Bowfell

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903 mWainwright — Southern Fells+17 bonus Birketts within 3 km Severe in cloud

Bowfell at 903m (2,962ft) was one of Wainwright's great favourites.

Summit conditions on Bowfell

On the summit on Tuesday 27 October: 9° to 3°C, gusts to 68 mph, 10.6 mm of rain forecast over the whole day, midnight to midnight.

Against our lines, Tuesday 27 October: wind, cold and cloud from the Met Office UKV 2 km model (daylight hours, as in the verdict above); rain from the summit line’s forecast (the whole day). A tile is large when this top is past its line.

Wind on the top

Past the line

86 mph, our estimate for the open top in the worst daylight hour

The Met Office 2 km model’s gust of 58 mph times our exposure factor of 1.48. The summit line above gives Open-Meteo’s highest gust for the whole day, 68 mph, before any exposure factor.

The line Our line: 25 mph, where our wind Scale begins its 25–35 band: “balance affected; buffeting on exposed ground”. MWIS (opens in new tab) describes what wind does to a walker across a range rather than at a line: from about 20–25 mph it starts to affect your balance.

Estimated: it is not calibrated against summit readings, and the two forecasts can disagree by more than a band.

Cloud on the top

Past the line

9 out of 100, the clear-top reading

Averaged over the daylight hours, from the forecast’s humidity and low cloud.

The line Our line: a clear-top reading under 20 out of 100, where our scorer says “summit likely clagged in”. There is no outside threshold to cite; it is our estimate. What cloud does to finding the way: navigating in cloud.

Not an observation: cloud lifts and drops within the hour.

Rain, and the becks

Past the line

10.6 mm of rain over the whole day, midnight to midnight

The same figure as the summit line above and the 7-day forecast.

The line Our line: 6 mm in the day, where our scorer counts a day as soaking. We read rainfall, never river levels: becks in spate.

Open-Meteo’s forecast. It says nothing about rain already in the ground.

Also checked cold: feels like −3 °C, no ice or snow forecast. Under a line is not the same as fine: it means only that these figures are under the lines we use.

Not in these tiles Lightning, river levels, snow or ice already lying, and the ground under your feet. A tile cannot see them, so an empty space here never means they are absent.

Snow figures with a second opinion: Powered by Met Office data

Full 7-day summit forecast ↓

Wainwrights are scored for walking conditions each morning from the Met Office’s UK forecast model, read for each summit through Open-Meteo; the forecast figures are Open-Meteo’s, worked out for the summit’s height. How we check →

Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (opens in new tab)

Routes up Bowfell

Choose the way up before the car park: these two routes start from two places, and the last two rows give the parking and bus at each route’s own start. Full maps further down.

Compared	Langdale Horseshoe	Rossett Pike, Allen Crags, Great End and more
Starts from	Great Langdale (New/Old Dungeon Ghyll)	Great Langdale (New/Old Dungeon Ghyll)
Distance and climb	20.9 km, 1,770 m of climb	17.95 km, 1,212 m of climb
Time, fast to steady	~7–9½ h	~5½–7½ h
Scrambling	Easy scramble: Pike of Stickle's summit rocks (km 5.1–5.2). A short, awkward rock step that turns a walk into a scramble and regularly stops people dead.	Hands for a few steps: the boulders up Great End and the slabs up Bowfell (km 7.6–9.4 and km 11.3–12.8). The path largely breaks up into boulders and shattered scree, and the climb is a rough, high-stepping scramble through the rocks to the broad, surprisingly flat summit plateau.
Exposure	Hard	Not assessed
Navigation	Hard	Moderate
Steepest stretch	Descent of about 40% at 17.9 km (Severe)	Descent of about 34% at 16.1 km (Hard)
After the summit	Over Shelter Crags, Crinkle Crags - Gunson Knott (Fifth Crinkle), Crinkle Crags - Fourth Crinkle, Crinkle Crags - Long Top (Second Crinkle), Crinkle Crags South Top (First Crinkle), Cold Pike and Pike of Blisco	No further tops
Walked or planned	Planned: drawn, not yet walked	Planned: drawn, not yet walked
Car park at the start	Stickle Ghyll (NT, paid)	Old Dungeon Ghyll (NT, paid)
Bus to the start	516 at the start	516 at the start

Times run from fast to steady pace (Naismith’s rule). Scrambling quotes each route’s own notes; “not mentioned” means they do not say, not that the ground has none. Each route’s page has its map, stages and GPX.

