What was found in borrowdale

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, it was used to make moulds for cannon balls. This resulted in rounder, smoother balls that could be fired further, improving the already impressive strength of the English Navy. Because of these industrial and military uses, demand in premium graphite grew massively. Unfortunately, the increasing value of graphite attracted thieves and other nefarious characters.

It got so bad that in an Act of Parliament was passed making unlawful entry into a graphite mine a crime. Guardhouses were erected around the mine in Seathwaite to protect the precious resources within. This was aided by working the mine irregularly; after discovering a large vein of graphite the mine would close, sometimes for up to seven years, keeping the price of graphite artificially high.

In fact, penalty clauses were written into sales agreements in the 18th century to make sure these closures happened. In the late 18th century Keswick started to become well-known for producing some of the finest pencils in the world. They were handmade by a variety of small workshops using pure, solid sticks of graphite from the nearby Seathwaite graphite mine.

Mining operations in Borrowdale wound down towards the end of the 19th century as the graphite deposits were exhausted. Added to that, most pencil manufacturers were also switching to pencil pigments made from the economical blend of graphite powder and clay powder, imported from outside the UK. In the graphite mine at Seathwaite closed for the final time.

The company grew and changed ownership over time, becoming the Cumberland Pencil Company in and introduced the first ever colour pencil.

It measures thirty six feet high and weighs around 1, tons. Deposited in its present position by by the action of glaciers, it can be climbed via a ladder on both sides. Borrowdale has a long history, stone axes, dating to the Neolithic period, have been found on the slopes of Glaramara, while in the Iron Age a fort was built on Castle Crag.

Scandanavian settlers came to Borrowdale in the tenth century and gave the valley its name after the Iron Age fort, from 'Borg' - fort and 'Dalr' - valley. They left signs of their presence in the names of landscape features 'fell' - mountain, 'beck' - stream, 'rigg' - ridge and 'thwaite' - clearing. In medieval times the monks of Furness Abbey and Foutains Abbey owned much of the land in Borrowdale, trade routes ran east and south from Borrowdale with loads carried over the fells by packhorse.

The ancient hamlet of Rosthwaite is popular with walkers and climbers, the village has a number of hotels and also offers bed and breakfast accommodation and a youth hostel.

Its name derives from the Norse for 'clearing with the heap of stones'. A popular location with walkers, a trail leads from the village along the banks of the River Derwent as it flows north to Derwent Water. There are also excellent walks to the Honister Pass and along the shores of Derwent Water to Keswick. Situated a little further down the valley, the picturesque village of Stonethwaite consists of a cluster of whitewashed cottages which huddle around a village inn. The inn provides meals and has a cosy bar for walkers.

Grange means a farm, usually belonging to a monastery. In this case the monks of Furness Abbey built a monastic grange here in medieval times. The well know double arched bridge was built in whilst the church of the Holy Trinity dates back to Grange used to be a Methodist 'dry village' and in fact it is only in recent years that the Borrowdale Gates Hotel was granted a non resident alcohol licence.

The Borrowdale valley runs for some ten miles from the high fells, with m Scafell Pike the highest summit, down to the shores of Derwentwater. All of this spectacular landscape lies within half an hour of travelling from Keswick.

The Borrowdale Rambler bus service runs the length of the valley all year round and this can link in to the launches around Derwentwater. Take the open top bus from Keswick to Seatoller, Rosthwaite or Grange for tea and cakes and ride back, no rambling required.

If you buy a day rider ticket you can use it on both the Borrowdale and Honister Rambler buses and get on and off as much as you like all day.

Rosthwaite is a lovely village surrounded by magnificent fells and home to lovely pubs and hotels.