Route: Grange Fell
Area: Central Lake District
Date of walk: 15th February 2018
Walkers: Andrew, Gilly and David
Distance: 3.5 miles
Ascent: 1,100 feet
Weather: Cloudy, cold and windy
Our nephew David was keen to tick off another Wainwright, and as Grange Fell was on his to do list we decided that it would be today’s target. We parked in the National Trust Bowderstone car park and from here followed a path which goes through woodland and then bracken, gradually curving around the steep crags above
A rocky staircase then leads to Long Moss near the summit of the fell. Grange Fell has 3 separate tops, King’s How being the loveliest, though slightly lower than nearby Brund Fell. Today we visited King’s How. From the summit there is a superb view over Derwent Water looking one way and Borrowdale looking the other
A direct descent from here is out of the question thanks to the crags on the west side of the fell, so we followed a narrow path which snakes round the other side of the fell and which eventually brought us down to the Borrowdale road. We followed the road for a short distance – there’s a narrow footpath most of the way – then crossed over at the sign indicating the Bowderstone. We followed this path through the woods, past the massive Bowderstone and back to the car park
What Grange Fell lacks in height it more than makes up for in beauty – it had been a great little walk and, despite it being half term, we didn’t see another walker until we were almost back to the start
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
Horizontal sleet yesterday, and not a day for walking
Better weather today, and off we go
The start of the walk as we leave the Bowderstone car park
We cross a small beck which flows down into the River Derwent
Looking across the valley to the flanks of Maiden Moor
Looking up to Grange Fell - our route will take us up via the left hand side
Looking back to Castle Crag
We continue to make our way through the woodland
Crossing another small beck before we start the ascent
Progress is made easier by a series of rock steps
Derwent Water and the Skiddaw Fells come into view
Not far to go now
Summit of King's How on Grange Fell, and David and Gilly admire the view towards Helvellyn and the eastern fells
Looking across Borrowdale
Borrowdale - more views of this beautiful valley await us on our descent
Derwent Water and Skiddaw again
Castle Crag
Start of the descent in the direction of Borrowdale
Lone birch tree looking towards the Borrowdale Fells
The snowy flanks of High Spy
The River Derwent below
Stonethwaite
Borrowdale
Rosthwaite below
We pass through the gap in the dry stone wall...
Borrowdale Fells
A ray of sunshine as we descend...
We join the path from Watendlath and head back in the direction of the start
We follow a path above the valley road
The path takes us over Red Brow
A short section along the path by the Borrowdale road
We leave the road to join the path to the Bowderstone
The Bowderstone...
...and back at the car park a notice board describing it
