High Scawdel

About High Scawdel

Rising steeply above Rosthwaite, this rugged shoulder of the High Spy ridge offers an intimate perspective of the Jaws of Borrowdale. While often bypassed for higher ground, its rocky top provides a quiet vantage point overlooking the wooded depths of the valley and the distinctive, miniature peak of Castle Crag.

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Did You Know?

• •The name likely stems from the Old Norse 'skalli', meaning a bald head or bare hill, combined with 'dalr' for valley, describing the rocky ground overlooking the valley of Scawdel Beck.
• •Though overshadowed by the main ridge of the North Western Fells, it is recognised as a Synge—a classification from Tim Synge’s 'The Lakeland Summits' that highlights often-overlooked tops with a distinct drop on all sides.
• •The eastern slopes are home to the dramatic ruins of Rigghead Quarries, where abandoned levels and spoil heaps remain as a testament to the area's once-thriving green slate industry.
• •The summit provides an exceptional bird's-eye view of the 'Jaws of Borrowdale', where the valley narrows between the steep flanks of Grange Fell and the crags of this fell's own eastern face.
• •It is a summit frequently claimed by accident by those aiming for the higher ground of High Spy who find themselves distracted by the impressive drop into the Newlands Valley to the west.