Distance, climb and the steepest stretch are measured from each route’s GPX track; the other grades are set on the ground, judged from the map or estimated from OpenStreetMap, and each route page says which. How we check →

Is Bowfell hard to climb?

Bowfell is a proper mountain day and a step up from the easier fells. At 903 m (2,962 ft) it stands at the head of Great Langdale, and the usual route is a long, steep climb finishing with some easy hands-on scrambling over boulders to the rocky summit.

There's no exposed ridge you must cross, but it demands fitness, sure footing on rock, and good navigation — the boulder-strewn top is a known place to get disorientated in cloud.

Sources: Langdale Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team (opens in new tab)

How we check →

Conditions and 7-day summit forecast

Modelled for the 903 m summit (Open-Meteo). Check the Met Office mountain forecast and MWIS before you set off.

Full 7-day forecast

Tue 27 Oct

9° / 3°

68 mph

10.6 mm (100%)

Wed 28 Oct

7° / 4°

50 mph

11.9 mm (100%)

Thu 29 Oct

7° / 5°

29 mph

1.8 mm (26%)

Fri 30 Oct

7° / 4°

27 mph

0.1 mm (31%)

Sat 31 Oct

8° / -1°

9 mph

0.0 mm (25%)

Sun 1 Nov

6° / -1°

7 mph

0.0 mm (12%)

Mon 2 Nov

5° / -1°

19 mph

0.0 mm (0%)

Taken 27 October 2026, 08:13 UTC; the live forecast replaces it when it loads. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (opens in new tab)

Pro mountain forecasts: MWIS · Met Office mountain forecast

Parking & buses for Bowfell

Parking

Route starts first, then the car parks nearest the summit, which are not always a way up.

Stickle Ghyll (NT, paid) — 0.1 km from the start of Langdale Horseshoe (straight line)

Walking base for Pavey Ark, Harrison Stickle, Thorn Crag and Loft Crag — the 'Langdale Horseshoe' route starts 67 m away. Also serves 'Langdale Pikes Round'. Paid National Trust car park - the prices we used to show here came from an aggregator rather than the Trust, so we no longer publish a figure; check the machine on arrival, and members should bring their card (National Trust car-park list, checked August 2026). Unpaved surface (OSM-tagged). Height barrier (community-reported). Direct start up Stickle Ghyll for the Langdale Pikes.

Typically full before 10:00 on fine weekends, Apr-Oct — Lee McCoy, local observation, 9 August 2026.

Directions Something changed here?

If it is full: Old Dungeon Ghyll (NT, paid) (1.0 km); Blea Tarn (NT, paid) (3.2 km, 93 m up)

Public toilets (~147 m straight line) — Free

Old Dungeon Ghyll (NT, paid) — 0.1 km from the start of Rossett Pike, Allen Crags, Great End and more (straight line)

Head of Great Langdale — Bowfell, Crinkle Crags, Pike o' Blisco, the Langdale Pikes. Free for NT members (checked August 2026).

Typically full before 10:00 on fine weekends, Apr-Oct — Lee McCoy, local observation, 9 August 2026.

Directions Something changed here?

If it is full: Stickle Ghyll (NT, paid) (1.0 km, 24 m up); Great Langdale, valley road verge (free) (0.8 km) a few spaces only; Side Pike (verge) (0.8 km) a few spaces only

Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel Sticklebarn

Side Pike (verge) — 4.1 km from summit (straight line)

0.9 km from Side Pike.

Directions Something changed here?

Positions are approximate.

Vehicles are left at their owner’s risk: we list places people park and cannot vouch for any of them. Take valuables with you and leave nothing on show.

