Boat How

About Boat How

Rising above the village of Boot, this undulating tract of Eskdale Moor offers an atmospheric walk through a landscape saturated with prehistoric history. Often overlooked for the high peaks nearby, its summit provides a front-row seat to the dramatic Scafell range across the hollow of Burnmoor Tarn.

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Did You Know?

• •The name 'How' derives from the Old Norse 'haugr', meaning a hill or mound, while 'Boat' is likely a variation of 'Boot,' the nearby village named from the Old Norse 'búð', referring to a temporary shelter or booth used by Viking settlers.
• •In his guide to the Outlying Fells of Lakeland, Alfred Wainwright described this fell as a 'happy hunting ground' for those interested in history, owing to the high concentration of ancient remains scattered across its slopes.
• •The moor is home to the Burnmoor stone circles, a remarkably preserved group of five Bronze Age megalithic rings, including the prominent Brat’s Hill circle which features five internal burial cairns.
• •From the summit outcrop, the view north is dominated by the dramatic silhouettes of Scafell Pike and Great Gable, which appear far more imposing when viewed from the relatively low elevation of this moorland.
• •Despite the name, the only thing likely to stay afloat here is your sense of direction; the 'boat' refers to the village of Boot, leaving any actual maritime aspirations strictly to the deep peat hags that guard the southern approach.