Lake District
Bessyboot (Rosthwaite Fell)
551M
1807FT
About Bessyboot (Rosthwaite Fell)
Bessyboot is the rocky high point of the broader Rosthwaite Fell plateau, looming directly over the village of Rosthwaite in Borrowdale. It’s a rugged, craggy summit that requires a bit of easy scrambling and careful navigation around the hidden hollows and the nearby Tarn at Leaves.
Key Statistics
Rank
328th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Southern Fells
Prominence
?
44
Nearest Town
Rosthwaite
Geology
You’re walking on ancient layers of volcanic ash and rhyolite that make up the Bad Step, Rosthwaite, Crinkle, and Long Top Tuff formations.
Classifications
Find It
Latitude
54.5022°N
Longitude
3.1469°W
Did You Know?
- •The name Rosthwaite originates from the Old Norse 'hreysi', meaning a heap of stones, and 'thveit', meaning a clearing in the woods.
- •While Bessyboot is the summit recognised by Alfred Wainwright, the actual highest point of the Rosthwaite Fell is the slightly higher Rosthwaite Cam located further south.
- •Tarn at Leaves, situated just south of the summit, is a small upland pool that serves as a vital landmark in the otherwise confusing and undulating terrain of the fell top.
- •The steep western slopes of the fell overlook the impressive glacial valley of Combe Gill, which contains evidence of historic lead mining and slate quarrying.
- •The plateau is famously labyrinthine; hikers often find that 'Bessyboot' is less of a peak and more of a complex obstacle course where the 'path' frequently vanishes into a boggy abyss.