Buses

The 516 stops at Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, a 210 m walk from the start of Rossett Pike, Allen Crags, Great End and more — a route we rate Hard overall (hardest: distance and steepness). Last bus: Monday to Thursday 21:10 towards Ambleside (516) and 20:10 towards Kendal (516); Friday 22:30 towards Kendal (516); Saturday 22:30 towards Kendal (516); Sunday 21:10 towards Ambleside (516) and 20:10 towards Kendal (516). Checked against the operator’s timetable, 23 September 2026. Times here are a guide, not a promise — leave yourself more than the minute.

Stagecoach 516 “Langdale Rambler”

Ambleside – Skelwith Bridge – Elterwater – New Dungeon Ghyll – Old Dungeon Ghyll

Catch it from: Ambleside · Windermere (change at Ambleside)

The Langdale bus — Pikes, Bowfell, Crinkle Crags, Pike o' Blisco all walkable from the Dungeon Ghyll stops. Seasonal frequency varies; check before relying on the last bus back.

Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com (opens in new tab) or Traveline before relying on a last bus.

Getting there across the Lake District: Buses · Parking map · By train · By boat

Hazards on Bowfell

Hazard & Incident Information for Bowfell

Checked by Lee McCoy, 13 June 2026. Draws on published material from Langdale Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team. Editorial background, not a live callout feed.

Hazard: High

A big, rocky fell at the head of Langdale with a boulder-piled summit and steep, craggy flanks. Incidents typically involve navigation errors off the top in cloud, slips on steep rock, and walkers straying onto the climbing ground of Bowfell Buttress and the Great Slab. It is often combined with Crinkle Crags, lengthening the day.

Summit boulderfield and navigation in cloud: The rocky top has crags on several sides and the paths are not always obvious in mist; know your bearing for the descent before you set off.
Great Slab and Bowfell Buttress: Impressive sweep of rock on the Langdale side — climbing terrain, not a walking line. The path skirts above it; don't be drawn down onto it.
Steep descent to Three Tarns / The Band: Rough and steep in places; a common spot for slips, especially when tired at the end of the day.

Who should attempt this fell: Fine for fit hillwalkers in clear weather, but navigating off the summit in cloud is genuinely tricky — plan your descent line and know your escape routes. Allow plenty of time if combining it with Crinkle Crags.

What to watch for: Navigation errors off the summit in cloud · Slips on steep, rocky ground · Fatigue on the long Crinkle Crags link

Local Mountain Rescue: Langdale Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team (opens in new tab)

Safety: Always check current conditions, carry proper navigation equipment, and seek qualified instruction before heading onto the fells. In an emergency, call 999, ask for Police, then Mountain Rescue.

Report incorrect information (opens in new tab)

Navigating in cloud

Severe

Of the three things our terrain model measures, the highest reading here is the amount of steep ground within half a kilometre of the summit. A serious place to be caught in cloud: carry map and compass (or GPS) and know how to use them, or save it for a clear day.

In winter — snow, whiteout, cornices, buried features — every top demands full winter navigation skills whatever its band, and a broad, gentle summit can be the worst place of all. See walking in bad weather and the navigation guide.

How Bowfell compares with all 214: the Clag Index (experimental).

If you need Mountain Rescue

Dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Police, then Mountain Rescue.

Before you call, have ready: where you are (a grid reference if you can – the OS Locate app shows yours on your phone), what has happened, how many of you there are, and your mobile number.

Then stay where you are until the rescue team contacts you.

If you cannot make a voice call because of a hearing or speech impairment, emergency SMS works only if you have registered first: text “register” to 999.

From Mountain Rescue England and Wales’s guidance on calling them out (opens in new tab) (read 26 October 2026).

Map, GPX and nearby Birketts

Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap, with SRTM elevation data (switch layers top-right).

Parking, toilets and buses: Parking & buses ↑.

Birketts within 3 km of Bowfell

These Birkett tops are not Wainwright summits. Distances are straight lines: check the ground and access on a map before adding one.

