The Borrowdale Fells (Rosthwaite Fell round)
Start Rosthwaite
Getting here Parking: Rosthwaite (NT, paid), 0.0 km from the start (straight line). Bus: the 77 and 78 stop at Rosthwaite General Store (near), a 220 m walk from this start. The 77 runs until 1 November 2026, the last day of its season. Getting there ↓ · Route map ↓
Hardest part Severe steepness: Steepest sustained climb about 45% around the 2.8 km mark. Hands for a few steps: polished rock steps on the climb to Rosthwaite Fell (Bessyboot) (km 0.0–4.2).
Before you choose
- Paths are faint or absent for much of this round, through a confusing maze of knolls, hags and hollows. Only attempt it in good visibility — in cloud or mist the navigation here is genuinely hard and it’s easy to get lost. Carry map and compass (or GPS) and know how to use them.
- Boggy, tussocky and rough underfoot — slow going, and much worse after rain. Save it for a dry spell.
- A committing round with little quick escape — start early and allow more time than the distance suggests.
- Livestock on the lower fields; keep dogs under close control.
Conditions on this route
We score every Lakeland Wainwright each morning on cloud, wind, rain and underfoot, and this route crosses 1 of them. The worst summit governs the verdict — a route is only as kind as its roughest top.
Modelled guidance — not a substitute for the mountain forecast or your own judgement. See how every fell ranks today →
Daylight & turnaround
By bus: the Borrowdale Bus (78) (opens in new tab) reaches Rosthwaite at 08:33 and the last one back leaves from Rosthwaite General Store (near) at 20:05, Tuesday to Sunday only. At a steady pace this walk finishes about 13:49. Be off Thornythwaite Fell by 14:25, to be down at least an hour before dusk on 1 November; that is earlier than the last bus needs. The last bus is from the operator’s timetable, checked 12 September 2026; that timetable runs to 1 November. Check the timetable before you rely on it.
Daylight is short from October to February — check today’s sunrise and sunset before you set off, and carry a head-torch and spare batteries. On short days, decide your turn-back time before you start.
See also walking in bad weather and today’s conditions.
Route map
1 Rosthwaite Fell - Bessyboot2 Dovenest Top (Dovenest Crag) (Stonethwaite Fell)3 Thornythwaite Fell
Easy 65%Moderate 23%Hard 7%Severe 4%
Heights on this chart and its high point are read from the track itself (a terrain model sampled along the line, or a GPS recording), so a top can differ from its listed height, usually reading lower.
Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap, with SRTM elevation data (switch layers top-right).
The elevation profile is under the map; the stage notes follow.
The line to the summit of Dovenest Top (Dovenest Crag) (Stonethwaite Fell) is drawn, not recorded.
The walk, stage by stage
- 1
Start → Rosthwaite Fell - Bessyboot (4.2 km, 462 m)
Starting from the valley floor at Rosthwaite, the route immediately tackles the steep, eastern valley walls. The ascent is a rugged, 11% average pull. You climb through ancient, moss-draped oak woodland before breaking the tree line onto the open, craggy fellside. The path here is a rough, rocky trod weaving through thick heather and bracken, demanding high steps and occasional use of hands over rock steps as you gain the sprawling summit plateau of Rosthwaite Fell, aiming for its Wainwright summit, Bessyboot.
WaypointsValley Start Point: Rosthwaite (approx. NY 257 148). The Intake Wall: The boundary separating the valley pastures from the open fell. Tarn at Leaves: A beautiful, prominent body of water nestled just below the summit. Rosthwaite Fell - Bessyboot (551 m): The Wainwright summit, a distinct rocky outcrop overlooking the valley.
Decision pointWater Catchment: Tarn at Leaves is a useful catch feature near Bessyboot; reaching the tarn is not the same as reaching the summit. Handrails: Drystone walls on the lower enclosed sections funnel you toward the open fell gate.
Easy to get wrongBracken Jungle: In late summer, the lower slopes below the intake wall are swallowed by head-high bracken. This hides the faint trods, masks uneven ground, and conceals slippery tree roots. Scrambling Steps: There are several short, polished rock steps on the ascent that require hands. In wet weather, this Borrowdale volcanic rock becomes exceptionally slick. False Summits: The climb up the fellside is heavily terraced. You will crest several rocky lips thinking you have reached the plateau, only to find another steep wall ahead. Do NOT attempt to bail east off the plateau down into the Langstrath valley. The eastern flanks of Rosthwaite Fell are fiercely steep, defended by impenetrable crags, and heavily bluffed out.
