National Trust - Bowder Stone — Attraction in Great Britain

It's a beautiful place and the story of the Bowder Stone is fascinating. It was such a shame that the steps leading upto the top were waiting to be reinstalled, due to bad weather damaging the original steps. On the notice it stated that they would be installed from April this year. So we'll be returning. When you do walk to the top, the view is amazing. You do get climbers trying to tackle it because of the shape and size, so you'll always see floor mats around. The history to it is amazing. The walk to it and around is breathtaking with plenty of places to explore. Fantastic for adults, children and your for legged friend's too, our German shepherd loves climbing it. You can see the size of it in the photos, walking underneath when you see how it is balanced is bizarre. Well...

huge andesite lava boulder is located in the Borrowdale valley in Cumbria, England. It was formed from lava that was ejected out of an ancient volcano.

Approximately 13,000 years ago this rock was about 200 metres above where I stand and formed part of King's How, a mountain that rises steeply on my left in the photo. The movement of a glacier shaped and fragmented the sides of the valley and possibly dislodged the Bowder Stone, which eventually fell down the mountainside at an unknown date and landed in its current position here, balanced on one edge.

The name Bowder Stone may derive from the local dialect for boulder. But there is a popular story that it derives from the Norse god, Baldr, the son of Odin. It is said that one side of the stone resembles...

The Bowder Stone is a bit of a trek up into the Borrowdale valley from Keswick, but it's worth the effort if you are in the area. It's a national trust car park with their clever new machines that scan your membership card, so don't forget your card or you're paying. The stone is a 10-15 minute walk from the car park along a gravel path. There are a few steps down from the car park but you can avoid them if you have a pushchair - you just have to use the road. When you get there don't expect national trust facilities. It's a big rock, not a stately home. But it is impressive and kids love climbing on it. Keep an eye on them though; there are steps up on to the stone but nothing other than common sense to stop you falling off once...