1.0 km WNWPike de Bield810 m · Southern

1.2 km SSEShelter Crags815 m · Southern

1.4 km SSECrinkle Crags - Gunson Knott (Fifth Crinkle)822 m · Southern

1.5 km SSECrinkle Crags - Fourth Crinkle832 m · Southern

1.5 km NNEBuck Pike (Mickleden)606 m · Southern

1.6 km WSWHigh Gait Crags572 m · Southern

1.6 km ESEWhite Stones - The Band568 m · Southern

1.9 km NNEBlack Crags (Mickleden)588 m · Southern

2.0 km SSECrinkle Crags South Top (First Crinkle)834 m · Southern

2.3 km WNWIll Crag931 m · Southern

2.3 km WPen762 m · Southern

2.4 km SSEStonesty Pike765 m · Southern

2.4 km SWScar Lathing439 m · Southern

2.6 km SEGreat Knott695 m · Southern

2.7 km SWThrostlehow Crag404 m · Southern

2.8 km NHigh House Tarn Top (High House - Allen Crags)683 m · Southern

2.8 km WNWBroad Crag935 m · Southern

Routes over Bowfell

Langdale Horseshoe

Summits: Pavey Ark Harrison Stickle Thorn Crag Loft Crag Pike of Stickle Black Crags (Mickleden)Rossett PikeBowfellShelter Crags Crinkle Crags - Gunson Knott (Fifth Crinkle)Crinkle Crags - Fourth Crinkle Crinkle Crags - Long Top (Second Crinkle)Crinkle Crags South Top (First Crinkle)Cold Pike Pike of Blisco

Download GPX Planned route · not yet walked

Picked for its light in: June, August

Warnings: The Bad Step (Crinkle Crags, Long Top). A short, awkward rock step that turns a walk into a scramble and regularly stops people dead. There is a bypass path round its west side, on your right as you come south off Long Top — use it if you are unsure. Do not attempt Jack’s Rake on Pavey Ark unless you know what you are taking on. It is a graded scramble with real exposure, not a path. The walkers’ line goes round. 21 km, 1,660 m and fifteen tops. This is a full, committing day. Start early, and decide your turn-back time before you leave the car. The Crinkles are the classic place to descend the wrong side in cloud. Know which valley you want before you are in it. Bowfell: The rocky top has crags on several sides and the paths are not always obvious in mist; know your bearing for the descent before you set off. Loft Crag: The small abrupt summit stands right above Gimmer Crag, a sheer climbing buttress falling to Langdale. Keep well back from the southern edge near the top, especially in cloud or wind — and if scrambling on the south side, be aware climbers may be on the crag below.

From the hazard notes for Loft Crag · Bowfell, each with its sources.

Route guide: Langdale Horseshoe →

Rossett Pike, Allen Crags, Great End and more

Summits: Rossett Pike Allen Crags Great End Esk PikeBowfell

Download GPX Planned route · not yet walked

Warnings: Bowfell: The rocky top has crags on several sides and the paths are not always obvious in mist; know your bearing for the descent before you set off. Esk Hause (and the ‘false’ Esk Hause close by, which walkers often take for it) is a notorious place to go wrong: several paths meet and in cloud it is easy to set off toward the wrong valley — Langstrath, Grains Gill, Langdale or back to Sty Head. Know exactly which path you want and take a compass bearing before committing. Esk Hause is a major crossroads where paths to Wasdale, Great Langdale, Eskdale and Borrowdale all converge. In cloud it is one of the most frequently misnavigated points in the fells; walkers have descended the wrong valley believing they were coming off Scafell Pike. Always identify the correct path by compass bearing before descending.

From the hazard notes for Bowfell, each with its sources.

Route guide: Rossett Pike, Allen Crags, Great End and more →

Every line here is a guide, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate for yourself and carry a map and compass. How to use this guide.

On the hill: terrain and water on Bowfell

Water & shelter on the way up

On the Langdale Horseshoe route:

possible water source (5 m off the line) possible water source (6 m off the line) possible water source (81 m off the line) toilets (10 m off the line) toilets (11 m off the line) New Dungeon Ghyll (144 m from the start, straight line)

On the Rossett Pike, Allen Crags, Great End and more route:

Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel (102 m from the start, straight line) Great Langdale Campsite (228 m from the start, straight line) Great Langdale Campsite (251 m from the start, straight line)

Treat water from the fell before you drink it. A mapped point is not proof the water is drinkable, so carry your own or use a supply you know is safe. Never drink untreated from a beck, stream or tarn — even clear-looking hill water can carry giardia or cryptosporidium from livestock upstream and leave you seriously ill. Use a treatment method suited to what might be in the water, and follow the device’s own instructions. Boiling and ordinary filters do not make water with dissolved metals or chemicals safe: where that is possible, choose another source.

