Ill Bell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ill Bell |
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Ill Bell from the neighbouring fell of Froswick
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 757 m (2,484 ft) |
| Prominence | c. 124 m |
| Parent peak | High Street |
| Listing | Wainwright, Nuttall, Hewitt |
| Geography | |
 Ill Bell
Location in Lake District
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| Location | Cumbria, England |
| Parent range | Lake District, Far Eastern Fells |
| OS grid | NY436078 |
| Topo map | OS Explorer OL7 |
Ill Bell is a mountain, known as a fell, in the beautiful Lake District in England. It's located in the county of Cumbria. This mountain stands on a narrow ridge. This ridge is found between two valleys: Kentmere and Troutbeck.
What Ill Bell Looks Like
Ill Bell is a "fell," which is a local word for a mountain or hill. To its north, you'll find Froswick. Froswick looks a lot like a smaller version of Ill Bell. To the south, the next fell is Yoke.
From some directions, Ill Bell looks like a perfectly shaped bell. This is why some people think its name might come from "Hill Bell." When you see Ill Bell and Froswick together, they create a cool "roller-coaster" shape along the ridge.
The western side of Ill Bell is steep and quite smooth. It drops down towards Hagg Gill, which is a main stream in the Troutbeck valley. The eastern side, facing Kentmere, is rougher and steeper. It has a lot of loose rocks and scree. This side goes down to the Kentmere Reservoir.
How to Climb Ill Bell
There's a good path that follows the ridge of Ill Bell. This is the most common way for people to climb to the top. Ill Bell and Yoke are the first parts of a popular walking route called the Kentmere Horseshoe. This route eventually comes back down the ridge on the other side of the Kentmere valley.
You can also climb Ill Bell from the Troutbeck valley. This route often uses the Garburn Road. It's also possible to climb directly from the Hagg Gill valley. Another way is to go up over Lead Howes from the reservoir in Kentmere.
The View from the Top
The very top of Ill Bell is small and pointy. It's also quite stony, which is a bit unusual for the Far Eastern Fells area. You'll see several tall piles of stones, called cairns, at the summit. These cairns are big enough that you can easily spot Ill Bell from far away.
From the summit, you get a great view of the Scafells. You can also see the beautiful Windermere lake very well. All the fells that make up the Kentmere Horseshoe are clearly visible. On a clear day, you might even see Cross Fell and the Dun Fells in the Pennines, which are mountains far away, above Nan Bield Pass.
