Ard Crags
581m (1906ft)
The North Western Fells, The Lake District, Cumbria, England
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You can find Ard Crags & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps: (click/TAP to select)
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (the ones with orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Maps (the ones with pink/magenta covers):
See Ard Crags and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:
See Ard Crags and the surrounding tops on our downloadable PDF Peak Bagging Map:
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 6ml (9.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 1,894ft (577m) |
| Time: | 4 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Little Town - Newlands Church - Keskerdale Farm - Knott Rigg - Ard Crags - Rigg Beck - Birkrigg - Gillbrow - Little Town
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 14.5ml (23km) |
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| Ascent: | 5,409ft (1,648m) |
| Time: | 11 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Very Hard) |
Route Summary:
Hawes End - Derwent Water - Skelgill Bank - Woodford's Path - Cat Bells (Catbells) - Maiden Moor - High Spy (North Top) - High Spy - Dalehead Tarn - Dale Head (Newlands) - Hindscarth - Littledale Edge - Robinson - High Snockrigg - Moss Force - Newlands Hause - Knott Rigg - Ard Crags - Birkrigg - Keskerdale Beck - Newlands Church - Newlands Beck - Little Town - Skelgill Farm - Hawes End Derwent Water.
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged Ard Crags
Neil Walker walked up on August 21st, 2025 [from/via/route] Rowling End Farm [with] Emma [weather] Cloudy - Out-and-back walk from Rowling End. Tough slog up Ard Crags from Ill rigg, then easy walking on the plateau to Knot Rigg
James Hughes climbed it on August 2nd, 2025 [from/via/route] c345 Knott Rigg & Ard Crags from Little Town [weather] Warm, sunny spells, breezy on tops. - Pleasant afternoon stroll from carpark near Newlands Church (honesty payment). Easy walk up road to cross fields to road near Keskerdale Farm. Not clear where to take path up to Knott Rigg, but farmer assisted. Through gate opposite farm, make for tree & then climb over gate at top (to keep sheep in). Path is clear from there cutting up side of hill to ascend to Knott Rigg. Really easy over top to Ard Crags. Then steepish but easy descent off top. Clear path bears left to path at base of Causey Pike. Took a less distinct path due to following instructions which ended up on this path anyhow. Path joins road at bridge & then returned on road back to Newlands Church. Easy. Pint of Landlord at Swinside Inn. Generally underwhelmed.
Caroline Winter bagged it on March 26th, 2025 [from/via/route] Quarry CP, Rigg beck, Ard crags, Ard top, Knott Rigg, Newlands Hause, road back [with] Solo [weather] Warm excellent views - Excellent for fell top spotting from Blencathra & Dodds, to Grassmoor & beyond.
Nick Tippins hiked it on March 24th, 2025 [from/via/route] c345: Knott Rigg & Ard Crags from Little Town [with] Fran
Martin Hartshorne summited on March 21st, 2025 [from/via/route] Rannerdale parking area [with] finley [weather] Started warm & sunny, then strong winds clouded over quite cold
Charlotte Hewson conquered it on August 18th, 2024 [with] Rose
Sarah Gunn scaled on July 28th, 2024 [from/via/route] From Littletown [with] Martin Gunn
Ian Ashton walked up on June 30th, 2024 [with] Solo - Ì
Geoff Hand climbed it on May 2nd, 2024 [from/via/route] Walk c345,Walked up from Kesterdale farm having walked from Little Town. Many false summits! Followed the ridge onto Ard Crags & then wound down to Birkrig Farm. NB Some young cows looked very interestedin us as we were ambling down the hill so we cut down to the road earlier than shown on the map. [with] Tess, my Jack Russell [weather] Sunny Intervals, warm in the sun. Very windy from the north east. - Nice easy walk bearing in mind I am doing Coniston Fell race on Saturday 4th.
Kate Peacock bagged it on January 6th, 2024 [from/via/route] Main car park [with] Sheila and both dogs [weather] Beautiful day, perfect - Amber's first walk
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More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on or of Ard Crags
Grasmoor, Crag Hill (Eel Crag), Sail, Ard Crags and Knott Rigg from the summit of Wandope
Knott Rigg (foreground left), Buttermere (just poking out) with Red Pike (Buttermere) beyond and Whitelees Pike & Wandope (centre right) from Ard Crags
The summit of Ard Crags with the shoulder of Robinson and High Snockrigg beyond
Send us your photographs and pictures on, of, or from Ard Crags
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