On-route facilities © OpenStreetMap contributors, per route — an absent marker doesn’t mean none.

About Bowfell

Bowfell, a Lake District fell — Photo: Brooksaf at English Wikipedia, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

The summit is a magnificent rocky pyramid visible from much of southern Lakeland, and the views from the top encompass the full sweep of the Southern Fells, the Coniston group, the Langdale Pikes and — on a clear day — the sea to the south. The classic ascent from Great Langdale via the Band is one of the finest ridge walks in the district, with the option of returning via Crinkle Crags for a full day's mountain circuit.

Classifications & hill data

Is Bowfell a Wainwright?

Bowfell is a Wainwright. It is also on the Birkett list, the Synge list, the Nuttall list, the Fellranger list, the HuMP list and the Hewitt list.

Selected lists

903 m

Height

2,962 ft

In feet

NY 2447 0645

Grid ref

This is the summit’s grid reference. If you call from anywhere else, give your own position, not this one.

The summit is also a Birkett.

Lists, height and summit position from the Database of British and Irish Hills; the feet are converted from its metres and the grid reference from that position. How we check →

The view from Bowfell

The 360° skyline from Bowfell

A computed 360° skyline — every visible named top labelled by distance and bearing, from the terrain model in perfect clarity, not photographed. Drag to pan; reveal the far four-nations horizon.

drag to pan · arrow keys

The skyline as a list, by direction

North: Crag Hill (15 km), Grisedale Pike (17 km), Skiddaw Lesser Man (21 km), Skiddaw Little Man (22 km), Knowe Crags (22 km), Gategill Fell Top (22 km), Skiddaw South Top (22 km), Skiddaw Middle Top (22 km), Skiddaw (23 km), Blencathra (23 km)
North-east: Dollywaggon Pike (12 km), High Crag (12 km), Nethermost Pike (13 km), Fairfield (13 km), Cofa Pike (13 km), Helvellyn Lower Man (13 km), Helvellyn (13 km), White Side (14 km), St Sunday Crag (14 km), Raise (15 km), Stybarrow Dodd (16 km), Little Dodd (17 km), Great Dodd (17 km)
East: Hart Crag (13 km), Dove Crag (14 km), Red Screes (15 km), Thornthwaite Crag (19 km), High Street (20 km), Rampsgill Head (21 km), Kidsty Pike (21 km), High Raise (22 km)
South: Brim Fell (8 km), The Old Man of Coniston (9 km)
West: Scafell Pike (3 km), Scafell (4 km)
North-west: Esk Pike (1 km), Great End (3 km), Great Gable (5 km), Pillar (9 km), Grasmoor (16 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Snowdon (165 km, Wales), Slieve Donard (182 km, Ireland), Carnedd Llewelyn (153 km, Wales), Aran Fawddwy (188 km, Wales), Snaefell (87 km, Isle of Man), Moel Siabod (161 km, Wales), Cairnsmore of Carsphairn (112 km, Scotland), The Cheviot (132 km, England).

Computed from Copernicus GLO-30 terrain; distant tops from the Database of British and Irish Hills v18.4 (opens in new tab) (CC BY 4.0). See how we compute the view · and the summit intervisibility report below.

Sunrise and sunset on Bowfell

Bowfell sits close to the flat-horizon case. Even on its longest wait of the modelled year (on 1 June) first light is only 1 minute after almanac sunrise, so the published sunrise time is a fair guide here.

Midsummer. The filled shape is the skyline as seen from the summit; the line is the sun’s path. Where they meet is first light — everything left of that point is the wait.

Times for 2026, in Lakeland clock time (GMT in winter, BST in summer) — and model outputs rather than observations.
	First light	Almanac sunrise	Difference
Midsummer	04:35 BST ±5.0 min	04:38	-3 min
Equinox	06:12 GMT ±5.0 min	06:16	-4 min
Midwinter	08:26 GMT ±5.0 min	08:33	-7 min

A low, open northern horizon — the ground falls away northwards (mean -0.49°).

