From UMHC Hiking Guide
Borrowdale is a favorite with many people in the club. It is conveniently situated as a base for climbing many classics including Great Gable and Scafell Pike - the highest summit in England. Borrowdale itself has steep forest covered craggy slopes and is one of the prettier dales in that respect. Please note: Borrowdale is a totally different place to Glen Borrodale in Ardgour, Scotland!
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The Walks
Great Gable is very popular and rises to 899m with classic views of Wastwater and extensive views in all directions. A good route up is via Green Gable and Windy Gap. Windy Gap is the col right at the head of the very long Ennerdale. The orientation of this glen combined with the narrowness of Windy Gap means this col very often lives up to its name. A classic route that explores the more impressive features of this mountain involves taking a path that traverses right round the mountain at two-thirds height. This goes beneath the Great Napes and Gable Crag - two very impressive areas of rock scenery. This path is generally rough and tough but basically straightforward with one avoidable rock step.
Glaramara has many hidden delights including The Combe and what Wainwright has described as the most beautiful tarn in the Lake District. The Combe is a hanging corrie facing Borrowdale but totally hidden from view. The ascent of Glaramara from this corrie is amidst impressive cliff scenery and without a well worn path. As such, it is therefore a much quieter route of ascent. The standard ascent routes however take the ridges to either side of this corrie.
The Scafell massif route is a long walk from Borrowdale but it provides some extensive high level walking on rough and rocky ground. It has many crags and it is thus quite essential to be proficient at navigation skills in mist. Features include the great North face of Great End. This is much quieter than Scafell Pike itself and Wainwright says that the views are far superior to those from Scafell Pike. Ill Crag is a superb viewpoint for views down the comparatively remote River Esk. The River Esk flows into Eskdale. Please note this is a completely different place to the Glen Esk near Cannich and Mount Keen in Scotland! The corridor route is a nice route down on account of the excellent views of Great Gable. Further details of this mountain can be found in the Wasdale page.
To the east, the summits of Dale Head, Hindscarth and High Spy are easier objectives for the day. A good route of ascent includes the Rigghead quarries and is a lot better than the trudge up to the Honister Pass. The ridge itself is chiefly grassy with craggy bluffs overlooking the Newlands. There are some impressive crags to investigate including the Dalehead Crags and those of High Spy. Lower down, Goat Crag and Nitting Haws can be visited. Another route of ascent is via Nitting Haws and is quite steep.
To the west lies some medium altitude moorland. This is generally quite bleak but good routes of ascent include the impressive spur of Eagle Crag which requires precise route finding to find the way up. Most of the good features lie on the perimeter of this moorland. One good place is apparently Dock Tarn which Wrainwright says is a nice place to linger on a long hot summer's day.
Borrowdale itself has many delights. The Allerdale Ramble, an established route, sees many of its finest features including Castle Crag at 290m. There is nice woodland here that is owned by the National Trust and is a nice place to linger on a hot day. Another place worth visiting is Langstrath which is very long and truly feels like an empty Scottish glen.
Defiantly worth inclusion is the gill scramble up Sour Milk Gill, which offers many possibilities as a start to a longer day on the hills.
Trip Reports
Gallery links
27.02.05 - Borrowdale (BMC Winter Workshop)
The Villages and Hamlets
Seatoller is the place the hikes normally finish at and has a pleasant pub with a beer garden. The place does feel a bit confined as the buildings are all close together and backed up by slopes where the views are limited. Seathwaite has a tea shop selling various niceties including caramel shortbread and ice cream. Yummy! Both Rosthwaite and Stonethwaite have a pub though the editor hasn't been to either.
On a practical note, coaches can park and turn round in Seatoller National Trust car park, where there are also toilets.
Travel and Map
Regular bus services during peak season link Seatoller with Keswick
