
       
   
  13.40 Nearing the top of the path. Patchy cloud had made for even nicer walking. More of Blencathra is showing over the ridge now.  
 
 
  13.42 Crossing the edge.  
 
 
  13.46 The path we have just come up is visible running down the side of The Tongue.  
 
 
  14.05 Lunch on Bannerdale Crags summit.  
   
  14.08 Panorama 540 Bannerdale Crags summit looking east (Wainwright #140 2241ft)  
       
   

The view is interesting rather than attractive. It is a surprise to find an unrestricted prospect of the Coniston Fells across the length of Lakeland.
The distant height over Souther Fell is Cross Fell, highest of the Pennines.

  
   
Alfred Wainwright - The Northern Fells. Bannerdale Crags 9
  
       
   
  14.08 Panorama 541 Bannerdale Crags summit looking west to Blencathra  
 
 
  14.35 Looking up at Sharp Edge on Blencathra we could hear people talking as they climbed it.  
   
  14.48 Panorama 542 Nearing the junction of paths looking up at Sharp Edge  
   
  15.24 Panorama 543 If I Stood on the summit stones of Mungrisedale Common I could see Derwent Water to the right of Blencathra (Wainwright #141 2077ft)  
 
 
  15.30  
 
 
  15.34 Walking back across Mungrisedale Common.  
 
 
  15.45 Bowscale Fell in the distance.  
 
 
  15.55 Two F15 jets appeared over Blencathra . . . .  
 
 
  15.55 . . . . . banked right and disappeared down Mosedale between Bowscale Fell and Carrock Fell.  
 
 
  16.02 Below Sharp Edge I could see people on the ridge near the bottom.  
   
  16.10 On the path ascending Bowscale Fell.  
 
 
  16.14 The two jets came back and passed over Blencathra.  
   
  16.36 Panorama 544 Bowscale Fell summit looking south (Wainwright #142 2303 ft)  
 
 
  17.03 Starting down the path along the ridge Mungrisedale village is visible below.  
   
  17.19 Panorama 545 Looking over Bowscale Tarn to the north. Carrock Fell to the right.  
 
 
  17.28 Further down the ridge.  
   
  17.49 Looking south with a view of many fells in the Helvellyn and High Street area.  
   
  18.01 Getting near the steeper part and we could see our car on the road just past the village.  
 
 
  18.16  
 
 
  18.31 Mungrisedale village.  
   
  18.32 Panorama 546 Looking south over the village with the path we had taken earlier between Souther Fell and The Tongue. Just after this the path plunged down very steeply through a large area of bracken and gorse. We had to crawl on our hands to get down, it was just too steep and loose to stand up.  

 
   
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