When it comes to fine hikes and even just ridge walks, you really are spoiled for choice in The Lake District. Famous routes like Striding Edge on Helvelyn or Sharp Edge on Blencathra come to mind, but there are many other options available, which in some ways are better due to being less visited. One of these is the ridge walk along Crinkle Crags and Bow Fell. It was the name that first intrigued me. It made me think of biscuits if I’m honest and that alone was enough to draw me in. I’m glad I satisfied my curiosity. It is fair to say that I was blown away by the ever changing views on this walk and the solitude I was lucky enough to experience.
Where To Start The Walk?
Study the map below and you’ll see the dilemma you’re initially faced with. Where on Earth should you start the walk? There are various paths that make their way up onto the ridge from practically all directions. I was after a route that started in a location where it was easy to park the car and complete a circular route without covering close to marathon distance.
I decided to start my walk in a quiet lay- by in between the infamous road climbs of Wrynose and Hardknott Passes. The gradients on each climb are savage in places, which is why many cyclists flock to this relatively quiet part of the national park. They are tackled on the gruelling Fred Whitton Challenge, which takes riders over a one hundred and twelve mile route incorporating these two brutes in the process. Click here if you’d like to know more about this event.
The Vanishing Path
It looked clearly marked on the OS map but at ground level it was hard to keep sight of it. I’m not sure if that was the long grass obscuring it or that it is a faint path at the best of times. It didn’t prove too much of a problem. You can’t help but see Ulpha Fell looming in front of you at the beginning of the walk. It never gets overly steep without a path and I never felt at risk. Just take your time and use a walking pole to steady you and you’ll be fine I’m sure.
Despite not being hugely steep, it’s still a good test of legs and lungs. With a total lack of wind and and the sun beating down on me when I did it, I named it Alpha Fell instead. It felt like it!
The Ridge Is Reached
Ulpha Fell tops out at around 727. From there it is a gradual climb to 859 metres, where you reach the summit of Crinkle Crags. The sense of space up here is amazing. You are walking along a high ridge, but it is wide and perfect wild camping territory. Several small tarns are scattered across the area too, although they were stagnant when I visited and didn’t look inviting when thinking about swim and drink spots. Still nice to look at though!
What is wonderful about the ridge is that the terrain is changing all the time. Over only a couple of kilometres I experienced a range of conditions underfoot from bogs, boulders and scree. It was never particularly challenging, but the looser sections had to be taken with care. It is amazing what wind, rain, ice and snow can do to shape a landscape.
Setting Up Camp
I’ve already mentioned that there are almost endless possibilities for wild camping along the ridge walk of Crinkle Crags and Bow Fell. I decided to settle by an area marked as ‘ Three Tarns’ on the map, although they weren’t particularly impressive when I saw them. It is still a perfect location though to set up home for the night, as there is plenty of level ground and large rocks to shelter behind should it be windy when you arrive. I was blessed with hardly a breath in the air, however that did allow the midges to come out to play. Thank God for the mosquito net and bug spray I carried with me.
Being so settled and wanting to travel light, I didn’t carry a tent. Instead I used my bivvy bag. I’d also used it the previous night when camping next to Grisedale Tarn. I’m really starting to love this way of camping. It’s light, easy to set up and allows you to feel truly part of the landscape you’re in. I’m not the only person who feels this way as you can see in this article.
It was wonderful sitting there in the late evening light, watching the sun slowly slip behind the Scafell Massif out to the west. A couple of sheep even came and joined me, although conversation between us was very much one- sided. As usual, they seemed more interested in the stare off competition than anything else. I lost of course! Just one of the many reasons why I love them and even felt compelled to write a whole article about why I consider them the true bosses of the hills. Click here to have a read and a bit of a giggle.
Sunrise On Bow Fell
Being almost at the summer solstice, I found myself deflating my sleeping mat and loading my pack at around 4 am. Every inch of my body wanted to sleep more and enjoy the comfort of where I was, but I knew the sunrise would be worth it.
From Three Tarns, it is a fairly short but steep climb to Bow Fell. At 902 metres, it is the highest point on the ridge and offers tremendous views in all directions. I of course would turn my attention east for the rising sun. I had a good fifteen minutes or so to enjoy that pre- sunrise light. The air had such clarity and the visibility was incredible. Looking north I could make out the peaks of Blencathra, while the long ridge of High Street could be seen out to the east. In between were various smaller hills, with numerous valleys and rivers separating them. There was hardly any wind either, which meant it was incredibly peaceful.
I could suddenly sense a change of light on the horizon and sure enough the sun made its first appearance. The whole experience was beautiful and made me feel truly glad to be alive. The video below shows why.
A Possible Extension To The Ridge Walk
My ridge walk along Crinkle Crags and Bow Fell ended at the summit of the latter. A look on a map shows that there are opportunities to extend this if you so wish.
It would even be possible to continue onto Scafell Pike, as you’d only have a couple of hundred metres to climb in order to reach the summit. Yes there are more dramatic ridge walks in The lake District, but I’m not sure if there are many if any at all that are as long as this one. Feel free to read this article for more details.
The Route Back From Bow Fell
It made sense to drop back down to Three Tarns and then take the path down towards Lingcove Beck. It was marked as being almost arrow straight on the map, but this of course looked rather different at ground level. Perhaps my navigation skills had something to do with that!
The views the entire way down were stunning, as they were on the valley bottom too. Craggy mountains and crystal clear water in the beck provided classic Lake District scenery. I slowed my pace and just enjoyed taking in where I was. It was along the beck that I also spotted the first people I’d seen since leaving the car the previous evening.
As I followed the beck gradually downhill, I noticed some small waterfalls up ahead. It is always nice to wake yourself up with fresh mountain water and a plunge pool was spotted, which would do this job perfectly. It was incredible just how clear the water was. I knew it would be freezing, but the blue sky above and water this blue meant there was only one thing to do:
From the waterfall, it was an easy couple of kilometres back along the bottom of Moasdale. Despite being a dry spell, the ground here was still boggy in places. One to note if you’re thinking about tackling this during the wetter parts of the year.
The Whole Route
To Conclude…..
If you are looking for excellent walks to enjoy in The Lake District, then I hope this article has made you consider the ridge walk along Crinkle Crags and Bow Fell. It is one I wasn’t overly sure about before completing, but consider it every bit as impressive as the more famous walks in the area. If amazing views and solitude are what you’re after, then this is practically guaranteed on this hike. Enjoy!