Bowscale Tarn, High Pike & Carrock Fell

Name of walk Bowscale Tarn, High Pike & Carrock Fell
Date of walk 2021-07-01

On Thursday I drove with Ged through Mungrisdale to Bowscale, parking in the parking spaces opposite the track up to Bowscale Tarn. We would walk up to the tarn then descend back to the valley floor, cross the river and walk up to Carrock Mine, then up to Great Lingy Hill to the bothy, and on to High Pike and Carrock Fell. We set off just after 8am. A walk of just under 11 miles.

01

Looking over at our heather and bracken covered descent route off Carrock Fell, from the track up to Bowscale Tarn.

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We are being watched.

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You can see the track winding up the fell side on the left.

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View back towards Bowscale. The blue skies are heading our way!

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On the right is Roundhouse where we will cross the bridge over the River Caldew on our way down from the tarn.

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Bowscale Tarn, it took about 50 minutes to walk up. I camped out here overnight back in 2010. Always a lovely spot. I looked down here from my route up to Bowscale Fell three days ago, and decided I'd have to visit again soon, then realised I could tag it on to a walk up High Pike and Carrock Fell.....and here I am!

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The reflections are excellent this morning.

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Ged making his way around the tarn.

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We head to the far end and back, but the wind is starting to disrupt the surface at the far side so we head back to take some photos.

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I head up to the lip of the corrie, for the view down.

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Ged taking some reflection photos.

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It is only just after 9am, so still a bit chilly for a dip!

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We take our last few photos and make for the tarn outflow.

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We cross the outflow and pick up the track down to Roundhouse. Carrock Fell across from us.

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We cross the river, it is going to be a lovely day!

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A wonderful place to live.

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Looking back up at our route down from Bowscale Tarn from the road.

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We walk the road to the end of the valley.

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White foxglove.

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View from the bridge over Grainsgill Beck. To my left is the route to Skiddaw House on the Cumbria Way. Our route up to High Pike is also on the Cumbria Way path.

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We are now on the mine track. Lingy Hut can be seen on the top of the hill.

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Better viewed closer in.

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Carrock Mine. Mining had taken place here for 150 years, but stopped in 1981. It is the only example of a tungsten mine in England outside of Cornwall.

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The remains of a WW1 tungsten mill.

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The path beside the gill is quite boggy, so we move on to the central path.

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This is much easier going.

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View back down Mosedale. Carrock fell on the left, Bowscale fell on the right, near right is the slopes of Knott.

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Lingy Hut ahead, a mountain bothy.

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It's a garden shed with stabilizers!

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No mod cons.

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It has a wonderful view back down the valley.

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We have lunch outside in the sunshine.

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Lunch view. On the right is Blencathra.

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We now head for High Pike. I was last here in 2014 with Fr. John, it doesn't seem that long! Ged and I were last here together in 2009. Time flies!

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On the top of the cairn.

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At least the summit has a seat for an 81 year old that another walker gives up for him.

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Blencathra left, Skiddaw right.

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View across the Solway Firth to Criffel in Galloway, Scotland.

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The summit shelter and down below is Nether Row where legendary mountaineer Chris Bonnington lives.

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Carrock Pike awaits.

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An easy grassy walk.

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View across back to Bowscale Tarn in the glacial corrie.

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Paragliders and the summit.

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Ged heading up the last few feet to the summit with High Pike behind.

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Summit cairn.

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View north.

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View up the valley towards Skiddaw House. Great Calva on the right in front of Skiddaw.

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Looking east.

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The walls of what is thought to be an old fort/settlement surround the summit in an oval shape. The summit rock is gabbro.

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Old wall remains with Carrock Fell summit cairn behind.

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View from the east summit.

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We head across heather to pick up the path that goes down the front of Carrock Fell. It is very narrow so difficult to locate.

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The heather scratches legs in shorts!

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At least once located it is easy to follow. We pass sheep folds and near is a viewpoint cairn, but off the path, so we don't detour this time.

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The end is steep, but it zig zags, so is easier than I thought it would be. I can now see my car parked at Bowscale on the right.

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The heather is starting to flower, this will be a great walk for next month, it will be all purple!

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I relish the shade of a lone rowan tree.

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Shoulder high bracken, but nearly down!

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This is where the path down came out! Yeah, what path? No wonder we couldn't find the start of the path up the last time we came and we ended up making our own way up using a few sheep trods. The path is just to the left of the big rock. Once located it will be fine!

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The path is opposite this building, if you need to get your bearings.

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We head down the Swineside Road and stop at the Mosedale Quaker Meeting House which is acting as a cafe. We have coffee and sit on the bench outside. There is a garden to sit in too, and inside seating.

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Inside the Meeting House.

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We head back to Bowscale. View back from the bridge to Carrock Fell.

A good walk with lots of variety in what you see. Quite a warm day to walk it, with not much wind to cool you down. So we chose a slow pace and it took us eight hours with plenty of stops to admire the views.

Jo.

 

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