Bowfell via Whorneyside Force and the Great Slab

This is an 8.4-mile (13.6 km) loop, measured from Old Dungeon Ghyll car park and back. The opening road and farm track lead through Stool End Farm into Oxendale, then the route follows Oxendale Beck to Whorneyside Force. It climbs beside Hell Gill and Busco Sike, crosses open slopes to The Band, and then takes the narrow Climbers' Traverse beneath Bowfell's crags. The climb beside the Great Slab reaches Bowfell's 902-metre summit before the route descends via Ore Gap, Angle Tarn, Rossett Gill, and Mickleden.

This is a hard mountain day with about 860 metres of ascent. Expect rough paths, steep grass, wet rock, boulders, vague sections, and a few short scrambles. The Climbers' Traverse is generally walkable in dry conditions, but it crosses steep ground above crags and feels exposed. The Great Slab is the route's most striking feature and its most serious footing hazard: the polished rock becomes extremely slippery when wet. Allow about five to six hours for the loop with ordinary stops and route-finding.

Late spring through early autumn gives the best chance of dry rock and straightforward navigation. Snow and ice can turn the upper route into mountaineering terrain. There is no dependable shelter or facility once you leave the valley, and the line around Hell Gill, the traverse, Ore Gap, and Angle Tarn becomes much harder to follow in mist. If you want a simpler Bowfell ascent, the direct path up The Band is easier to follow; this loop earns its place through the waterfall, traverse, and varied descent.

Dogs are allowed in the Langdales, but this is a poor route for most pets. Keep them close and on a lead around livestock, do not take them onto the sloping Great Slab, and be realistic about the exposed traverse and rough scrambling. The Lake District National Park's normal access rules apply.