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| 1. In Mickelden, Bowfell in front on the distant sklyline. (106Kb) |
2. Pike of Sickle and Gimmer Crag. (102Kb) |
3. Head of the valley, with our routte going up left up Rossett Gill. (122Kb) |
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| 4. Hanging Knotts and Rossett Gill. (150Kb) |
5. Staircase to Heaven? Not quite, but feels like it!. (142Kb) |
6. Langdale Pikes on the left, Side Pike & Lingmoor Fell in the middle distance. (94Kb) |
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| 7. Angle Tarn, with the peak of Great End just visible. (85Kb) |
8. Sergeant's Crag & High Raise. The beck drains into Borrowdale. (60Kb) |
9. Scafell Pike, with Slight Side on the left. (80Kb) |
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| 10. On the rear of Hanging Knotts, with Great End and, more distant, Great Gable. (107Kb) |
11. Top of Bowfell, looking across at the Langdales, with the Fairfield range on the horizon. (98Kb) |
12. Coming down the Bowfell Links - probably the hardest part of the day. (131Kb) |
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| 13. Langdale from the Band. (93Kb) |
14. It's flat after the farm.. thank goodness! (109Kb) |
15. Herdwick sheep (129Kb) |
Because of the generally unsettled weather, most of my walks on my 2004 trip to the Lakes had been at low level. With the week rapidly drawing to an end, I was determined to get up high as soon as we had a decent day. I was orinally planning to do Wetherlam and Swirl How in the Coniston range but as I approached Elterwater, the slow car I had been following carried on towards Coniston and so I went right and into the Langdale valley! Bowfell it was to be!
The NT car park at Old Dungeon Ghyll fills up early and even off season I was quite lucky to get in by 10.30am. From the car park, make your way to the R of the hotel and it's walkers' bar (it will still be there when you get back) and pass through teh gate to go L onto a level bridleway that makes its way up Mickleden. Enjoy this.. it's the easy part! Ahead all the time is the site of Bowfell, our day's objective. To the R are the Langdale Pikes, looking very tempting in the early autumn sunshine; been there, done that, though!
At teh head of the valley, the path divides at a sign. R will take you to Stake Pass for either the climb and then descent ultimately into Borrowdale or doubling back onto the Langdale Pikes. Our route, though, is to the L (signed "Esk Hause") on an excellent path the climbs up alongside and across Rossett Gill. The path is well maintained and has long sections of almost a staircase-like construction. Pause frequently to pant and to turn and admire the view back down Mickleden and into Langdale.
Eventually, the first of the summits is reached and there is Angle Tarn in front with Great End beyond and Hanging Knotts on the L. Drop down to the tarn and climb again. Where the path divides, you can carry straight on and continue to Esk Hause before swinging round and climbing Esk Pike, or, as time was now getting on, go L and climb to Ore Gap (where the path from Esk Pike joins from the R). The path becomes fairly indistrict in places but once at Ore gap, there are cairns to lead you to Bowfell. Enjoy the view of Scafell Pike to the R - the mountain is for another day!
My original plan had been to take in Crinkle Crags and Great Knott but buy the time I got to tjhe summit of Bowfell, I deides that I would just take the easy way down and back to the car. However, the way down from Bowfell down to Three Tarns is very difficult, being quite steep and very rocky; a real trial on my knees, I found.
At Three Tarns, don't cross the stream but turn L and enjoy the superb view all around as you descend gradually at first and tehn more steeply on the Band down into Langdale. The farm at Stoool End at teh foot of the Band takes a long time to get much nearer and the knees are really struggling by now! However, at the farm, the flat valley is again reached and then its just a very pleasant throll along the farm access road and back to the for a well-deserved pat on the back after a proper mountain walk!
I welcome your comments. Thanks!
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