Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd up Great Borne: route map, distance and time
616 m · Cumbria
Great Borne is the 616m western end of the High Stile ridge, a steep, heathery fell above Ennerdale Water and the Floutern Pass.
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Bowness Knott car park, Ennerdale.
Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd starts at about 133 m and gains 484 m over 2.4 km to 612 m on the track. The first kilometre climbs 88 m. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 2 km, which climbs 318 m at an average of 32%, with a 500 m stretch from 1.4 km at about 42%. It keeps climbing at 20% to the top. About 57% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd at a glance
| Distance | 2.4 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 490 m |
| Climb on the track | 484 m up, 5 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 123 m to 613 m (summit 616 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 42%, from 1.4 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 57% of the way |
| Time up | 1h 20m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 1h 45m, down the same way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Bowness Knott car park, Ennerdale, CA23 3AU |
| Start grid reference | NY 109 153 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 123 163 |
| Parking | Bowness Knott car park, Ennerdale; the postcode is approximate |
Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd map
The track from the start (green) to the summit (blue), with a marker at each kilometre.
Height profile and getting to the start
Download the Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd GPX
Ascent only: plan your way down. A planning track, not checked on the ground; it doesn't show safe scrambling moves. Track data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), heights from a terrain model.
Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd kilometre by kilometre
Height, climb and average gradient for each kilometre of the track, with a grid reference at the end of each one to check your position on the map.
| At | Height | Climb | Gradient | Grid ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 221 m | +88 m | 9% | NY 113 159 |
| 2 km | 539 m | +318 m | 32% steep | NY 120 162 |
| 2.4 km | 612 m | +73 m | 20% steep | NY 123 163 |
How long Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 1h 5m | 1h 25m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 1h 20m | 1h 45m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 1h 35m | 2h 10m |
Times leave out stops. Coming down the same way, the table counts the ascent once; steep descents on rough ground can be as slow as the climb.
- Today: sunrise 07:50, sunset 18:06. Start by 15:21 to be down before dark, allowing 1h 45m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:52, sunset 18:04. Start by 15:19 to be down before dark, allowing 1h 45m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Great Borne summit weather for this route
There is no recent summit forecast cached for Great Borne right now. The main Great Borne page loads the live forecast when you open it. Open the live Great Borne forecast.
Before you go, also check: MWIS Lake District forecast · Met Office mountain forecast · Weatherline fell top conditions.
About Great Borne
Great Borne is the 616m western end of the High Stile ridge, a steep, heathery fell above Ennerdale Water and the Floutern Pass. More about Great Borne, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Hewitt, Nuttall, HuMP, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- Starling Dodd (633 m), 1.9 km east
- Hen Comb (506 m), 1.9 km north-east
- Gavel Fell (524 m), 2.3 km north
Challenges that include Great Borne
More walks from Bowness Knott car park, Ennerdale
Routes in Peakify's guides that start within 500 m of this one, for another day from the same car park.
- Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd up Red Pike
- Ennerdale via Steeple up Scoat Fell
- Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd up Starling Dodd
- Ennerdale via the north ridge up Steeple
Other routes up Great Borne
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loweswater via Floutern Tarn | 5.4 km one way | 587 m | 2h 5m | Moderate |
| Buttermere via Red Pike and the Ennerdale ridge | 8.4 km one way | — | — | Hard |
In an emergency
Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at NY 109 153, the summit at NY 123 163), what happened and how many are in your group. If you have no signal for a call, a text to 999 works once you have registered your phone with emergencySMS: text "register" to 999 before you go.
Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd: questions and answers
How far is Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd?
Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd is 2.4 km one way to the summit of Great Borne, with 490 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 4.8 km.
How long does Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd take?
About 1h 20m to the summit of Great Borne and 1h 45m there and back by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops. A relaxed group takes nearer 2h 10m for the round trip.
How steep is Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd?
The steepest 500 m averages about 42%, starting 1.4 km from the start, and 57% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd climbs 484 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd?
Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd starts from Bowness Knott car park, Ennerdale (postcode CA23 3AU). The grid reference is NY 109 153. Bowness Knott car park, Ennerdale; the postcode is approximate
Is Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd suitable for beginners?
Not as a first mountain. Peakify grades it Hard: steep, rough ground where a slip matters. Build up on an easier route first, such as Loweswater via Floutern Tarn.
What time should I start Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd today?
By 15:21 at the latest. Sunset on Great Borne today is 18:06, Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd takes about 1h 45m there and back, and that leaves an hour for stops. Start earlier in winter or if the forecast turns.
Is there a GPX for Bowness Knott via Great Borne and Starling Dodd?
Yes. Download it from this page. It is an ascent-only planning track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths and not checked on the ground.