This is the time of the year when walking in Cumbria is at its best. The increasing hours of daylight mean that longer walks can be enjoyed. Also at this time there are not so many visitors and so there is much more peace and quiet. There should, however, be a word of warning at this time. The weather can change very suddenly especially in the higher areas. There needs to be a careful selection of clothes and boots.

How to get there:

The Bowscale area is about 12 miles to the north east of Keswick. From Keswick follow the A66 to reach the turn onto a minor road to Caldbeck. Go through Mungrisdale. There is parking in Bowscale.

Map: OS OL5

Grid reference: 360 312

Length: 5.5 miles

Route

1 Bowscale these days is more a hamlet than a village, but during the Iron Age there was once an important settlement and up on nearby Carrock Fell was an Iron Age fort. There is a legend which suggest that this was a power base of Queen Boadicea. I do not think that this is at all likely because Boadicea was based in Kent. During the Iron Age women had equal status and so another Queen may have been in power. All the Iron Age people were eventually conquered by the Romans. At Bowscale look for a footpath leading off to the left.

2 Look out for the River Caldew on the right. Approach and cross Drycomb Beck and continue on a meandering path. The route then winds to the left to approach Bowscale Tarn. This is one of the few places where the Char can be found. This fish is a relative of the salmon family and at one time it migrated to the sea where it fed and grew. As the ice melted the char returned to the rivers to spawn. Gradually it got warmer and the rivers were prevented from reaching the sea as gravel deposits built up. The char became isolated and could only breed in the very cold water which they were used to. Until the 1980s the char were affected by pollution mines from the Carrock area. Here Wolfram and Scheelife, which were the ores of tungsten, were mined. Following the closure of the mines the population of the char has increased.

3 From Bowscale Tarn the route sweeps to the right with Tarn Sike stream on the right.

4 A gradual descent crosses the River Caldew near the Round House obviously named because of its shape; turn right along a track at Swineside. To the left is Carrock Fell and here was the site of the Iron Age fort.

5 Look out here for the Friends’ Meeting House which was built in 1702. This was built at a time when the Quakers were being persecuted and they built their meeting houses in isolated places. At Mosedale turn right.

6 Cross over Mosedale Bridge and follow the road back to Bowscale and the starting point.

NB: Restrictions on space mean that this article provides a general summary of the route. It is advisable for anyone who plans to follow the walk to take a copy of the relevant Ordnance Survey map.