If you need to get offRetreat: The usual descent is carefully reversing your ascent path back to the valley floor.
- 2
Rosthwaite Fell - Bessyboot → Dovenest Top (Dovenest Crag) (Stonethwaite Fell) (1.9 km, 189 m)
You now enter the true labyrinth of the central Borrowdale Fells. Heading south from Bessyboot, the route requires weaving through a bewildering micro-topography of rocky pikes, heather-choked depressions, and small, unnamed tarns. The 9% gradient is highly irregular—you will constantly lose and regain height as you negotiate the hummocky terrain toward the rocky summit of Dovenest Top.
WaypointsThe Hummocks: The chaotic, glacially-scoured plateau south of Tarn at Leaves. Combe Door: The dramatic, craggy gap at the head of the Combe Gill hanging valley. Dovenest Top / Dovenest Crag (633 m): A rugged Birkett perched above the Langstrath drop.
Decision pointLine of Sight: In clear weather, link the prominent rocky outcrops visually. Handrails: Keep the dramatic plunge of the Combe Gill hanging valley strictly on your right (west) as you traverse south.
Easy to get wrongMicro-Navigation: This is one of the hardest places in the Lakes to navigate in thick mist. Every rocky knoll looks identical, and the myriad of small tarns and bogs will force you off a direct compass bearing. Terrain: The ground is exceptionally rough. Deep heather hides boot-swallowing holes, and the rock slabs are treacherous in the wet. Bailing east into Langstrath or west directly into Combe Gill from this high plateau will strand you in lethal, vertical crag territory.
If you need to get offRetreat: Due to the complex terrain, bailing directly from the plateau is highly dangerous. You must retrace your steps north back to Tarn at Leaves and descend via the Stage 1 route.
- 3
Dovenest Top (Dovenest Crag) (Stonethwaite Fell) → Thornythwaite Fell (3.1 km, 183 m)
This stage forms the head of the horseshoe, swinging west and then north to cross from the eastern ridge to the western ridge of the Combe Gill valley. You must navigate the rough, boggy high ground near Combe Head before linking up with the northern spur of Thornythwaite Fell. The 6% average ascent is deceptive, masked by deep peat hags and undulating rocky steps.
WaypointsCombe Head (approx. 735 m): The high, craggy rim connecting the two sides of the horseshoe. The Western Ridge: The high ground dropping north off the Glaramara massif. Thornythwaite Fell Summit (approx. 574 m): A minor, rocky Birkett marking the start of the final northern ridge.
Decision pointThe Valley Rim: The massive drop of Combe Gill is now on your right (east). Following the rim of this valley will naturally guide you around the horseshoe. Compass Bearings: If the cloud drops, you must rely on pacing and strict bearings to cross the Combe Head plateau without drifting south onto the main Glaramara massif.
Easy to get wrongBogs: The saddle areas behind Combe Head are deeply rutted with peat hags. Prepare for heavy, energy-sapping detours around black bogs. Mental Fatigue: The constant requirement to evaluate the terrain—choosing between climbing over a rocky knoll or wading through a bog to skirt it—is mentally exhausting on tired legs. Do not bail south towards Glaramara unless you intend to extend the walk significantly; it takes you further away from the valley start points.
If you need to get offRetreat: No escape from this stage has been checked for this guide.
Thornythwaite Fell → Finish (3.9 km, 16 m)
A sustained, often punishing descent off the northern nose of Thornythwaite Fell. The route leaves the rocky high ground and plunges down a steep, grassy spur. As you lose elevation, the path merges with muddy, heavily eroded agricultural tracks that lead you through the lower woodland and back to the valley floor roads.
WaypointsThornythwaite Northern Spur: The steep grassy descent line. Intake / Woodland Boundary: The transition from open fell back into enclosed farmland. Valley Track: The flat walk-out along the River Derwent or associated farm lanes. Start/Finish Point: Rosthwaite.
