Eastern Fells · Book 1

Dove Crag

Dove Crag is a Wainwright, one of the 214 Lake District fells in Alfred Wainwright’s Pictorial Guides. At 792 m (2,598 ft) it is the joint 38th highest of the 214 and the 12th highest in the Eastern Fells.

Height: 792 m; 2,598 ft
Rank: =38; of 214
In area: 12; of 35
Difficulty: Easy

Dove Crag in the Eastern Fells of the Lake District — Photo: Ian Capper via Geograph, CC BY-SA 2.0

About Dove Crag

A high, quiet top on the eastern arm of the Fairfield Horseshoe, between Hart Crag and High Pike. A wall leads along the ridge, and its big north-east crags drop into Dovedale above Brothers Water.

From Ambleside, Dove Crag is one more rise on the east side of the Fairfield Horseshoe. The crag itself faces the other way, a cliff about 75 m high dropping into Dovedale above Brothers Water.

Most walkers reach it on the Horseshoe from Ambleside, starting at the Rydal Road car park (NY 376 047). The eastern arm climbs over Low Pike and High Pike on a long ridge, with a stone wall to follow for much of the way. Between Low Pike and High Pike it is wet and boggy, with one patch of deep bog. The whole round is about 16 km with over 1000 m of ascent.

From the Patterdale side, start at the Brothers Water car park by Cow Bridge (NY 402 133), which takes about 20 cars. Walk to Hartsop Hall, then head up Dovedale, where you see the crags from below. A round from here, the Dovedale Round, can take in Hartsop above How, Hart Crag, Dove Crag, Little Hart Crag and High Hartsop Dodd. It is about 12 km with over 800 m of climbing, with steep and pathless sections, and the descent of High Hartsop Dodd is steep.

The summit is a small rock platform with a cairn, and the ridge wall passes about 15 m to the west. For the best view, walk to the edge of the crags and look straight down into Dovedale.

Hidden in the crags is Priest's Hole, a cave around 5 m deep with a narrow letterbox entrance, used as a shelter by walkers and climbers. It is on large-scale OS maps but hard to find in poor weather. Dove Crag was the first chapter Alfred Wainwright wrote for his guides, finished on 9 November 1952.

In winter

The summit is a small rocky platform set back from the edge of its north-east crags, and the wall that guides you along the ridge from High Pike is easy to follow until snow buries it. The boggy stretch between Low Pike and High Pike freezes hard, and Walk Lakes advises against the Dovedale approach when it is wet or frozen.

Great Views
Quiet & Remote
Dog Friendly

Sources: Wikipedia: Dove Crag, Walk Lakes: The Dovedale Round, Walk Lakes: The Fairfield Horseshoe. Updated 24 September 2026.

Summit

OS grid ref: NY 374 104
Latitude: 54.48539° N
Longitude: 2.96691° W
Area: Eastern Fells

Walking up Dove Crag

The nearest car park on foot is Bunkhouse parking, 4.3 km (2.7 miles) from the summit along mapped paths. Directions to the car park

Route from Bunkhouse parking

Distance: 4.3 km; 2.7 miles, one way
Ascent: 639 m; Total climb to the summit
Time up: 1 h 51 min; Allow 1 to 3 hours

Height in metres along the path from Bunkhouse parking to the summit.

Times use Naismith’s rule, 5 km/h on the flat plus extra time for the climb, with Langmuir’s corrections. It’s a rule of thumb for the way up only, so add stops, weather and the walk back down.

The route follows paths mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors and isn’t a guided line. This car park was picked automatically and hasn’t been checked by hand yet, so compare it with a map. Check the mountain forecast before you go and carry a map and compass.

Dove Crag questions

Is Dove Crag a Wainwright?

Yes. Dove Crag is one of the 214 fells Alfred Wainwright described in his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, in Book 1, The Eastern Fells.

How high is Dove Crag?

Dove Crag is 792 metres (2,598 feet) high. That makes it the joint 38th highest of the 214 Wainwrights and the 12th highest in the Eastern Fells.

Where do you park for Dove Crag?

The nearest car park on foot is Bunkhouse parking, 4.3 km (2.7 miles) from the summit along mapped paths.

How long does it take to climb Dove Crag?

From Bunkhouse parking it is 4.3 km with 639 m of ascent. Naismith's rule, with Langmuir's corrections, puts the climb at about 1 h 51 min, so allow 1 to 3 hours to reach the summit at your own pace, plus the walk back down.

How hard is Dove Crag?

Upfell rates Dove Crag as easy. Check the mountain weather forecast before you set out and carry a map and compass.

Which Wainwrights are near Dove Crag?

The closest are Hart Crag (822 m, 0.9 km NW), Little Hart Crag (637 m, 1.3 km E) and High Pike [Scandale] (656 m, 1.6 km S).

What is the grid reference for the summit of Dove Crag?

The summit is at OS grid reference NY 374 104, or 54.48539, -2.96691 in latitude and longitude.