Last light — when the sun leaves Bowfell

The evening here runs close to the flat-horizon case. Even on its earliest evening of the modelled year (on 1 September) last light is only 9 minutes before almanac sunset, so the published sunset time is a fair guide on Bowfell.

The evening of the same three days. A negative difference means a ridge takes the sun before the valley loses it.
	Last light	Almanac sunset	Difference
Midsummer	21:54 BST ±5.0 min	21:52	+2 min
Equinox	18:21 GMT ±5.0 min	18:27	-6 min
Midwinter	15:58 GMT ±5.0 min	15:50	+8 min

These are daylight figures, not a descent plan: the light goes on fading for a good while after the sun leaves, and going down in it is a decision about your own ground and party, not about this table.

What you can see from Bowfell

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.

114Wainwrights in view+15 marginal

182 kmFurthest sightlineSlieve Donard · possible under favourable refraction

3Sea in viewIrish Sea, Solway Firth, Morecambe Bay

On the clearest days the view reaches across to Wales, the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland.

Far horizons

Slieve Donard Northern IrelandW · 182 km clear
Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) WalesSSW · 165 km clear
Carnedd Llewelyn WalesSSW · 149 km clear
Snaefell Isle of ManWSW · 87 km clear
Ingleborough Yorkshire DalesESE · 60 km clear
Solway Firth bay/estuaryN · 58 km in view
Whernside Yorkshire DalesESE · 55 km clear
Great Dun Fell North PenninesENE · 53 km clear
Cross Fell North PenninesENE · 52 km clear
Irish Sea open waterWSW · 44 km in view
Morecambe Bay bay/estuaryS · 41 km in view

All 114 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

Rossett Pike, Esk Pike, Crinkle Crags - Long Top (Second Crinkle), Allen Crags, Great End, Scafell Pike, Pike of Stickle, Loft Crag, Cold Pike, Pike of Blisco, Scafell, Slight Side, Harrison Stickle, Thunacar Knott, Glaramara, Pavey Ark, Hard Knott, High Raise (High White Stones), Sergeant Man, Great Gable, Green Gable, Base Brown, Sergeant's Crag, Great Carrs, Lingmoor Fell (Brown How), Brandreth, Grey Friar, Kirk Fell, Eagle Crag, Swirl How, Grey Knotts, Wetherlam, Harter Fell (Eskdale), Ullscarf, Silver How, Fleetwith Pike, Great Crag (Stonethwaite), Dow Crag, The Old Man of Coniston (Coniston Old Man), Dale Head, Pillar, Green Crag, High Spy, Grange Fell (Brund Fell), Loughrigg Fell, Hindscarth, Stone Arthur, Armboth Fell (Armboth Fell South Top), Black Fell, High Tove, Nab Scar, Seat Sandal, Robinson, Heron Pike (Rydal), Great Rigg, Dollywaggon Pike, High Seat, Fairfield, Low Pike, Helvellyn, Hart Crag, High Pike (Scandale), Cat Bells (Catbells), Dove Crag, Raven Crag, White Side, Bleaberry Fell, Whiteless Pike, St Sunday Crag, Wandope, Sail, Causey Pike, Raise, Scar Crags, Crag Hill (Eel Crag), Walla Crag, Red Screes, Grasmoor, Middle Dodd, Baystones (Wansfell), Watson's Dodd, Grisedale Pike, Great Dodd, Stony Cove Pike (Caudale Moor), Troutbeck Tongue, Clough Head, Sour Howes, Latrigg, Thornthwaite Crag, Ill Bell, Froswick, Yoke, Sallows, Low Fell, Lord's Seat, Barf, Dodd (Skiddaw), Fellbarrow - Mosser Fell, Lonscale Fell, Kidsty Pike, Skiddaw Little Man, High Raise (High Street), Carl Side, Long Side, Kentmere Pike, Ullock Pike, Skiddaw, Blencathra - Hallsfell Top, Bannerdale Crags, Great Calva, Souther Fell, Knott, Binsey, High Pike (Caldbeck)

How the view from Bowfell compares with all 214 — the View Report: every Wainwright ranked by what you can see from the top.