Decision pointVisual Targeting: The valley floor, the meandering River Derwent, and the hamlets of Seatoller and Rosthwaite are clearly visible below you for the entirety of the descent in good weather. Handrails: Once off the steep open fell, drystone walls will funnel you directly down to the valley road.
Easy to get wrongKnee-Pounding Descent: The gradient off the front of Thornythwaite Fell is severe. The fell grass is extremely slick after rain, making a slip highly likely. Trekking poles are highly recommended to save your joints. Mud: The final sections through the enclosed woodland and farm gates are heavily churned by livestock and walkers, resulting in deep, unavoidable mud pits. Do not allow yourself to drift off the spur to the East (right-hand side on the descent) into Combe Gill, as the sides of the gill are heavily defended by crags and dense, pathless woodland. Stay on the spine of the ridge until you reach the valley floor.
If you need to get offRetreat: This stage is the primary escape route off the western side of the horseshoe. Stick strictly to the crest of the northern spur.
GPX track for your GPS or phone. Planned route · not yet walked
Summits bagged (3)
- 1Rosthwaite Fell - Bessyboot551 m
- 2Dovenest Top (Dovenest Crag) (Stonethwaite Fell)633 m
- 3Thornythwaite Fell574 m
In the order you walk them — the same numbers the elevation profile, the stage notes and the pacing table use.
More about this walk
Pathless, boggy and easy to lose your way. A round for a clear, dry day with the map out, not a wet or misty one.
Conditions and timing
Check live conditions in the “From the fells” panel, on MWIS (opens in new tab) and the Met Office mountain forecast (opens in new tab) before you set off.
When the sun reaches the tops
Not sunrise — the moment the sun clears the skyline from that summit, which on a fell with high ground to its east can be a good deal later.
- Rosthwaite Fell - Bessyboot — in late March the sun reaches it around 06:30, about a quarter of an hour later. In late September, about 07:15. It waits longest in late December — about half an hour after sunrise.
How to read these times
The two equinoxes are shown because they fall in the walking season, and late December too wherever a top keeps you waiting then; the clock gap between the equinoxes is British Summer Time, not the hill. Rounded to the nearest quarter hour and meant as a general idea, not a schedule.
Modelled from a 30 m elevation model against each summit’s own skyline — the same figures the fell pages carry, never observed. Cloud is not in it.
Getting there and back
Parking
2 more places to park near the start
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.
If the parking is full
If the first one is full, these overlap least in our model. The 3 below sit in different places or are different kinds of parking, so a busy morning at one does not mean a busy morning at all of them.
- Rosthwaite (NT, paid) — at the start
- Stonethwaite village (roadside, free) — joins the loop at about km 1.8 of 13.2: a 40 m walk to the line, and you walk the round from there
- Seatoller, south-east field car park (paid) — joins the loop at about km 11.5 of 13.2: a 200 m walk to the line, and you walk the round from there
- By bus: buses stop at Rosthwaite General Store (near), a 220 m walk from the start. A bus is not affected by a full car park. Its return times are under Buses.
We never say whether anywhere has spaces today. Walks to the line are measured along mapped paths (OpenStreetMap), not in a straight line. How we choose these places.
No signal when you get there? RoutePark keeps this list on your phone: choose this walk’s GPX at home, keep it, and it opens offline.
Buses
The 77 and 78 stop at Rosthwaite General Store (near), a 220 m walk from this start. The 77 runs until 1 November 2026, the last day of its season. As timetabled from 27 October to 1 November. Towards Keswick (78): Tuesday to Sunday 20:05. Checked against the operator’s timetable, 12 September 2026. Times here are a guide, not a promise — leave yourself more than the minute.
The 77 passes this route at 0.1 km (Rosthwaite General Store (near), 10 m off the line).
Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com (opens in new tab) or Traveline before travelling.
