Bonscale Pike from the slopes of Arthur's Pike

Bonscale Pike

Height524m (1,719ft)

Prominence1m (3ft)

RegionFar Eastern Fells

Climbed2 Times

Rising steeply above the picturesque hamlet of Howtown, Bonscale Pike (also known as Swarth Fell) presents a striking facade when viewed from Ullswater. Its turreted, castellated rim gives the impression of ruined castle battlements, a grand appearance that belies the reality of the rather unassuming plateau of grass it protects.

"Rising steeply behind the little hamlet of Howtown is a broad buttress of the High Street range, Bonscale Pike, the turreted and castellated rim of which has the appearance, when seen from Ullswater below, of the ruined battlements of a castle wall. This escarpment, however, is a sham, for it defends nothing other than a dreary plateau of grass." — A. Wainwright

The fell acts as the northern termination of a long spur running north-west from Loadpot Hill. It is flanked by the valley of Swarthbeck Gill to the east, which separates it from its twin, Arthur's Pike. Most notable among its features are the two prominent rectangular beacons—cairns built with a columnar aesthetic—that stand on the edge of the crags and serve as recognisable landmarks for those on the lake below.

Bonscale's modest cairn and extensive view over Ullswater

The true summit is found on a grassy mound located some metres behind the rim of the crags, marked by a modest cairn that offers wide-ranging views over the waters of Ullswater.

Trip Reports

A Fusedale Round07/05/2016

The East Martindale Fells05/04/2014

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