Gowbarrow Fell

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Little Mell Fell
Elevation	481 m (1,578 ft)
Location	Cumbria, England
Range	Lake District
Prominence	c. 95 m
Topo map	OSExplorer OL5, Landranger 90
OS grid reference	NY408219
Listing	Wainwright

Gowbarrow Fell is a fell in the English Lake District. It is an outlier of the eastern fells, standing to the north of Ullswater and above the famous Aira Force waterfall.

1 Topography
2 Summit and View
3 Ascents
4 William Wordsworth
5 References

[edit] Topography

The fell stands at the end of a short ridge ascending slowly to the north east towards Little Mell Fell. This ridge runs parallel to the middle reach of Ullswater, providing fine views of the lake. There are a number of intermediate tops along the way, including Great Meldrum (1,433 ft) Little Meldrum (1,325 ft) and Watermillock Common (1,391 ft, unnamed on Ordnance Survey maps). In his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, Alfred Wainwright included this ridge within Gowbarrow Fell as far as the final col at The Hause.

To the west of Gowbarrow Fell, separating it from the foothills of Hart Side is Aira Beck. This flows down from the main Helvellyn range, passing through the village of Dockray, before turning south toward the shore of Ullswater. Two main waterfalls, High Force and Aira Force are within this final stretch as the water drops over 200 ft in total. Aira Force is blessed with two attractive stone bridges at the head and foot, making it one of the most photogenic sites in the District with easy access from a main road. Walking trails and an arboretum, together with a visitor centre, add to the attractions. The falls and the main body of the fell are owned by the National Trust.

Gowbarrow Fell's northern boundary is formed by a wide bowl, across which is the domed form of Great Mell Fell. This basin drains to the north via Thackthwaite Beck and Dacre Beck, ultimately swinging around to the east to join the River Leven.

The southern slopes of Gowbarrow Fell are wooded, providing a picturesque backdrop for views over Ullswater. Above this is a fringe of rock, the main feature being Yew Crag at the south eastern corner of the fell. The woodlands and crags continue eastwards beneath Great and Little Meldrums, a rocky spur jutting out from the latter toward the lake.

[edit] Summit and View

The summit of the fell is set back to the north, whilst a second top, generally known as Green Hill (1,522 ft), is nearer to the lake. There are many small knolls spread across the wide plateau, but the prevailing landscape is of tough heather and bog. The top bears a triangulation column and provides good views down Patterdale. Better views of Ullswater can be derived from Green Hill.^[1]

[edit] Ascents

The most usual routes of ascent begin from the Aira Force car park. Green Hill can be climbed from near to the waterfall, followed by a traverse northward across the summit plateau. An alternative route follows a terraced path around the south of the fell to Yew Crag and then ascends northward to an old shooting box. The final climb to the summit is very marshy. Access from the north can be gained at Todgill or Dockray. A longer walk can be made by traversing the full ridge from The Hause. ^[2]

[edit] William Wordsworth

In April 1802 the daffodils growing on the west side of Gowbarrow inspired The Lake Poet William Wordsworth to write one of his most famous poems, Daffodils. ^[2]