Central Fells · Book 3

Great Crag

Great Crag is a Wainwright, one of the 214 Lake District fells in Alfred Wainwright’s Pictorial Guides. At 449 m (1,473 ft) it is the 191st highest of the 214 and the 20th highest in the Central Fells.

Height: 449 m; 1,473 ft
Rank: 191; of 214
In area: 20; of 27
Difficulty: Moderate

Great Crag in the Central Fells of the Lake District — Photo: Mick Knapton via Wikimedia Commons

About Great Crag

A low, rocky Central Fells summit threaded by heather and little tarns. Routes from Watendlath or Rosthwaite are short but characterful, with peeps to High Raise and the Borrowdale tops. A fine add‑on to a valley day.

Dock Tarn lies about half a kilometre south east of the summit in a hollow of heather and rock, and most walkers call in there on the way up or down.

Stonethwaite, Watendlath and Rosthwaite are all starts. At Stonethwaite, parking is limited to the verges of the approach road, and a pitched path climbs steeply through the woods of Lingy End to Dock Tarn. A short walk north west from the tarn brings you to the top. From Watendlath, take the Dock Tarn path, where signposted diversions now lead round the worst of the bog. From Rosthwaite, follow the bridleway towards Watendlath, then head south over boggy moorland that gets firmer and rockier as you climb.

It is a short ascent from every side, but the ground is rough, with squelchy grass lower down and heather and rock near the top. There's no scrambling.

Two tops of almost the same height each carry a cairn, and nobody is sure which is higher. The view is not wide, but it looks down Borrowdale to the higher fells behind, and north over Watendlath Tarn to High Seat and the Skiddaw group.

A mature oak wood clings to the steep Borrowdale slopes below the summit. Grange Fell lies over the wet ground to the north, and the two can be joined in a loop from Watendlath or a longer round from Stonethwaite.

In winter

The moor between Watendlath and Dock Tarn is bog that only firms up in a hard frost. The summit is two cairned knolls in deep heather, so in snow or mist take a bearing from Dock Tarn rather than trusting the trods.

Family Walk
Dog Friendly

Sources: Wikipedia: Great Crag, Wainwright Walking: Great Crag and Grange Fell, Walk Lakes: Eagle Crag, Sergeant's Crag and Ullscarf. Updated 24 September 2026.

Summit

OS grid ref: NY 270 146
Latitude: 54.52217° N
Longitude: 3.12931° W
Area: Central Fells

Walking up Great Crag

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

Route from Seatoller NT car park

Distance: 4.3 km; 2.7 miles, one way
Ascent: 359 m; Total climb to the summit
Time up: 1 h 25 min; Allow 1 to 2 hours

Height in metres along the path from Seatoller NT car park 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. Check the mountain forecast before you go and carry a map and compass.

Great Crag questions

Is Great Crag a Wainwright?

Yes. Great Crag is one of the 214 fells Alfred Wainwright described in his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, in Book 3, The Central Fells.

How high is Great Crag?

Great Crag is 449 metres (1,473 feet) high. That makes it the 191st highest of the 214 Wainwrights and the 20th highest in the Central Fells.

Where do you park for Great Crag?

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

How long does it take to climb Great Crag?

From Seatoller NT car park it is 4.3 km with 359 m of ascent. Naismith's rule, with Langmuir's corrections, puts the climb at about 1 h 25 min, so allow 1 to 2 hours to reach the summit at your own pace, plus the walk back down.

How hard is Great Crag?

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

Which Wainwrights are near Great Crag?

The closest are Grange Fell (Brund Fell) (417 m, 1.7 km N), Castle Crag (290 m, 2.4 km NW) and Rosthwaite Fell (Bessyboot) (551 m, 2.5 km SW).

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

The summit is at OS grid reference NY 270 146, or 54.52217, -3.12931 in latitude and longitude.