Howes (fell) facts for kids
Howes is a small hill in the beautiful Lake District in England. It's not a huge mountain, but it's part of a larger hill called Branstree. You can find Howes in Cumbria, which is a county in northwest England. It sits southeast of another hill called Selside Pike.
Howes is special because it was written about by a famous walker and author named Alfred Wainwright. He included it in his book, The Outlying Fells of Lakeland. This book describes many less-known hills and walks in the Lake District.
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Exploring Howes: A Lake District Hill
Howes is considered a "subsidiary summit." This means it's a smaller peak that is connected to a bigger one, in this case, Branstree. Even though it's not the most famous hill, it offers some interesting sights for those who explore it.
Wainwright's Walk to Howes
Alfred Wainwright planned a specific route to reach the top of Howes. His journey starts at a place called Swindale Head. From there, walkers follow a stream known as Swindale Beck.
The path then goes over a moor, which is an open area of land, called Nabs Moor. This moor is about 1,613 feet (492 meters) high. After crossing Nabs Moor, you reach the summit of Howes.
Reaching the Summit of Howes
The very top of Howes is about 1,930 feet (588 meters) above sea level. After enjoying the views from the summit, Wainwright's route continues. It drops down to another stream called Mosedale Beck. This completes a circular walk, bringing you back to where you started.
What Wainwright Thought of Howes
Wainwright himself said that Howes was "undistinguished." This means he didn't think it was a very exciting or unique hill on its own. He felt it was just a small part of the bigger Branstree area.
However, he did find some things to praise! He really liked the view of the Mosedale quarry. A quarry is a place where stone is dug out of the ground. He also thought the waterfalls at Swindale Head were "extremely fine." He even compared them to the famous Lodore Falls, which are known for being very beautiful. So, even if the hill itself wasn't thrilling to him, the surrounding nature certainly was!
