Get Lost Mountaineering

Bannerdale Crags via East Ridge & Bowscale Fell Clockwise

from Mungrisdale Village

Start/Finish

Mungrisdale village which is on the minor road to Caldbeck about 2 m north from the A66. From the A66 Keswick to Penrith road, the minor road for Caldbeck and Mungrisdale is about 7 miles East of Keswick and about 10 miles west of Penrith. There is car parking opposite the village hall and down the lane by the phone box but you must park on the opposite side of the lane to the phone box. In 2014, it was £2 a day in both spots.

Distance/Time

9 km    About 3 – 4 hours

Peaks

Bannerdale Crags, 683 m, NY 335 291.

Bowscale Fell, 702 m, NY 333 306.     OS 1:50 000, Sheet 90.    OL5 North Eastern Lakes

Introduction

This is a fine walk and has excellent views on a clear day especially to Blencathra, Skiddaw, Knott, Carrock Fell and High Pike. Cross Fell may also be seen to the east as well as the lakeland fells south of the A66. The closest of these is Great Mell Fell. Much of the walk is on high moorland which, apart from the odd wet section, is pleasant to walk. The ascent of Bannerdale Crags is on a path with lots of slate which can be slippery when wet. Navigation is relatively straightforward even in mist as there are paths much of the way except on the higher part of Bowscale Fell where navigation can be “challenging” in thick mist although there are several cairns for those approaching via its east ridge. The descent path off the end of the east ridge of Bowscale Fell goes through some gorse bushes so shorts are not recommended! An optional diversion to The Tongue which is between the two tops is given in the notes. In the photos, the descent cairns down Bowscale Fell are numbered with 9 being the summit to make the numbering consistent with the anti-clockwise route which is posted separately. In mist, the cairns on Bowscale Fell are useful but are unequally spaced so some may be too far apart to see from one to the other.

Route

(1) Walk up the telephone box lane and continue past the houses. Follow the track to the footbridge across Bullfell Beck then take the path, leaving the track, up the side of the main river. This is boggy in places. Reach Bannerdale Beck where there is no bridge but it is usually easy to cross. This is at the foot of the E ridge off Bannerdale Crags. Take the path up this ridge which is moderately steep before steepening higher up. The path is good but the slate underfoot can be slippery. Eventually, reach the top of the ridge at a cairn on the edge of Bannerdale Crags. The highest point is about 150 m W up a grassy path going away from the edge. The small low cairn marks the summit of Bannerdale Crags, 683 m.

(2) Retrace to the edge cairn and follow the good path, above the edge along the top of the crags. When the edge path starts to curve around to the right, heading for The Tongue, the main path goes roughly straight on and leads up to the large shelter cairn which is the summit of Bowscale Fell, 702 m.

(3) From the summit, head roughly NE to another cairn then cross a dip and ascend to a pillar cairn, cairn 6. It is possible to drift left for a better view down to Bowscale Tarn but this may mean that cairn 7 is by passed. Generally, stay on the crest which gradually curves around to the E with cairns on the way. By the time the last cairn is reached, the path down the ridge is very well defined and cane be followed almost to the end of the ridge where it drops down, fairly obviously, to the right. This zig-zags through the gorse bushes and emerges at a gate on to the road. Turn right, S, and follow the road back to the start.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 29^th November, 2014, in good weather. On 27^th and 28^th November, 2014, the route was walked in reverse, both days in thick mist! This is posted separately.

(b) To include The Tongue in this walk. Stay on the edge path along the top of Bannerdale Crags. This soon becomes faint so walk over rough and wet ground down to a dip then up to the small cairn of The Tongue. Retrace to the edge path or walk more directly up Bowscale Fell. This diversion adds about an hour but there are good views of Bannerdale Crags from The Tongue.