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Gowbarrow Fell circular

Lake District Walk

Nat Park - Lake District - Lake District Eastern Fells

Wainwrights - Gowbarrow Fell

County/Area - Cumbria

Author - John Paterson

Length - 3.5 miles / 5.7 km    Ascent - 1100 feet / 333 metres

Time - 2 hours 50 minutes    Grade - moderate

Maps Ordnance Survey Logo Anquet Maps Logo

Ordnance Survey Explorer OL5Sheet Map1:25kBUY
Anquet OS Explorer OL5Digital Map1:25kBUY
Ordnance Survey Landranger 90Sheet Map1:50kBUY
Anquet OS Landranger 90Digital Map1:50kBUY

Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Gowbarrow Fell circular
Click image to visit gallery of 6 images.

Gowbarrow Fell is less than 1600 feet in height but is very popular with walkers providing an excellent objective for a Lake District walk. Firstly, the views, especially over the head of Ullswater, are excellent. Secondly, it is bounded on the west by the tourist magnets of Aira Beck and Aira Force. Many tourists having viewed the force are tempted to walk at least part of the fell and the section of this route from Green Hill to Aira Force, sees hundreds of visitors a day in the summer holidays. The route described here, is ideal for a summer evening or a half day at any time of the year. It would also be suitable for a party where some of the members did not walk and wanted to explore the force whilst the rest stretched their legs.

Start at the small car park and quarry (GR NY396211) a quarter of a mile south of Dockray on the A5091 as it drops towards Ullswater. Parking here avoids the crowds but the Aira Force carpark could be used.

Leave the car park by a gate and head east down the slope towards the wooded valley of Aira Beck. This is reached after 400 yards at a famous feature known as the "Strid" - Cumbrian dialect meaning stride. This is a narrowing of the flow of the beck between rocks only a yard wide at times of light water flow. (GR400212) Sounds easy, but because of the very slippery rocks it takes a high degree of confidence to stride across. For those who wish to make the move there is no doubt that a pair of walking poles will make it both safer and more inviting. Those who can't pluck up the courage should head down the beck past waterfalls until a wooden footbridge is reached after about 200 yards. Cross the bridge and walk back up the beck past the "Strid" for a further hundred yards or so. The path then leaves the beck and the woodland behind and heads north east over open moor with rocky outcrops. On the moor the path is often not clear but the going is easy and in clear weather it is simply a question of climbing to the top of a few outcrops to sight the summit with its trig point (GR407218) and views of Ullswater, Sandwick Bay and Hallin Fell.

Leave the summit heading south east for 400 yards to pick up a footpath marked on OS maps. Turn right on to this footpath and follow it south west for a further 400 yards before bearing off to the right and heading due west to the viewpoint of Green Hill (GR410207 ). From Green Hill a well worn path descends to the west, past Bernard Pike, with superb views of the head of Ullswater which have graced a thousand calendars and post cards. The path leads back to Aira Beck and crosses it by a stone footbridge at Aira Force. Walk back up the left (west) bank of the beck to reach the Strid and the short path uphill to the carpark.

Other walks nearby

Walk 2364 Clough Head via Great Dodd from near Dockraymoderate8.1 miles
Walk 1156 Helvellyn via Striding Edgehard9.5 miles
Walk 1235 Red Tarn & Grisedalemoderate7.0 miles
Walk 1710 Glenridding, St. Sunday Crag & Helvellynhard11.5 miles
Walk 3232 Glenridding Dodd & Sheffield Pike easy/mod4.5 miles
Walk 2327 Red Tarn & Birkhouse Moor from Glenriddingmoderate6.0 miles
Walk 3668 Catstye Cam from Glenriddingmod/hard7.0 miles
Walk 1143 Hallin Fell from Martindale Church, Sandwickeasy2.0 miles
Walk 1241 Arthur's Pike & Loadpot Hillmoderate9.0 miles
Walk 1242 Bannerdale, Boredale & Beda Headmoderate9.0 miles

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