Bowder Stone

Overview

The Bowder Stone is one of the most recognisable rocks in the Lake District National Park in Cumbria. Located in the Borrowdale Valley, not far from the market town of Keswick, this large rock has a fixed ladder on it which you can use to climb right to the top.

Children and adults alike will enjoy climbing to the top of the Bowder Stone for a fantastic photo opportunity as well as to enjoy the views of the fells and crags which surround it. Climbers and boulderers will also find some fun routes to tackle on the stone.

The stone looks as if it is balancing on a tiny surface area, which makes it all the more interesting. It’s a must-see when in Keswick, as it is one of the largest freestanding boulders in the country. Bowder Stone is free to visit and to climb.

Where is the Bowder Stone?

The Bowder Stone’s location is in the Jaws of Borrowdale, the narrow point of the Borrowdale Valley surrounded by Grange Fell, Castle Crag, and High Spy. It is in Grange, just outside Keswick in the Lake District, UK.

How much does the Bowder Stone weigh?

The Bowder Stone weighs about 2,000 tonnes, which is the equivalent of almost 1,000 Range Rovers! It is around 30 feet (9.1 metres) high, 30 feet (9.1 metres) across, and 90 feet (27.4 metres) in circumference.

Where did the Bowder Stone come from?

It is thought that the Bowder Stone fell from the Bowder Crag approximately 656 feet (200 metres) from where it is now, after the Borrowdale glacier retreated between 13,500 and 10,000 years ago.

The name Bowder may well be derived from the local pronunciation of “boulder” or from the Norse God Baldr, son of Odin. The surface of the stone is said to look like Baldr’s features.

Is the Bowder Stone an erratic?

It used to be thought that the Bowder Stone was an erratic. However, more recent research found that it is from a rockfall above it. An erratic in geology refers to a material that is not from the area but has been transported from elsewhere. These rocks were carried by glacial ice over huge distances during prehistoric glacier movements.

The Bowder Stone is made from andesite lava from volcanic material, which dates back around 485 million years.

Bowder Stone walks

There are countless walks in the Borrowdale Valley that have the Bowder Stone as a point of interest. With a variety of distances and terrains, there is something to suit every type of walker.

These include:

Borrowdale Loop: Bowder Stone and the River Derwent (5.5 miles/8.9 kilometres)
Borger Dalr geology walk (5 miles/8 kilometres)
King’s How and Grange Fell walk (3.5 miles/5/6 kilometres)

History of the Bowder Stone in tourism

The Bowder Stone was referred to as the Boother-stone in 1772 by the Reverend Gilpin before becoming the Bowdar Stone in 1792. Not long after this, it was also called the Powder Stone and Bounder Stone in various books and writings about the Lake District.

Wealthy eccentric Joseph Pocklington, who inherited a fortune from banking, was the first to establish the Bowder Stone as a tourist attraction in 1798. He installed the ladder so that people could climb to the summit and erected a standing stone nearby that was reminiscent of druid stone circles.

He also built Bowderstone Cottage, a small house where a guide lived. The site was very popular during the Victorian period when tourism and leisure pursuits started to take off.

In 2019, the wooden ladder was replaced by a metal ladder in order to conform to current safety standards.

The legend of Bowder Stone

As with other large rocks or rock formations, there is a popular legend associated with the Bowder Stone.

A large battle started between giants and humans, with the giants throwing large boulders at the humans to defend their land.

The Bowder Stone is said to be one of these rocks.

How to get to the Bowder Stone from YHA Keswick

The Bowder Stone is just over five miles (8.2 kilometres) from YHA Keswick. The easiest and most convenient ways to get there are by public transport and driving.

By public transport: From YHA Keswick, walk around seven minutes to the bus stop at the Daleview Hotel. From here, catch the 78 Borrowdale Bus to Seatoller, alighting at Kings How. From Kings How, it’s a seven-minute walk to the Bowder Stone car park.

By car: It takes approximately 13 minutes to drive from YHA Keswick to the Bowder Stone. The nearest parking is at the National Trust Bowder Stone pay and display car park. National Trust members can park for free. From the car park, it’s an easy ten-minute walk to the stone. The footpath to the stone provides access for all.

Cycling: Cycling to the Bowder Stone from YHA Keswick takes just over 40 minutes.