Walk : Rosthwaite (1,807
ft) from Stonethwaite
Date : 25th August 2021
Weather : Dry, sunny, warm @ 23°C
Distance : 3.5 miles round trip
Difficulty : Medium, the steep pull-up to the Col is
considerable
Which
part of Lakeland is this walk situated
Terrain Overview
Overview
The fine weather returned to
Lakeland this week, and we chose the Wednesday to make the journey
up to Stonethwaite
in the Borrowdale Valley to climb Rosthwaite Fell. The
climb up to the col at the top
of Big Stanger Gill is extremely
steep, but thankfully the path has had some considerable work to make
it stepped so as to ease the climb
somewhat. The views on top are exceptional
From Keswick head out down the Borrowdale valley to the hamlet of Rosthwaite. The narrow lane leading
up to the hamlet provides additional parking if the main car
parking area is full
Setting off down the road to Stonethwaite
Down the lane passing through Stonethwaite
and keep right so as to take the path to the campsite
At the end of the lane a signpost indicates to branch off down a
stony track towards the camp site
Heading out towards the camp site
Directly opposite the camp site entrance on the left a wooden gate
gives access to the steep path that
runs parallel to Big Stanger Gill
The climb starts immediately from the gate. It is stepped to
assist with the steepness
Big Stanger Gill from the path
A strange cluster of toadstools
The path climbs ever more steeply
After some 30 minutes of hard toil, we approach the col at the top
of the gill
Approaching Bull Crag – and just after passing this you reach the
point at which you have to cross over
the Gill. The path is unmistakably clear throughout
On reaching the col, thankfully the terrain becomes less steep and
the path is still easy to follow
Looking back towards Stonethwaite from
the col above Big Stanger Gill
The path eventually leads to a gate in a retaining fence, after
which the terrain becomes more boggy
The path skirts right round the base of a number of rock outcrops
known as Rancom Bands
An indication of how boggy the ground is. The path however skirts
the edge of the bog
The approach to the summit starts by skirting left around the base
of the Fell towards a Tarn
Looking north towards Fleetwith Pike
from the path to the Tarn
Tarn at Leaves. The path skirts the base of the fell to make an
approach to the summit from the southern
face just near the tarn
From the path (close to the tarn) look out for a break in the
rocks which then leads to the summit approach
The approach to the summit of Rosthwaite
Fell
Looking towards Skiddaw from the summit approach
Sue on the summit of Rosthwaite Fell. Click
here for a 360-degree view … https://youtu.be/gdXPNNc2tS8
Looking east towards the two summits of Sergeants Crag and Eagle
Crag
Looking over the top of Ullscarf towards
the Helvellyn range
We stayed on the summit for some considerable time and had the
good fortune to be joined by Jackie &
Darren from Ulverston, who had already been across to Sergeant
Crag and Eagle Crag. We chatted for
some while about our separate Wainwright walking journeys and they
obliged us with this team shot at
the summit. Thank you for your company Jackie & Darren
Looking down to Tarn at Leaves with Rosthwaite
Cam in the background
The northern face of Pike o’ Stickle peeping up over High Raise
Back down at Stonethwaite as the early evening
sun casts its shadows over Borrowdale
Copyright
© aloveofthelakes.co.uk 2011 - 2021