Boat How facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Boat How |
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The summit rock outcrop
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 337 m (1,106 ft) |
| Prominence | 79 m (259 ft) |
| Parent peak | Illgill Head |
| Listing | Outlying Fell, Tump, Birkett, Synge, Fellranger |
| Geography | |
 Boat How
Location in Lake District
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| OS grid | NY177034 |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 89, 90; Outdoor Leisure 6 |
Boat How, sometimes known as Eskdale Moor, is a hill found in the amazing Lake District in England. It's located close to the village of Boot in Cumbria. This hill sits between the River Mite to the west and the Whillan Beck, which is part of Eskdale, to the east. It's a great place to explore nature and discover history!
What is Boat How?
Boat How is a hill that reaches about 337 meters (1,105 feet) high. It's considered an "Outlying Fell" of the Lake District. This means it's one of the hills on the edge of the main mountain ranges. It's also listed as a "Tump," a "Birkett," a "Synge," and a "Fellranger," which are all different ways to classify hills in the British Isles based on their height and prominence.
Exploring Boat How
A famous writer named Alfred Wainwright wrote about Boat How in his book The Outlying Fells of Lakeland. He described a circular walk around the hill starting from Boot. Wainwright thought Boat How was a "happy hunting ground" for people who love finding old things. He mentioned that there are four stone circles on the hill!
Some people, like the writer Richards, call the whole area "Eskdale Moor" and only the very top part "Boat How." However, the official "Database of British and Irish Hills" calls the entire hill "Boat How." No matter what you call it, it's a fascinating place.
Ancient History on the Hill
Boat How is really special because it has many very old remains from people who lived there thousands of years ago. These include ancient stone circles, cairns (piles of stones), and old enclosures. These are like clues that tell us about life in prehistoric times.
Historic England, an organization that protects historical places, calls this wider area "Burnmoor." They describe it as a large open moorland with lots of prehistoric sites. There are four "scheduled ancient monuments" on Boat How, which means they are protected by law because they are so important. These include:
- A field of cairns, including a burial mound, a standing stone, and three stone banks.
- An ancient enclosure with three hut circles (where people used to live) and eight clearance cairns (piles of stones cleared from fields).
- Another ancient enclosure with ten clearance cairns.
- A large area with five stone circles, ten burial cairns, six stone banks, two stone walls, and an old trackway. This area is known as the Burnmoor stone circles.
These ancient sites make Boat How a truly unique place to visit. You can imagine what life was like for people living there long, long ago!
How to Get There
You can start your adventure to Boat How from a few different places. Richards, the writer, suggests routes from Dalegarth railway station, from Miterdale Forest, or from the village of Eskdale Green. He describes the hill as a "tract of fascinating moorland" with tarns (small mountain lakes) and ancient relics.