How the skyline, light and sightlines are computed

Computed, not photographed. First light is the first minute the sun’s upper limb clears this summit’s own skyline and last light the last minute it is still clear of it, both solved against the 360° horizon profile behind The View from Bowfell. Almanac sunrise and sunset are the flat-horizon convention. Every time carries a ± band from the 30 m elevation model — it smooths arêtes and cornices, so nothing here claims better than five minutes.

Sightlines from the Copernicus GLO-30 elevation model, which is a surface model: each 30 m cell holds the top of whatever stands there, trees and buildings included, rather than bare ground. Corrected for the Earth’s curvature and average atmospheric refraction. “Distant” sightlines and any over 100 km depend on exceptionally clear air. Modelled from Copernicus GLO-30 open elevation data — a guide to the view, not a guarantee of any single one.

Places to stay near this fell

From Great Langdale: 3 places in Grasmere

Frequently asked questions about Bowfell

Is Bowfell hard to climb? Answered above.

What is the best route up Bowfell?

The classic and most direct line is up The Band from the Old Dungeon Ghyll in Great Langdale — a long, steep, grassy ridge on a clear path, then a rockier finish to the summit.

Bowfell also combines superbly with Crinkle Crags for a bigger horseshoe.

How long does it take to climb Bowfell? Answered above: Routes up Bowfell.

Is there scrambling on Bowfell, and what is the Great Slab?

The final pull to the summit involves some easy scrambling over boulders, but no exposed ridge. The Great Slab is a huge, dramatic sweep of tilted rock below the top, passed on the Climbers' Traverse route.

Don't be tempted onto the middle of the slab — it's smooth and dangerously slippery when wet.

Is Bowfell suitable for beginners?

It's best kept for when you've a few easier fells behind you. A fit, confident walker can manage Bowfell by The Band in good conditions, but the steep climb, rocky scrambly summit and serious navigation make it harder than starter mountains like Skiddaw or Cat Bells.

If you go, pick a clear, dry, settled day, carry proper kit and a map and compass, and be ready to turn back if cloud comes down on the boulderfield top.

Sources: Langdale Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team (opens in new tab)

Is it easy to get lost on Bowfell?

Yes — the summit is a confusing jumble of boulders with several paths radiating off it, and in cloud it's easy to set off down the wrong one (toward Three Tarns, Esk Hause or the steep Mickleden side). Crag edges lie close by.

Take a compass bearing before leaving the top, keep clear of the edges, and treat it as full winter mountaineering when there's snow or ice.

Sources: Langdale Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team (opens in new tab)

What should I wear and take up Bowfell?

Wear proper walking boots with good grip for the steep, rough, rocky ground, and carry warm and waterproof layers — the high summit is cold, windy and quick to cloud over.

Take a map and compass (and know how to use them), food, water and a charged phone, and check the mountain forecast. Avoid the Great Slab and rocky scrambles when wet, and carry winter kit when there's snow.

Sources: MWIS — Lake District forecast (opens in new tab)

Questions from Google’s “People also ask”. · Last updated 2026-06-14 · Suggest a question or correction (opens in new tab)

Bowfell

Summit conditions on Bowfell

Wind on the top

Cloud on the top

Rain, and the becks

Routes up Bowfell

Is Bowfell hard to climb?

Conditions and 7-day summit forecast

Parking & buses for Bowfell

Parking

Buses

Hazards on Bowfell

Hazard & Incident Information for Bowfell

Navigating in cloud

If you need Mountain Rescue

Map, GPX and nearby Birketts

Birketts within 3 km of Bowfell

Routes over Bowfell

On the hill: terrain and water on Bowfell

Water & shelter on the way up

About Bowfell

Classifications & hill data

Is Bowfell a Wainwright?

Selected lists

The view from Bowfell

The 360° skyline from Bowfell

Sunrise and sunset on Bowfell

Last light — when the sun leaves Bowfell

What you can see from Bowfell

Places to stay near this fell

Frequently asked questions about Bowfell

Other fells near Bowfell