Buckbarrow

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Buckbarrow
The cliffs of Buckbarrow are unassailable to walkers and prevent a direct ascent
Elevation	423 m (1,388 ft)
Location	Cumbria, England
Range	Lake District Western Fells
Prominence	<5 m
Topo map	OS Landranger 89, OS Explorer 6
OS grid reference	NY135055
Listing	Wainwright

Buckbarrow is a small fell in the English Lake District situated at the western end of Wast Water. The fell is featured in Alfred Wainwright’s Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells and is given a height of 1,410 ft approximately; however, the Ordnance Survey and other guide books now give an altitude of 423 m (1,388 ft). The fells name is means "The hill of the buck or goat". It is derived either from the Old English word "bucc" meaning buck or the Old Norse word "bokki" meaning a he goat.

Buckbarrow is not really a separate hill but just the craggy end of the southern ridge of the neighbouring fell of Seatallan, which reaches a height of 692 m (2,270 ft). Buckbarrow gives good views of Wast Water as well as the Wast Water Screes. The fell is usually climbed from the minor road which runs along the base of the hill. From here Buckbarrow looks quite formidable and the crags are a deterrent to a direct ascent; however, all danger can be bypassed by starting the climb at the more westerly point of Harrow Head farm and following Gill Beck up to a height of around 350 metres before bearing north easterly to the highest point above the crags. Buckbarrow can also be bagged almost as an afterthought as the walker descends from Seatallan. Buckbarrow's formidable crags are a popular rock climbing venue