Rosthwaite Fell (Bessyboot)
Walk Date – 7th September 2015
Distance – 3 miles
Weather – dry, warm and sunny
Route
From Stonethwaite looking towards Grange Fell and Kings How on the right.
Rosthwaite Fell from Borrowdale churchyard.
Just around the corner from the church and we pick up the path for Rosthwaite Fell. Base Brown on the left.
The sun is blazing down on us and already its a very hot morning. Its lovely to have the sunshine but from here its all uphill so it’ll be hard work once it becomes really steep, which it does.
The view to the right from the path, not a cloud in the sky.
Over on the left is Thornythwaite Fell and on the right is Base Brown.
Looking over to High Scawdel.
Walking in the shade for a while as the sun still hadn’t risen above Rosthwaite Fell. Here is the view down the valley to the distant Skiddaw range in the middle of the shot.
A close up of the old mill cottage alongside Combe Beck, we’ll visit that on the way back.
As we gain height Grey Knotts appears over on the left skyline, on the far right the rocky peak of Fleetwith Pike.
A close up of Fleetwith Pike.
Another close up of Grey Knotts on the left skyline, the tree clad slopes of Seatoller Fell on the right.
As the climb gets steeper the views get better and we get hotter. Skiddaw the most prominent peak on the skyline.
The rounded summit of Dale Head beyond High Scawdel.
A longer view of Dale Head with its own little cloud above it.
Left to right on the skyline we have Grey Knotts, Fleetwith Pike and Dale Head.
Still climbing steeply, the sun is directly in our faces and its hard to see where we are going. Getting up here is very warm work and there’s not a trace of a breeze.
The view upwards, it doesn’t look all that steep but the legs tell a different story.
A shot of Combe Head from the climb, any excuse for a breather.
Brandreth and Grey Knotts on the left skyline and the rocky outcrops of Thornythwaite Fell in the foreground.
Combe Head again. No choice but to shoot against the sun and hope for the best.
Here we are at the Tarn at Leaves, very reedy but still plenty of water in it.
That’s the summit of Rosthwaite Fell, known as Bessyboot. Before we go up there its time for a lunch break.
Tarn at Leaves from our lunch spot. The sun is directly on us, there’s no wind, no noise, and nobody, absolutely great.
Another view from our lunch spot, looking over Langstrath towards Ullscarf.
Its a great place for lunch on a day like today and it was a real effort to get up and leave …..
….. but continue we did and started up to the summit, fabulous views in all directions.
Dale Head again with Crag Hill and Sail peeping up on the middle skyline. To the right of them is High Spy and Maiden Moor.
Here’s the summit, Bessyboot, shooting it against the sun to get the craggy view.
From Bessyboot a look down at Tarn at Leaves. The summit of Glaramara can just be seen on the right.
A closer look at the tarn, the reedy areas are gradually increasing.
On the left Great Gable towers over Green Gable just below it. The third one down is Base Brown with Thornythwaite Fell in front of that.
Fleetwith Pike looking imposing as ever with High Crag and High Stile behind it to the left.
You get a lot of reward for all the effort, here we have the Dodds on the horizon, just below is the High Tove ridge, below that and resplendent in purple heather is Great Crag.
Looking north to the cloud building over the heather covered Skiddaw fells with Keswick below them.
On the left is Dale Head with Crag Hill and Sail over on the right. Lots more cloud now than this morning.
Bessyboot summit.
Looking northwards from Bessyboot, what a cracking day. Typically, the new school term started today after the summer holidays, during which the weather was not as pleasant as this.
Looking north east and over on the right skyline is Blencathra with Bleaberry Fell and High Seat just below it.
Oh go on then, just one more shot of Tarn at Leaves, plus a better view of Pike O’Stickle over on the right.
Much quicker getting down than going up and in no time at all we are back at the sheepfold alongside Combe Beck.
Almost at the end of the walk so we had a look round the old mill cottage alongside Combe Gill. This is the cottage pictured just after we started the walk.
Information board on the lintel above the door of the mill cottage. Very small so it would be easy to miss.
The front of the mill cottage.
The Old Mill Cottage, an old millstone being used as a step on the path.
At the rear of the cottage is the mill wheel, a gill crossing over mossy boulders will be needed if you want this shot of it.
This is the view you get if you don’t fancy crossing the gill.
This was to be the last photo as we were almost back to Borrowdale Church, however …..
….. the smell of freshly cut grass came drifting across and then the view of the tractor cutting it …..
…… so I waited until it came round to get a shot of the tractor. The green and yellow livery indicating that its a John Deere make, and that, dear reader, is the sum total of my tractor knowledge.
Finally, as Eagle Crag wasn’t standing out so well this morning I waited until we were back at the car to take the last shot of the walk.