Toilets and refreshments
The essentials
- Arrival A car park in Rosthwaite, about 25 m from the start: paid, as mapped. The National Trust’s village car park, where it allows no overnight parking, is about 405 m away. 23 m in a straight line, not a walking distance. (our parking audit, from OpenStreetMap; Lake District National Park car-parks directory and National Trust (the village car park), checked 10 August 2026)
- Toilets Toilets are mapped about 35 m from the start. 35 m in a straight line, not a walking distance. (OpenStreetMap, as mapped on 13 September 2026, checked 13 September 2026)
- Refreshments The Flock-in is mapped about 80 m from the start. Opening hours are not recorded here. 79 m in a straight line, not a walking distance. (OpenStreetMap, as mapped on 13 September 2026, checked 13 September 2026)
- Limitation Paths are faint or absent for much of the round, through a maze of knolls, hags and hollows: only go in good visibility, with map and compass. (our route notes (this route's own warnings), checked 2 October 2026)
Everything mapped near the start
At Rosthwaite (NT, paid), the closest parking we hold to where this route starts:
Distances are straight lines from the car park, not walking routes. Opening hours change; none of this is checked daily.
Water, shelter & getting away
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 — an absent marker does not mean the facility isn’t there.
Getting there across the Lake District: Buses · Parking map · By train · By boat
Planning detail
How each grade on this page is set, and the timings stage by stage.
Difficulty profile
Severe overall — hardest: Steepness
Five independent axes, not one score. This route has not been walked yet, so none of them was set on the ground: three of the five are our judgement from the map and the route’s record, and the rest are computed from the recorded track and the map, which measures the line rather than surveying the ground.
How we grade: each axis is Easy, Moderate, Hard or Severe, and a route between two bands takes the higher one. Length: under 8 km, 8–14 km, 14–20 km, over 20 km. Steepness, the steepest 500 m of the track: under 15%, 15–25%, 25–35%, over 35%. Terrain, navigation and exposure are judged rather than measured, and each note says why. How we grade.
Pacing
| Summit | Cumulative | Ascent | Time (fast–steady) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Rosthwaite Fell - Bessyboot | 4.2 km | 462 m | 1:37–2:09 |
| 2Dovenest Top (Dovenest Crag) (Stonethwaite Fell) | 6.1 km | 651 m | 2:19–3:05 |
| 3Thornythwaite Fell | 9.3 km | 834 m | 3:15–4:19 |
| Finish | 13.2 km | 850 m | 4:04–5:24 |
A fast–steady range from Naismith’s rule, deliberately on the slow side. Breaks, weather, rough ground and the slowest person in your party all add to it. How we time walks.
Access & barriers
Can a dog, a buggy or dodgy knees manage this route?
- Buggy: Not a pushchair route.
- Knees: A long, steep ~32% drop over 250 m around the 9.5 km mark — hard on the knees.
With a dog
Hardest for a dog here: stiles and gates. The steepest stretch is a sustained climb of about 45% around the 2.8 km mark.
- Stiles and gates: Stiles of unmapped type at 12.2, 12.7 and 12.9 km — a dog may need lifting over. (OpenStreetMap, mapped as of 12 July 2026)
- Rock and scrambling: Hands for a few steps: polished rock steps on the climb to Rosthwaite Fell (Bessyboot) (km 0.0–4.2). Ground underfoot: Hard – our judgement from the map and the route’s record; not walked yet. Boggy, tussocky and pathless in stretches; slow, and much worse after rain.
- Drops and exposed ground: Moderate – our judgement from the map and the route’s record; not walked yet. Rocky knolls and the odd crag (Dove Nest) — no sustained exposure on the walkers’ line.
- Ways off early: None recorded for this route.
- Livestock, shade and water: Not recorded for this route yet. We never call a stream safe for a dog to drink, so carry enough for both of you. The lead rules, and what to do around cattle, are on dogs on the fells.
On the line: 10 gates · 4 stiles (type unmapped)
Barriers as mapped on OpenStreetMap, which can miss some. Spotted one? Tell us (opens in new tab). Barrier data as of 12 July 2026. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).
Places to stay near this start
- Seatoller House B&B (opens in new tab) guest houseabout 1.6 km
We have not stayed at any of them. We take no bookings or affiliate fees. Distances are straight lines from the route start, never walking times. Properties found via OpenStreetMap (opens in new tab).
Walks from places nearby
- Walks from Rosthwaite — 0.1 km from this start
- Walks from Borrowdale — 0.9 km from this start
Straight-line distance from this walk’s start. Those lists hold the routes we have mapped and every Wainwright and Outlying fell within about 5 km of the town, ranked nearest first.