Bonscale Pike - Route One
 

 

Start - Martindale Hause NY 435 191 Distance - 1.75 miles Ascent - 1,290 feet Time - 1h : 20m

 



St. Peter's Church on Martindale Hause is the starting point for this walk.  There is ample parking available opposite and beside the church where a sign indicates the start of a bridleway to Howtown
Bonscale Pike from the bridleway behind the church
Lookng back to St. Peter's Church and Hallin Fell
Heading down the bridleway to Howtown which descends between The Coombs and Steel End
Looking over The Coombs, the low ridge in the foreground, to Ullswater
Nearing the foot of Steel End with the buildings of Howtown just visible amongst the trees on the left.  Our ascent path can be seen in the centre of the photo rising steeply through the bracken on the western flank of Bonscale Pike
Looking back to The Coombs and Martindale Hause with Place Fell and High Dodd on the centre skyline
The bridleway meets a farm road where a left turn leads to Mellguards driveway
The secluded valley of Fusedale
Heading up the private drive to Mellguards, a gate to the left of the house gives access to the open fellside
Looking back to Steel Knotts from the fell gate
Continuing on the bridleway, which eventually leads to Pooley Bridge at the far end of Ullswater.  The bridleway is only followed for a short distance from the gate before embarking on the Bonscale Pike ascent path, its start can be difficult to locate in the tall bracken
Looking back to Martindale Hause backed by Place Fell
Looking back towards Steel Knotts from the bridleway
Howtown Wyke and the ferry landing pier
Starting the climb up the west flank of Bonscale Pike
Place Fell above Martindale Hause
Swinburn's Park and Little Mell Fell across Ullswater
Gowk Hill at the head of Fusedale
Looking across Hallin Fell's north-east ridge to Gowbarrow Fell
This lower part of the ascent is the steepest section
Height is gained quickly and the views open out, here Helvellyn and Catstycam appear over High Dodd and Sleet Fell in the centre of the photo
High Street and Thornthwaite Crag above Gowk Hill
Blencathra appears on the skyline above Swinburn's Park
The steepest part of the ascent ends at a level shoulder below an escarpment of broken crags and scree
One of the Ullswater steamers approaching the Howtown pier.
AW notes this cairn on a boulder on his diagram of this ascent.  A clear path leads up from it, traversing the slope towards the low point on the right. It improves as height is gained and becomes a well defined groove which eventually turns back left to reach the summit ridge
Martindale Hause and Place Fell from the level shoulder
Ullswater and Gowbarrow Fell from the level shoulder
Starting up the traversing path from the cairn
Looking back to Hallin Fell from the cairn
Great Mell Fell and Little Mell Fell
The grooved path on the upper slopes
Gowk Hill and Pikeawassa, the summit of Steel Knotts, above Fusedale
The grooved path turns back left to reach the summit ridge
Looking down to Howtown from the grooved path
Looking across the the steep upper slopes of Bonscale Pike.  The traversing path has neatly avoided all the rocks and scree
Lower Fusedale and Steel Knotts from the grooved path
Higher up the path seems to fade as it nears the summit ridge which proves to be just a succession of grassy mounds
Approaching the summit of Bonscale Pike
Ullswater from the summit of Bonscale Pike
Arthur's Pike from the summit of Bonscale Pike
Loadpot Hill from the summit of Bonscale Pike
The view to the south-west.  Caudale Moor, Red Screes, Little Hart Crag, Dove Crag, Hart Crag, Fairfield, St. Sunday Crag and Dollywaggon Pike form the horizon from left to right in the photograph
The Eastern Fells of Helvellyn, White Side, Raise, Stybarrow Dodd, Hart Side and Great Dodd on the horizon
The Northern Fells on the horizon ranging from Skiddaw on the left to Carrock Fell on the right
About 100 yards north of the summit are two stone pillars which appear very prominent on the skyline when seen from the valley below.  The lower one is known as the Bonscale Tower
Ullswater from the upper stone pillar
Ullswater from Bonscale Tower

 

 

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