Bowder Stone

Located in the Borrowdale valley near Grange, at the southern end of Derwentwater, the Bowder Stone is one of Lakeland's most famous landmarks. The huge boulder weighs around 2000 tonnes, is 30 feet high and lies balanced precariously on its corner. Although most visitors assume the boulder tumbled down from the surrounding fells, the Bowder Stone is not actually a local rock. This oddity is a result of glacial action, most probably being carried to Borrowdale from Scotland during the last Ice Age. The Bowder Stone, which is estimated to contain 23,000 solid feet of stone, is thought to have taken its name from Balder, son of the Norse God Odin.

At the end of the 18th century a rich eccentric living in nearby Keswick built a chapel next to the Stone and also cut a hole through its base - consequently two people lying down can shake hands under it from opposite sides. A sturdy wooden ladder also allows visitors to climb on top of the stone.