About Rosthwaite Fell

Rosthwaite Fell is a fell in the English Lake District situated some 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) due south of Keswick and 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of the village of Rosthwaite in Borrowdale.

Rosthwaite Fell also has loose connections to the Scafell group of fells. The fells name derives from the Old Norse language and means “The peak above the clearing with a heap of stones” with “hreysi” meaning a heap of stones and “thveit” meaning a clearing.

Rosthwaite Fell reaches a height of 612 m (2,008 ft) at its highest point, which is commonly known as Rosthwaite Cam.

It also has a subsidiary top, Bessyboot (550 m, 1,804 ft ), which lies 800 metres north of the main summit.

The fell's boundaries are clearly defined to the north, west and east by valleys and streams.

The western side falls to Borrowdale and the infant River Derwent.

The eastern flank descends to the Langstrath valley and its beck while the northern slopes go down to the Stonethwaite valley.

To the south, Rosthwaite Fell is linked to the higher and better known fell of Glaramara by a marshy and undulating ridge which goes over several subsidiary tops on the way.

Rosthwaite Fell is craggy and steep on the three sides that descend to valleys and there is no simple and appealing route of ascent.

This, combined with the fact that there are many more attractive climbs in the area, makes the fell a quiet and unfrequented place.

The fell's two main summits, Rosthwaite Cam and Bessyboot, are divided by a depression with a height of around 500 metres. It contains the charmingly named Tarn at Leaves, a small mountain lake with a length of approximately 100 metres.

The summit rocks of Rosthwaite Cam require some mild scrambling to reach the highest point.

Rosthwaite Fell can be climbed from Stonethwaite or from the Borrowdale road between Seatoller and Rosthwaite.

The latter route goes up Combe Gill for a kilometre before striking steeply up the gill's eastern flank to gain the top of the fell.

The Stonethwaite route uses Stanger Gill as a guide up to a height of almost 500 metres from where it is a simple walk to the summit of Bessyboot.