Bowfell
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| Bowfell | |
|---|---|
 Bowfell from Shelter Crags, about a mile south along the ridge |
|
| Elevation | 902 m (2949 ft) |
| Location | Lake District, England |
| Prominence | 146 m |
| Topo map | OS Landrangers 89, 90 |
| OS grid reference | NY245064 |
| Listing | Hewitt, Nuttall, Wainwright |
Bowfell (named Bow Fell on Ordnance Survey maps) is a pyramid-shaped mountain lying at the very heart of the English Lake District, in the Southern Fells area. It is the sixth highest mountain in the lakes and one of the most popular of the Lakeland fells, and there are many different routes to the summit.
Most people climb this mountain by a path called The Band which cuts a direct westward path up to the summit from the Langdale valley, rising between the two side-valleys of Langdale, Oxendale and Mickleden. Other popular paths include the mountain-top paths, from neighbouring Esk Pike to the north, or from Crinkle Crags in the south. It is also possible to approach the mountain from Eskdale, or from Borrowdale by way of the Langstrath valley and Angle Tarn — a long walk.
The flanks of Bowfell include the Bowfell Links, nine vertical gullies in the side of the mountain. A climb up these is neither pleasurable nor safe as they are extremely active loose rock channels. However, good climbing can be found on Cambridge Crag and Bowfell Buttress.
The Climber's Traverse provides an excellent high-level walking route to the summit from the highest point of The Band. This largely horizontal path contours around many of Bowfell's most dramatic crags. It finally reaches the summit structure via a rocky route known as the River of Boulders, running parallel to a rock formation known as the Great Slab.
The panorama is excellent; every major group of fells in Lakeland is seen well from this superb vantage point. The Helvellyn range is seen end-to-end and the Langdale Pikes can be seen across Langdale, but the piece of the view is Scafell Pike towering above Eskdale.
