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Bonscale Pike
is a fell in the English Lake District standing above Howtown on
Ullswater. It is the northern end of a spur running north north west
from Loadpot Hill on the main ridge of the Far Eastern Fells.
From Loadpot Hill the ridge gradually narrows on the approach to
Bonscale Pike, first crossing a marshy area and then the domed
intermediate top of Swarth Fell, (1,788 ft). The ground from here onward
is easy going with a covering of fell grass.
Bonscale Pike stands
on the north facing point as the boundaries of the ridge converge.
Swarthbeck Gill on the east which separates the fell from its twin
Arthur's Pike, falls to Ullswater through a ravine. The western boundary
is formed by Fusedale Beck which also flows to the lake.
Bonscale
Pike would be unlikely to register as a separate fell, but for the
craggy western face. This is seen to best effect from Howtown or from a
steamer on Ullswater and swayed Wainwright to give the top a chapter in
its own right.
Depending upon their state of repair, two fine
beacons (columnar cairns) may be prominent in the views from below.
Bonscale Tower is the lower one and both are placed on the rim of the
crags.
The actual summit is marked by a small cairn on a grassy
mound some yards behind.
The view is masked to the south by
Loadpot Hill, but the Helvellyns are well seen across the lake.
Ascent is usually from Howtown, a path slanting up across the breast of
the fell. The crags can either be rounded to the north via the beacons
or via a more direct line to the south. The latter has no clear path.
A fair path runs along the ridge to Loadpot Hill, crossing the High
Street roman road to the south of Brock Crag, a number of old boundary
stones being encountered on this route.
A traverse can also be
made to Arthur's Pike crossing Swarthbeck Gill near its source.
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