From Pike of Blisco

Bowfell is my third favourite mountain after Great Gable and Tryfan, and is one of the only hills I have so far climbed more than once. It has tremendous character and is one of the classic fellwalks of the Lake District.

My first ascent was conducted as the final Langdale day in my May trip this year. The weather was perfect: sunny, warm, and with only a light breeze. I used the Band, a shoulder of the mountain that divides the sub-valleys of Mickleden and Oxendale, to climb the majority of the height. Instead of following the path to the col of Three Tarns and thus to the summit (an unpleasant and eroded path), I turned right to find the epic Climber's Traverse.

The C.T. is a narrow and exposed path that winds its way below the impressive crags of Bowfell's east face. It offers deep views of Mickleden and Rossett Gill, and the rock scenery is stunning, especially from the River of Boulders which runs up the side of the Great Slab. Eventually, the area just below the summit is reached.

The summit is my favourite part of the mountain. It offers scope for some scrambling to reach the top, and the view is very beautiful in all directions. Bowfell's unique position at the junction of three valleys, Langdale, Langstrath and Eskdale, gives an impression of great height and depth to the view. The Scafells are seen from their most magnificent side.

I climbed Bowfell for the second time in October 2005, and the weather was appalling: cloud down to 400m, rain, winds approaching galeforce, and freezing temperatures. It is a great credit to the mountain that I still had an enjoyable time despite the conditions.

Bowfell sums up the best that Lakeland has to offer, and as one of the highest mountains in England, is a must-climb for any dedicated fellwalker.

From High Yewdale	From Great Langdale
From Pike of Blisco	From Dungeon Ghyll
From Harrison Stickle	From the Langdale campsite